The baekilsang (백일상) and dolsang (돌상) is the focal point of the baekiljanchi and doljanchi respectively, a tablescape filled with symbolic meaning. This blog post is basically a long form version of the assembly guide we include with each rental kit to help our clients set up their unique tablescape. We hope it’s a helpful resource for you!

Every traditional baekilsang and dolsang has some variation of the below items. These items hold symbolic meaning meant to bless the child with a bright future and good life. Remember that these are just recommendations based off of Korean tradition; feel free to add your own flair and make the table your own!

The Backdrop

Backdrops frame your table, and the most traditional backdrop would be a folding screen, which we’ve found hard to come by outside of Korea. We created our own take on the folding screen featuring minhwa (Korean folk art) that is available for purchase and for rent. By creating single panels out of fabric that can be rolled or folded, they are infinitely more portable than a folding screen.

If you’re going for something more modern, it’s common these days to display your child’s name on the backdrop, like on a name banner. We also see clients get super creative and have their backdrops incorporate the theme of the doljanchi.

Baekilsang Items

Jujubes - many offspring

Baeksulgi (white rice cake) - purity. Baek is also a homonym for both white and 100 in Korean.

Red soosoo paht dduk (rice cake covered in red bean powder) - red color is supposed to ward off bad luck

Osaek songpyeon (colorful half moon rice cakes) - bright colors represent a bright future. Also the many colors represent the child’s ability to get along with all kinds of people.

• Half of the songpyeon can be hollow to represent open-mindedness

• Half of the songpyeon can be filled to represent being full of knowledge and wisdom

Fresh seasonal fruit - display them in odd numbers and stack them high to symbolize prosperity. Also symbolizes many future children and a happy family life.

Yarn - long and healthy life

Bojagi - historically contained gifts for the baby but now placed on table for display

Dolsang Items

Jujubes - many offspring

Minari wrapped in threads - vitality and longevity. Possible to substitute with parsley or watercress.

Osaek songpyeon (colorful half moon rice cakes) - bright colors represent a bright future. Also the many colors represent the child’s ability to get along with all kinds of people.

• Half of the songpyeon can be hollow to represent open-mindedness

• Half of the songpyeon can be filled to represent being full of knowledge and wisdom

Red soosoo paht dduk (rice cake covered in red bean powder) - red color is supposed to ward off bad luck

Fresh seasonal fruit - display them in odd numbers and stack them high to symbolize prosperity. Also symbolizes many future children and a happy family life.

Yarn - long and healthy life

Rice - blessing of having lots to eat

Doljabi items - Choose several symbolic items to lay out for your child to choose. The first item the child picks is thought to foretell the child’s future.

Bojagi - historically contained gifts for the baby but now placed on table for display

Additional notes

When putting together your tablescape, play with symmetry, dimension, and height to create visual interest. Soban tables are traditional tea tables that you can use to prop up things like flowers or bojagi, so they peak out from behind the rest of the items on your table. You can also use them as cake stands.

Dohl towers (돌고임) are traditionally created out of beans, but there are many modern takes on the dohl tower now available on the market. We created this handmade paper sign as an alternative to dohl tower to showcase the words “백일” (baekil) and “축돌” (happy dohl) on the table.

Want us to take care of your tablescape for you? Check out our rental kits, available for local pickup in Philadelphia OR shipped anywhere within the US.