Songpyeon is the symbol of Chuseok, the mid-autumn harvest holiday when everything is full and abundant with joy. This half moon-shaped rice cake is one of the best-known varieties of rice cake among non-Koreans.

Koreans used to make songpyeon rice cakes with a sweet and nutty flavor, while being thankful for a good harvest and hoping to avoid bad luck within the family.

Generally, songpyeon is made from rice powder dough with chestnuts, beans, jujubes or sesame seeds as fillings. They're shaped like a half moon or crescent. As they're steamed with pine tree leaves on the bottom, they're also called as “songbyeong” (송병, 松餠).

Pine leaves have medicinal effects on the food. The "Dongui Bogam" (동의 보감, 東醫寶鑑), the most well-known Joseon medical book, says that, “Pine leaves help to grow the hair, ease the stomach, and can be used to replace crops.” 

In fact, pine leaves contain phytoncide which effectively removes germs or mold. If pine leaves are put in the bottom of a steam pot, they can help reduce any not-fresh smells and help to prevent indigestion.

You can taste a diverse range of songpyeon all across Korea. People who live in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province usually make five-colored songpyeon. In Gangwon-do Province, people cook songpyeon using potatoes. Chungcheong-do residents make songpyeon with pumpkins. In Jeolla-do Province, people make mosi songpyeon or songpyeon made with ramie leaves. Finally, in the north, people in Hamgyeong-do Province prepare songpyeon with frozen potatoes.