Yudu (流頭), Water Greeting

"Yudu" refers to the Full Moon Day in the sixth month of the lunar calendar. It is also called "Sodu" (梳頭) or "Sudu" (水頭). Here "Sodu" means "to wash one’s hair," while "Sudu" is an old e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n, "Mulmari (‘Mari’ is an old e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n of "Meori," or "head" in Korean.). The e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n points to "Mulmaji," or bathing, related to events taking place on the day of "Yudu" 

유두 관련 자료

Landscape of Yudu by Lee Eok-yeong	An article on Yudu in the Seoul Shinmun, dated July 31, 1958	Mulmaji Bathing

"Yudu" is an abbreviated form of "Dongryusudumokyok" (東流水頭沐浴), which means "to wash one’s hair and bathe in water flowing east." Eastward-flowing water was chosen because east symbolized "blue" (靑), or the direction most full of yang energy. Another view on "Yudu" maintained that the word expressed "bathing" in the Idu (吏讀) s-c-r-i-p-t, an archaic writing system that was used to represent the Korean language with Chinese characters.

유두 관련 자료

Chamoe (Korean Melons) in Seosan City, Chungcheongnam-do	Subak (Watermelons) in Hadong County, Gyeongsangnam-do

On "Yudu," some families followed the tradition of "Yudu Cheonsin.," a Yudu ritual in which offerings were made to ancestors, including produce from the year’s first harvest, such as Korean melons and watermelons, and noodles or cakes made of wheat. In the rice paddies and fields, farmers performed "Yongsinje" (龍神祭) or "Batje." In the North Gyeongsang region, this was called "Yongje" (龍祭) or "Yongwangje." The holiday foods enjoyed on Yudu included "Sudan" (水團), "Geondan" (乾團), "Yeonbyeong" (連餠), "Sanghwabyeong" (霜花餠) and "Sugyowi (水角兒)." Rainfall on "Yudu" was used to predict the harvest for that year. In the South Chungcheong region, rainfall on "Yudu" was called "Yudumul." Geavy rainfall on "Yudu," described as "a Yudu flood," was negatively viewed.