Rice cakes are an attractive and distinctive part of Korean cuisine. There are special rice cakes for important occasions such as New Year, weddings and harvest time. First the maker fills a coating of rice flour with a paste of beans, chestnuts, pine nuts, honey, sesame seeds or peas. Then, they use a mould such as this to impress different patterns into the soft cake. The mould is formed of two rectangular boards of wood that sit on top of one another. In this case the base has a single row of five raised circles decorated with Chinese characters and stylised plant and flower motifs. The top has corresponding circular holes that slot over the carved designs.