This study considered the rite of passage ceremonial food in the Mid-Choseon Period through the rite of passage ceremonies, food, and ingredients recorded in the Seoul Noble Ohhweemun Family Diary Shaemirok. The research used a contents analysis method through case studies. The noble families in the Mid-Choseon Period deemed the Jerye to be the most significant out of the traditional ceremonies. The nobles practiced the Sadehbongsah and the Yoonhweebongsah ceremonies for their ancestors. The Rite of passage ceremony required fruit. Of fish and birds, pheasants were used frequently during the ceremonies. Noble families, specifically the richer families, could sustainably normalize the rite of passage ceremonies against the elements. Seasonal ingredients were generally harvested even during spring and winter in large amounts. One of the last rites of passage food by Garye displayed diverse ingredients, such as Bangaeng, Myun, Tang, Uhyookjuk, Poe, Chae, Hae, and Silgwa. Such ingredients prove that the normalization of rite of passage ceremony food was well established and practiced. On the other hand, the birthday rite of passage food did not conform to a specific rite of passage normalcy or preparation. Instead, the birthday food showed a flexible menu of seasonal delicacies that were not confined to a particular traditional formula.

In this study, we attempted to elucidate the cultural characteristics of Korean food based on a traditional understanding on the Korean novel. To achieve this, food characteristics related to 'rites of passage' were analyzed in the representative Korean literary work "Hon-bool", which describes the life of a first-son's wife every three generations in the going to ruin but historic 'Lee's family of Maean district' family and the life of the common 'Geomeong-gul' people who lived with farming on the Lee's land at Namwon of Junbook province in the 1930~1940s, during the Japanese Colonial rule. Every nation possesses rites of passage at important points in life, such as at birth, age of majority, wedding and death. Korean culture, in particular, has several memorial rites relating to birth, death and passage into the afterlife in which special foods are prepared. In this manner, ceremonial foods represent the Korean peoples' traditional vision of the universe and life. The book "Hon-bool" describes these traditions. Especially, the book describes the table-settings related to the main character's childbirth, first birthday, wedding and death. Therefore "Hon-bool" represents a living history of Korean traditional food and the work of storytelling through the traditional understanding is expected that perform an important role in making of cultural contents of Korean foods.