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Much of Korean culture exhibits a strong Chinese influence. Confucianism and Buddhism, along with shamanism, form the foundation of modern Korean thought and habit. After World War II, and especially after the Korean War, modern trends became integrated into South Korean cultural life, though traditional ideas still play an important role. Traditional Korean family life centers on rituals marking life-cycle milestones and the observation of holidays and ancestral rites. The most important passages in a person’s life are the completion of a baby’s first 100 days, one’s marriage, and one’s 60th birthday, or hangab, which marks the completion of a full life cycle. According to traditional Korean belief, the spirits of the departed do not leave Earth for several generations; thus, deceased parents and grandparents are still considered part of the family. Ancestral rites (cherye) are performed to honor them on death anniversaries and on major holidays. Two of the most important holidays are the Lunar New Year, in late January or early February, and the Harvest Moon Festival, in late September. These are marked by the gathering of families in the ancestral hometown or at the home of the head of the family.
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The South Korean government is active in supporting and promoting traditional performing arts. Among these arts is the sandae, or masked dance theater. Originally performed in the late 14th century, the sandae satirized the nobility and corrupt priests of the time. Today it is still performed by villagers in some parts of the country. P’ansori, a traditional form of sung narrative accompanied by drumming, was revived with government help beginning in the 1960s. Folk music, accompanied by traditional musical instruments such as the zither, has also undergone a revival and is performed at ceremonies and festive occasions.
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Cultural institutions in South Korea preserve traditional arts and crafts and promote contemporary ones. The National Museum of Korea, centered in Seoul but with branch museums across the country, maintains artifacts of Korean culture. The largest collection of contemporary art is in the National Museum of Contemporary Art at Kwachon, near Seoul. The National Theater, in Seoul, is home to four resident companies: the National Drama Company, National Changguk (traditional Korean musical drama) Company, National Dance Company, and National Orchestra. The Korean Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra are two of the best-known organizations performing Western music.
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About 25 percent of South Koreans are Buddhists, about 20 percent are Protestants, and about 10 percent are Roman Catholics. Most of the rest of South Korea's people are not religiously active.Buddhism; Confucianism.