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() is a Korean dance performed while wearing a
mask A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment, and often employed for rituals and rites. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes, ...
, and often involves singing and dancing. Although the term is usually taken to mean all mask dance dramas by most Koreans, it is strictly speaking a regional term originally only applied to dances of
Hwanghae Hwanghae Province (''Hwanghae-do'' ) was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon era. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju. The regional name for the province was Haeseo (). It is a reg ...
Province in present-day
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
. Dances from the
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
or
Gyeonggi Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...
province region are known as '' sandae noli'', whereas dances from the southern coast are known as '' yayu'' (), which means "field play", or , which means "dance of five gods". However, is nowadays accepted as a general term for mask dance drama. The dances also feature drama and story, as masked characters portray people, animals, and even supernatural beings. These folk dramas often reflected the frustrations felt by the lower classes towards the elite ''
yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon period. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil officials and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats wh ...
''.


Origin


Agricultural consciousness

It is a theory that the origin of the masquerade is the agricultural consciousness held by farmers for good farming since ancient times. The appearance of agricultural consciousness is well illustrated in burak-gut such as Seonang-gut that remains today. According to the theory of agricultural consciousness, masks made by imitating the face of God were gradually changed into masks that resemble humans, and Gut to magically solve conflicts with nature was transformed into an artistic expression of social conflicts, resulting in a masquerade. The conversion of the Nongak band into a musician or the fact that the audience of the masquerade intervenes in the progress of the play are considered traditions that come down from the stage of Seonang-gut. The variegated (雜色) play of the Nongak band shows the blindness of the masquerade, and the Hahoebyulsingut mask game and the Gangneung Gwanno mask game (陵 government 奴) mask game were mask plays that did not completely escape the form of a gut, and since the agricultural consciousness was an event of farmers, the masquerade grew into a people's play from the beginning. The variegated (雜色) play of the Nongak band shows the blindness of the masquerade, and the Hahoebyulsingut mask game and the Gangneung Gwanno mask game (陵 government 奴) mask game were mask plays that did not completely escape the form of a gut, and since the agricultural consciousness was an event of farmers, the masquerade grew into a people's play from the beginning.


Instrumental theory

It is a theory that instrumental music (伎), which was learned by Baekje man Mimaji (味摩) in the Southern Dynasties of China and passed it on to Japan, is the origin of masquerade. Although instrumental music (伎) in the 13th century Japanese literature "Gyohuncho (訓抄 of Church)" is a mukgeuk (默劇), it is argued that instrumental music was handed down as a masquerade because its contents are similar to today's Yangju Byeolsandaenori and Bongsan Mask Dance.


History

originated in Korean villages as part of
shamanic Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through Altered state of consciousness, altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spiri ...
rituals. It then became a form of popular entertainment. It was even performed in the royal court—during the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
period, the Office of Masked-Dance Drama () supervised such dances. The office however was abolished during the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period.


Masque of the Three Kingdoms period

The origin of the mask dance dates back to the end of the 9th century, and you can get a glimpse of the traces of the use of masks in the fifth period of Choi Chi-won's "Hyangak Japyeong", namely, Woljeon, Daemyeon, Geumhwan, Sokdok, and Sanye. What is regrettable is that the poem is too simple and the content is not detailed. However, as a mask play, this is the first record in Korea. In addition to this, it is said that in the Silla Dynasty, there were sword dances and Cheoyong dances as mask play, but there are no accurate literature and relics about this. However, it is said that this mask dance is a story of face-to-face 戱 and young Gwanchang through dance, as the suggestion of the sword dance as a mask dance can be obtained from the article of "Catch Up Donggyeong" and "Pungseongjo". In the same book, it was said that Cheoyongmu also dances with a mask. However, looking at the article "Bibigo Literature" and "Hwangchangrangmu (黃昌郞舞)", it is questionable whether a mask was used even at the time of Silla when these two plays occurred. However, it can be presumed that it is clear that masks were used later from the above-described literature. This sword dance has been handed down to this day and it is seen that Augusti and the sword dance we see today do not wear masks, which is thought to have been after posterity passed down from male play to female play. In any case, it is thought that this sword dance was intended to express and inspire the spirit of Hwarangdo (郞 way) when Silla was trying to achieve the feat of unification as a sword dance. Cheoyongmu has been seen dancing in a mask through Goryeo and Joseon to this day, and it seems that it was the oldest in the literature that it was performed (演戱) in the 23rd year of King Gojong (1236) through the 23rd year of King Gojong of the Goryeo Dynasty and Shin Woo-jo (辛禑條). Even after coming to the Joseon Dynasty, this mask Cheoyongmu has been performed centering on the court, so the performance is covered (散見) in "Yongjae Chonghwa". In any case, Cheoyongmu must be seen as one of the magical and 呪術 dances of ancient society based on the legend of Cheoyong that occurred at the end of the Silla Dynasty.


Sandae japhee of the Goryeo Dynasty

During the Goryeo Dynasty, there were mask-wearing narye events and sandae japhee. Narye is a ritual held on the night of the Lunar New Year's Eve to welcome a pleasant and joyful New Year by expelling evil spirits, the source of disasters and sickness throughout the year. According to the Literature Memorandum, this event was held until King Injo of the Joseon Dynasty when he entered the Korean Peninsula in the 6th year of King Jeongjong of Goryeo. Meanwhile, unlike Narye, there was a sandae japhee at the end of Goryeo. This japhee also included masks such as Cheoyongmu, but it became more popular when it entered the Joseon Dynasty.


Themes and characteristics

Mask dance dramas share fundamental characteristics but vary considerably according to region and performer. Basic themes include exorcism rites, ritual dances, satire, parody of human weaknesses, social evils, and the elites. They appeal to the audiences by ridiculing apostate Buddhist monks, decadent upper-class men, and shamans. Another popular theme is the conflict between an old wife and a seductive concubine. With regional variations, the mask dance drama was generally performed on the First Full Moon,
Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday or Buddha Day (also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, and Buddha Pournami) is a primarily Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of South Asia, South, Southeast Asia, Southeast and East Asia, commemorating the bir ...
() on the Eighth of the Fourth Moon, the Dano Festival, and Chuseok. Variations may have been performed at festive state occasions or at rituals to bring about rain. Audience participation is also a feature of the dance.


Procedure

Mask dance is largely divided into seven parts. The first chief's (, ) dance is a ritualistic dance about the , meaning 'to drive out demons'. The second section consists of eight monk dances, which are the first and second ''
beopgonori ''Beopgonori'' () is a type of traditional Korean performance. In the performance, a drummer plays the ''beopgo'' (), a small drum, while dancing. The name ''beopgo'' originally refers to one of the four Buddhist instruments. In the late Joseon per ...
''. The evil monk dance shows itself decayed, introducing itself to the editorial and dance, respectively. The tells a joke about a man and a woman taking off their clothes with a law school in their neck. Recently, has disappeared. The third section is a Sadang dance () performed by seven masters ('','' ), and appears in a shrine decorated with splendor. When a widower is kicked out of the shrine for mocking, seven of them sing a playful song. The fourth section is a veteran dance (, )''.'' The dance shows the satire of a Buddhist monk who was praised as a living Buddha by Somu (, ), a pub girl, or a concubine. The fifth section is a lion sent by the Buddha to punish them for losing a lion dance. They try to eat their food and then they listen to the repentance and forgive and dance together. The sixth chapter consists mainly of talking with the three ''
yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon period. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil officials and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats wh ...
'' (well educated people) brothers, the stake and the , with the dance. Through the game of selecting a new residence, Sijojigi ('make a poem', ), Paja Nori (make a poem with divided or combine Hanja, ), and catching ('a person who embezzled public funds', ). Through the play, the Malttoki ('a crown', ) use poetry and satire are used to scold the . The seventh section meets Young-gam (, 'old man or a low-ranking official') and Mi-Yal-Hal-mi (), who had been separated during a tumultuous dance, and they were quarreled because of the concubine's house, which he brought to them, and Mi-Yal was beaten to death by the Young-gam. An old man named Namgang appears and calls a shaman to perform a rite (). Showing the perils of working-class life and the tyranny of men over women due to polygamy, the last performance shows that the origin of mask dance is in the ''gut'' (, a ritual performance in Korea).


Place of performance

A suitable place for performance is where a large audience can gather. The audience looks around the stage almost in a circle, but there is nothing on the stage, and only one side of the stage is a house called the Gaebok-cheong where performers change their masks and clothes. Although the stage is a flat floor that is as high as the stands, Bongsan Talchum also makes the stands higher. The reason is for
merchant A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...
s to sell food instead of admission to audience in the attic.


Styles

Mask dance dramas have been transmitted from all parts of the country. There are about thirteen different types of mask dance drama in Korea ― Hwanghaedo province's ''Haeseo'' style, such as Bongsan Talchum, Gangnyeong Talchum, Eunyul Talchum;
Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...
province's Yangju Byeolsandae, Songpa Sandae Noli Mask Dances;
South Gyeongsang Province South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple tha ...
province's Suyeong Yayu, Dongnae Yayu, Gasan Ogwangdae, Tongyeong Ogwandae, Goseong Ogwangdae; Gyeongsangbukdo province's Hahoe byeolsingut talnori; Gangwon province's Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeon'guk mask dance; and the Namsadang (male itinerant entertaining troupe of the Northern Line) ''Deotboegichum'' mask dance. Among those, Bongsan Talchum and Hahoe byeolsingut talnori are best known today.


Imaginary creatures in Talchum

() A monster that eats ''yangbans'' (members of the ruling class). In some plays, if this creature eats 100 , then it can go up to heaven. () A kind of , they make a ' sound. They have a monster's head on top of a human body. ()
Water spirit A water spirit is a kind of supernatural being found in the folklore of many cultures: African Some water spirits in traditional African religion include: * Mami Wata is a transcultural pantheon of water spirits and deities of the African ...
s. They are very fat, play instruments, and have seaweed all over their bodies. They may also be associated with fertility. In Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeon'geuk, they are associated with fertility and the summer transplanting season, dancing, wearing clothes that bear the color of tilled earth, and decorated in rice seedlings as well as seaweed. () Juji are strange beings. They look like birds with very small heads or can have heads like those of lions. Two couples jump all around. The dances between the couples may symbolize fertility. However, the dance between the two lions could also indicate scaring away evil spirits.


Gallery

File:Korean.Dance-Mask-Bride-Monk-01.jpg, Bongsan Talchum File:Korean mask dance-Songpa sandaenori-06.jpg, Songpa Sandae Noli File:Korea-Andong-Hahoe Folk Village-04.jpg, Hahoi Byeolshin'gut Talnoli File:Korean mask dance-Eunyul talchum-06.jpg, Eunyul Talchum File:Korean mask play.JPG, Korean mask play


References


General references

* Chae, Heewan. “The idea of Talchum.” Seoul: Hyunamsa, 1984
"What is mask." Hahoe Mask Museum
retrieved 29 June 2008 * Kim, Joo-yeon. "Talchum: Korean masked dance." The KNU times, 1 November 2006 * Kim, Ukdong. "The aesthetics of Talchum."
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
: Hyunamsa, 1999
"Korean Mask Dance Drama: Talchum." The magazine of Santa Clarita
retrieved 29 June 2008

retrieved 29 June 2008
"Mask and Dance." Korean cultural Services NY
retrieved 25 June 2008

retrieved 29 June 2008
"Talchum."
retrieved 29 June 2008
"The Nature and Origin of Masked Dance Drama." Hangukgwan
retrieved 29 June 2008


External links


Talchum - Official Seoul City Tourism
* http://www.culturecontent.com
'Talchum' Photographic Series by Charles Fréger
{{Commons Korean dance Masked dances Masquerade ceremonies in Asia