The meaning of jaeke(Purification) on the Korean traditional memorial servise


 Purification is needed in the Korean traditional memorial service ritual. 
The purification ritual changes the spirit into a holy,clean one.

Purification is done on many occasions, such as in the course of moving to a
different house, when faced with the calamities of weather, when reading holy
books. 

 Purification for memorial services is performed most frequently. The order of 
the purifiacation ritual during the memorial services is not concretely listed
,nevertheless its meaning is very important. While ancestors objected to the 
memorial services, there are many reasons why their sons and grandsons accepted
them.

 Human beings existed in body and soul,but after death the two sides seperated
from each other. While the Hon(light Soul) is rising to sky the Bak(heavy Soul)
remains on he earth with its dead body.
 When purification is performed at the memorial service, the performer must
his dead ancestors' soul. If not purified, he can't meet the ancestors' soul.

 This meeting is not a rebirth  an reincarantion, but the soul itself. The 
ancestors' soul appears its sons and grandsons holy wish, therefore, in the 
Korean traditional customs, the soul is remains eternal through its sons and
grandsons. Unfortunately, if it has no sons and grandsons it disappears from
the world.

Following is a purification method in traditional Korean custom:

 The first step is done called Sanjae. A person must gradually detech himself from
everyday life as the memorial day approaches, keeping his thoughs only on the 
departed ancestors.

 The second step is called Chijae. During this stage a person must stop everyday 
activities completely, refraining from drinking or other sinful activities such
as fighting, going to dirty places in less than pure endeavors. He showed also
clean his house and wears clean clothes.

 If we make purification on active part of our everyday living, in the sense of
a spiritual and physical cleansing of our souls and bodies, then all our modern
societed problems could be solved.