"The people of the village of Hahoe, in Andong, tells that when you dies and raisin for the other world, the god of the death question if you watched the Hahoe dance. Otherwise, he will send you back direct for this world. The dance Hahoe is very important..."

The mask dances have a lot of names in the traditional korean culture: t'alch'um, sandae-nori, ogwangdae-nori, yayu, pyolshin-gut-nori. Sandae-nori is the name used to the dance of the dance mask and drama of the mask in Kyonggi's region, in Seul. In Korea's north part, the term t'alch'um - literally "mask dance" - it is used. In the southeast, people uses the term yayu. Nowadays still are executed 14 dances of the traditional masks dances.

Tmask dances offered the common people of the traditional society a channel for the emotions and visions expression that they could not express in your everyday life. In the "debauched monk" and "arrogant aristocrat", they satirized the corrupt nature of the elite of the traditional power. The mask dances was a way of social protest and for community's construction. This dance executed today can be divided into several categories. Some generes were passed by amateur artists who learnt elders' abilities of the village and executed in communities' local festivals. Another, it are continued by professional artists that traveled of village in village, and after city in city, frequently with the support from local dealers.

As the time passing by and the korean society modernized, the mask dances changed too. Its satirical elements became more pronounced. On the other hand, they were adopted religious and refused spiritual elements as mask dance as an entertainment form.

Ch'oyong

The legend of Shilla of Ch'oyong was a classic who was apreciated by the writers and artistsduring centuries. Ch'oyong, one of the seven king's sons of the Dragon, was married to a beatiful girl - which was attacked by a bad spirit while Ch'oyong was absent. When Ch'oyong returned, he sang a beautiful song and, this way, the spirit goes away. The Ch'oyong mask was used to exorcise bad spirits, especially in the new year. It was hung in gates for keep out them and used in the "dance of the ghost". The Ch'oyong dance, original of the Silla´s kingdom, still is presented nowadays.

Hahoe Pyolshin-gut-nori

Among the mask dances still presented nowadays, the Hahoe Pyolshin-gut-nori still is the unique to include community rites in the shaman sanctuary, or sonangdang. The performance started in the new year and continued along the village until the first moon. Hahoe Pyolshin-gut-nori was a great event accomplished in intervals of three, five or ten years, depending on the community's circumstances. Today, it counts regularly with the support from agencies dedicated to the preservation of the traditional culture.

Estimates that the masks date of the Koryo´s period. According to legend, it were done by a young sculptor called Ho. A divine spirit said for Ho to limit your work and just make the masks. He was not visited by anybody until finished the work. This young died before he had finished Imae's Mask (because of this it is just that this mask does not have chin). Originally there were 14 masks, but only 11 are used today. Those, nine were nominated "national treasures."

The scene is divided into nine acts, satirizing the elite of the traditional society.

The used mask in the drama of this Hahoe's folklore dance, in the north of the province of Kyongsang, are masterpieces sculpted in black oak and carefully varnished. Many of the masks have furniture jaws that increase the dramatic expressions.

Hahoe is in fact a drama, while it documents life of the village. The drama starts with a drums procession followed by a bride dressed for the marriage day.

Soon it comes a senior woman that regrets lots of sufferings. The pointed mask figures the difficulties of life of a common woman, while she implores alms of the audience.

In the dance "Butcher´s dance", the woods butcher a bull and offers your testicles for the public. Tells the legend that the testicles increase the virility.

Soon, a buddhist monk tries to seduce the good looking Pu-NE. Your oval face and flat skin is a perfect beauty, but her actions indicates a plot of promiscuity.

The Hahoe's masks are made with aged wooden, in Korea. According to legend, the first masks were done by a villager called Ho, who was sculptor.

 

 

Kangnung Kwanno-norum

This dance was introduced during Tano's Festival, in Kangnung. It was introduced in front of the sanctuary of the village, or sonangdang. It consists in four scenes and follows the classical themes of the dance of traditional mask. During the performance, the villagers unite themselves with the artists.

 

 

Kangnyong

The Kangnyong city is in the north of the Province of Hwanghae - Korea. Its mask danceis in Haeju category - the north style, characterized by masculine gestures. The tradition flourished in the Japanese colonial period, when Kim Kum-ok, a famous feminine artist, moved to Kangnyong.

Artists used gray bathrobes with striped sleeves. In this dance, the artists balance the arms slowly making the sleeves of the bathrobe float by the air. The final scene describes the nobleman wife's death, for jealousies, and the her funeral. The scene reflects the common people, supporting the conviction of the cyclic nature of life and of the death.

The Kangnyong's masks are rich in the five cardinals colors, frequently used to repel bad spirits, and they have profound eyes. In the traditional society, the masks were burnt after the presentation.

Kkoktukkakshi-nori

Kkoktukkakshi-nori is a general term used to refer to for puppets games of several regions around of Korea. These games usually were executed through puppets. The stage consists in little more than four stakes and a fabric booth to hide four or five puppets. The themes and Kkoktukkakshi-nori's intrigues were similar to the mask dances. Geared to the end of the Choson´s dinasty, they reflected the realities of the society of Choson.

Pangsangssi

The Pangsangssi's mask is the older existing mask in Korea. It is yellow, perfect to banish bad spirits, with four eyes. This mask it originated of the Chinese funerals and came for for Korea where it was used in funerals, in Choson's Recent Dynasty.

This mask is among relics discoveries in Ch'angdok palace, in Seul. The nose, forehead and ears are made separately and fixed to the mask. The eyes are sculpted outside. The mask seems have been painted with pigment.

Songp'a Sandae-nori

The sandae-nori expression, is used to refer to the dances of the original masks of Seul, capital of the Korea since the final of 14th century. It is well-known by their dance elements and realistic pictures. It imagines that Songp'Sandae-nori it originated some 200 years ago, in the market Songp'a, in Seul. after the market was broken in a terrible flood in 1925, this dance was only introduced in main holidays and popular festivals.

Songp'a Sandae-nori it contemplates around of the dance. It is similar to Yangju Pyolsandae-nori in structure and content, but with older roots. In Yangju Pyolsandae-nori, some of the Japanese prostitutes dances, a provocative "dance of the womb", but in the Songp'a version, a young mother executes the "dance of the womb". Songp'a Sandae-nori also characterizes a masked character that is resembled Ch'oraengi, the busybody of the village, of the dance Hahoe.

Yangju Pyolsandae-nori

Yangju Pyolsandae-nori and Songp'a Sandae-nori they are the unique generes of the mask danceswith roots in the central korean region. It imagines that Yangju Pyolsandae-nori it originated at the beginning of 19th century. Located to the Han's river margin, Yangju was a center of important transportation for the north of the region. The artists of this dance were frequently patronized by dealers. Yangju Pyolsandae-nori was usually celebrated in main holidays, like Buddha's birthday, in the spring, in Tano's Festival, in the fifth lunar month, and in Ch'usok - the Festival of the Harvest. It also was celebrated when Chinese correspondents visited Korea and in occasion of rainy rites

Like Songp'a Sandae-nori, the history is important in Yangju Pyolsandae-nori. The main dialog is between Ch'wibari, Malttugi, a maid and a noble villain.

As part of Choson's last dynasty, "the debauched monk", "the corrupt nobleman", "priest mysterious" and "itinerant minstrels" do frequent appearances, while fun with social contradictions.

The artists of Yangju Pyolsandae-nori were amateurs - usually farmers. A total of 22 different masks, sculpted of the pine tree, were used in the dances.

Kosong Ogwangdae-nori

This mask dance it originated in 19th century, in the Kosong city, in the south coast of the Kyongsang region. It was introduced traditionally in year's first new full moon.

As the others, the five characters were meant to for banish bad spirits, but this dance was a really simple entertainment.

Today, percussion instruments replaced the threads set and wind instruments that once accompanied this dance. Most parts of this dance is improvised.

Pongsan

Like the Kangnyong dance, Pongsan belongs to Hwanghae's province. It usually wasintroduced in rural markets that opened every five days in cities and villages around of the country. Pongsan was an important center of agricultural distribution and products fishing, because of this it provided fertile soil for the development and perpetuation of this dance.

Traditionally this dance was introduced in Buddha's birthday, as it was Yangju Pyolsandae-nori in Kyonggi's Province, but it was executed at night around of a bonfire, in Tano's Festival, in the fifth lunar month at the end of Choson's Dynasty. although it originally was a religious ritual, it became an entertainment form.

Different from Yangju Pyolsandae-nori, the mask dance of north Korea generally was not patronized by the government's elite. Most was supplied by farmers and dealers. Pongsan follows the intrigue introduced in Yangju Pyolsandae-nori, but it characterizes more dancing and different songs. The dance was executed originally for men, but after 1920, the women won their papers in the dance.

A total of 28 masks is used in this dance.

Pukch'ong Saja-nori

The Pukch'ong village, in the south of the province of Hamgyong, in north Korea, is ownerof an extraordinary dance: "The lion's Dance". In the tradition, Pukch'ong Saja-nori, is carried to the south for refugees who came during the korean war. This dance was executed in year's first new full moon to banish bad spirits and to gather the community. The danglings bells in the lion's head witness the paper of the animal as a protector of the peace of the village and harmony.

On the other side of the simple lion's dance included in T'ongyong Ogwangdae-nori and Suyong Yayu, Pukch'ong Saja-nori is vibrant and elaborated. Generally the lion is played by two dancers, sometimes even same three, which jump and threaten the crowd.

 

Suyong Yayu

This dance, of Pusan's Region, was introduced traditionally to the first newyear full moon. First, rites honoring spirit of the mountain and local heroes. When the moon appeared at night in the sky, the mask dance and the street celebrations started. As in Tongnae Yayu, the dancers entered from house to house to banish bad spirits and to collect money.

The masks were done of great pumpkins for an artisan. Twelve masks were used in the total. The masks are exclusive for the ears, a characteristic only found in the masks of Suyong Yayu and T'ongyong Ogwangdae-nori.

 

Tongnae Yayu

Tongnae Yayu - of Pusan's Area - had originally four scenes, but two were lost. Now, only nobleman's scene and grandmother's scene is performed.

The artists will go from house to house at the beginning of new year to banish bad spirits and to collect money. In the first full moon, the village celebrates with a cable-of-war (game). The victory is celebrated in the mask dances.

The masks were done of droughts pumpkins and adorned with hairs of the dog or rabbit.

 

T'ongyong Ogwangdae-nori

The T'ongyong dance, of the south Kyongsang's coast, was derivativeof Ch'angwon, a municipal district in the north. It was usually introduced in new year's full moon, but in the occasion was executed in rainy rites. At the new year was executed for a fortnight, the artists went from house to house to banish bad spirits and to initiate a prosperous new year.

The themes and presentation are similar, but with some regional differences. T'ongyong Ogwangdae-nori is more critical of the character of the nobleman. It imagines that this mask dance was originated as part of a religious ceremony, but it gradually was adopted as pure entertainment.

The 48 papers and wooden masks were burnt after the presentation.

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