Korean masks have a long tradition with the use in a variety of contexts. Masks of any type are called ''tal'' () in Korean, but they are also known by many others names such as ''gamyeon'', ''gwangdae'', ''chorani'', ''talbak'' and ''talbagaji.'' Korean masks come with black cloth attached to the sides of the mask designed to cover the back of the head and also to simulate black hair.
Purpose
They were used in war, on both soldiers and their horses; ceremonially, for burial rites in jade and bronze and for shamanistic ceremonies to drive away evil spirits, to remember the faces of great historical figures, and in the arts, particularly in ritual dances, courtly, and theatrical plays. The present uses are as miniature masks for tourist souvenirs, or on cell-phones where they hang as good-luck talismans.
There are two ways to categorize masks: religious masks and artistic masks. Religious masks were often used to ward off evil spirits and the artistic masks were mostly used in dances and theater shows.
Dance masks
Masks which use for dance in Korea are about 250 types and they vary in shape. Masks in central district usually look pretty and similar to human face more and in the southern province masks are for satire and are Shamanistic.
Shamanistic masks
The often horrifying or grotesque masks were used in
shamanistic practices for their ability to evoke fear, and humor, in ceremonial rites. The masks were often made of
alder
Alders are trees of the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus includes about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few species ex ...
wood, with several coats of
lacquer
Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity.
Asian lacquerware, which may be c ...
to give the masks gloss, and
waterproof
Waterproofing is the process of making an object, person or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resists the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet env ...
them for wearing. They were usually also painted, and often had hinges for mouth movement. A mask is used to perform ancestral rites or to drive away evil spirits by wearing a mask.
Typically one sees the following some of which are designated as national cultural properties. The Hahoe, Sandae and Talchum are all traditional Korean mask dramas of ritual and religious significance.
[Eckersley, M. ed. 2009. Drama from the Rim: Asian Pacific Drama Book (2nd ed.). Drama Victoria. Melbourne. p48.]
Hahoe Byeolsin ''gut'' is a kind of exorcist play while performers wear mask such as ''
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 ...
tal'' (nobleman), ''bunetal'', ''
seonbi
''Seonbi'' () were scholars during the Goryeo and Joseon periods of Korean history. They were generally seen as non-governmental servants of the public, who chose to pass on the benefits and authority of official power in order to develop and sha ...
tal'' (scholar), ''gaksital'' (bride), ''chorangital'', ''halmital(grandmother)'', ''jujital'' (head monk), ''jungital'' (monk), ''
baekjeong
The ''baekjeong'' () were an untouchable caste in Korea, originating from some minority, nomadic groups of disputed ethnicity. Today, the word simply means a butcher.
In the early part of the Goryeo period (918–1392), these minorities were la ...
tal'' (butcher), and ''imaetal''.
Cultural assets and national treasures
The mask play of Hahoe Byeolsin Exorcism itself was classified as important intangible cultural asset #69 by the
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
n government on November 17, 1980. Hahoe () and Byeolsin masks themselves were also labelled
South Korean national treasure #121 at the same time. The
Hahoe mask dance is one of the folk dramas of Pungcheon
Hahoe village
The Hahoe Folk Village () is a traditional village from the Joseon Dynasty, located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The 'Ha' is short for river and 'hoe' means to 'turn around, return, come back.
The village is a valuable part ...
in
Andong
Andong () is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in South Korea, and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 as of October 2010. The Nakdong Ri ...
city, and dates from the
Goryeo Dynasty
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 ...
.
Gallery
Image:Korea-Andong-Hahoe.Village-04.jpg, ''Hahoetal
''Hahoetal'' () are traditional Korean masks worn in the ''Hahoe byeolsingut talnori'' ceremonies that date back to the 12th century. They represent the stock characters needed to perform the roles in the ritual dance dramas included in the ...
''
Image:Korean mask-Chayangban-01.jpg, ''Chayangbantal''
Image:Korean mask-Yeoniptal-01.jpg, ''Yeoniptal''
Image:Korean mask dance-Songpa sandaenori-06.jpg, ''Songpa sandaenori
''Songpasandae-nori'' () is a type of '' sandae noli'', Korean traditional mask play which has been handed down in the neighborhoods of Songpa-dong and Garak-dong in modern-day Seoul, South Korea. ''Sandae Noli'' is a mask dance that developed ...
''
Image:Korean mask play.JPG, ''Talchum
() is a Korean dance performed while wearing a mask, 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 ...
''
See also
*
Korean culture
The traditional culture of Korea is the shared cultural and historical heritage of Korea before the division of Korea in 1945.
Since the mid-20th century, Korea has been split between the North Korean and South Korean sovereign state, stat ...
*
Korean theatre
Koreans have held performances for others since antiquity. The character of these performances has changed over time.
Before the 20th century there were few scripted plot-driven drama plays; stories were handed down orally for generations. Perf ...
*
Korean art
Korean arts include traditions in calligraphy, music, painting and pottery, often marked by the use of natural forms, surface decoration and bold colors or sounds.
The earliest examples of Korean art consist of Stone Age works dating from 3000 ...
*
Hahoe village
The Hahoe Folk Village () is a traditional village from the Joseon Dynasty, located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The 'Ha' is short for river and 'hoe' means to 'turn around, return, come back.
The village is a valuable part ...
*
Talchum
() is a Korean dance performed while wearing a mask, 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 ...
References
External links
{{Commons category, Masks of Korea, Korean mask
Korean performance masks
Culture of Korea
Masks in Asia
Ritual masks