The ninth day of the ninth lunar month marks the swallows' return south and traditionally was a day for picnicking beneath the autumn foliage and cleaning the area around the family graves if this hadn't been done on Ch'usok.
Chrysanthemums are still in season.
Their flowers are used to make kukhwajon, chrysanthemum rice cakes, and chrysanthemum wine. Fresh pears, citrons, pomegranates and pine nuts are sliced and chopped for use in hwach'ae, a special fruit salad. In traditional Korean society, gentlemen-scholars traveled to the mountains to appreciate nature and recite poetry. Today many families pack their favorite autumn foods for picnics at this time.