National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea This is a ritual held to pray that the spirit of the dead may forget all grudges and go to heaven happily and that people still alive may live peacefully. The word ssitgim comes from the Korean verb ssitgida (to wash someone). The ritual, which is deeply associated with Buddhist beliefs, is thought to have started in the Goryeo Period (877 – 1394). Details of the performance depend on what the occasion is, for example, right after a death, the first/second anniversaries of the death, or burying the body after letting it stay on the ground covered with grass or straw for three to ten years. The ritual is carried out in the following order: Anttang (a sacrificial rite for deceased ancestors), Chogamangseok (invoking the spirit of the dead), Cheoolligi (entertaining the spirit), Sonnimgut (entertaining the spirits of friends of the dead), Jeseokgut (a rite for a deity handling matters such as people’s longevity, grains and clothes), Gopuri (consoling the spirit), Iseulteolgi (washing the spirit of the dead and praying that the spirit go to heaven peacefully), Yeonghwa Ssitgimgut (thanking for ancestors’ protection on a congratulatory occasion of the family), Neokgeonjigut (consoling the spirit of a drowned person), Jeoseung Honsagut (a rite for marriage between the spirits of a dead unmarried woman and man). The ritual is performed to the accompaniment of music played on piri (flute), daegeum (large-sized bamboo flute), haegeum (two-stringed fiddle), janggo (hourglass-shaped drum), and jing (large gong). The robe worn by the exorcist looks similar to that of a monk. She dances and sings songs to help the dead forget all their grudges. The dances and music used in the ritual displays high artistic quality. The rite is also a valuable source of material for those studying cultural heritage.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Gasa, which is part of the country’s traditional vocal music, refers to a long narrative in verse. Based on relevant records, it is presumed that this form of verse started to be written after the reign of King Yeongjo (r. 1724-1776). A total of 12 pieces have been handed down and survive today. They are Baekgusa, Jukjisa, Hwanggyesa, Eobusa, Chunmyeongok, Sangsa Byeolgok, Gilgunak, Gwonjuga, Suyangsanga, Cheosaga, Yangyangga, and Maehwa Taryeong. It is not known who composed these songs or wrote their lyrics, but it is thought that the tradition of Gasa was established toward the end of the Korean Empire (1897 – 1910). The narratives of Gasa are very long and are not regularly styled, and so it is not clear how singers are supposed to arrange their diverse features and sounds. Melodies differ slightly from narrative to narrative. Modulations and repetitions appear characteristically. As for their rhythm, Baekgusa and Jukjisa have dodeuri rhythm (sextuple time). Sangsa Byeolgok, Cheosaga, and Yangyangga have quintuple time. Gwonjuga has no fixed rhythm. Basically, Gasa is sung without instrumental accompaniment, but sometimes it is sung to the accompaniment of piri (flute), haegeum (two-stringed fiddle), daegeum (bamboo flute) or janggo (hourglass-shaped drums). As a free-style song, Gasa is good at expressing people’s sentiment or natural beauty. It is a song sung by professionals, and is the country’s indigenous music featuring peacefulness and locality.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Gurye Hyangje Julpungnyu refers to a piece of instrumental music depicting the scene of Shakyamuni preaching the Lotus Sutra handed down in Gurye, Jeollanam-do at Vulture Peak, Gijjhakuta Hill. There are two versions of this music, one centered around daepungnyu (wind instruments) and the other around julpungnyu (string instruments). The way julpungnyu is played differs a little between those handed down in Seoul and those handed down in the provinces. The latter are named Hyangje Julpungnyu (julpungnyu of provinces). Originally, this was a piece of vocal music, but it changed to an instrumental and developed into a voluminous suite by adding other instrumental music pieces. It became a leading concerto in the country toward the late Joseon Period (1392 – 1910). It is presumed that it was divided into daepungnyu and julpungnyu in the mid-Joseon Period. Julpungnyu developed as a quiet piece chiefly played indoors. The separation between julpungnyu played in Seoul and those played in the provinces appears to have been made toward the late Joseon Period. Instruments used for julpungnyu are geomungo (six-stringed zither), gayageum (twelve-stringed zither), yanggeum (dulcimer), sepiri (bamboo reed flute), daegeum (bamboo flute), danso (vertical notched flute), and janggo (hourglass-shaped drums). As a quiet piece of music played indoors, julpungnyu is centered around string instruments such as geomungo, gayageum, and yanggeum, with wind instruments making as small a sound as possible. The piece takes about 70 minutes to perform.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Seungmu (Monk's Dance), a dance performed by a performer in a monk’s robe, is one of the leading folk dances of the country. There are several theories about the origin of Seungmu: one from a Buddhist cultural history perspective, one with a view that it originated in Kim Man-jung’s novel Guunmong (Dream of Cloud Nine), and one saying that it stems from a mask play containing elders’ dance and depraved monks’ agony. It is said to have started to develop among gisaeng (female entertainer). The dance is completely devoid of factors associated with religion, stage play, or play for fun. The dancer’s movements are similar to those of the Salpurichum (Exorcism Dance). The dancer performs to the tune of praying to Buddha, dodeuri rhythm, taryeong (Korean folk song), and gutgeori rhythm, jajinmori rhythm, etc., in white monk’s robe and gasa (ceremonial upper robe), white gokkal (conical hat), and elegantly raised front of beoseon (traditional Korean socks). The dancer displays unique gestures by whirling the sleeves to the accompaniment of piri (flute), daegeum (bamboo flute), haegeum (two-stringed fiddle), janggo (hourglass-shaped drum), and buk (drum). This is a very exquisite form of dance that expresses delicate rhythms and body movements as well as the sublimation of the feeling of joy and sorrow.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea This ritual is held biennially in Tongyeong and Geojedo Island to pray for the peace of the village and abundant fish. This ritual features the exorcist’s beautiful songs and inclusion of buk (drums) among the accompanying instruments. Unlike its cousin held in villages along the East Coast, this one is carried out in a serious atmosphere with few gags exchanged between the exorcist and music players or in the narratives. In some instances, spectators and drummers act out a play in the middle of the ritual. The exorcist’s dance performed along with the ritual in most cases is rather simple and monotonous. Cheongsinak (music to invoke the deities) and Songsinak (farewell music to the deities) are performed respectively at the start and end of the ritual, to the accompaniment of daegeum (bamboo flute). This ritual has little entertainment value and involves not many narratives, but it goes long on the depth of belief in deities.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Seoul Saenamgut was performed for the upper classes in Seoul to console the spirits of the dead and pray for their peaceful life in heaven. It is presumed that this rite was first performed during the Joseon Period (1392 –1910) and took on a more developed form during the 17th and 18th Centuries. The rite is composed of Andang Sagyeong Maji (spending time from 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. in the courtyard) and Saenamgut, which is performed from the following morning by five female exorcists and six dancers to the accompaniment of janggo (hourglass-shaped drum), buk (drums), daegeum (bamboo flute), piri (flute) and other instruments. Seoul Saenamgut has features that cannot be found in the other exorcism rites. It displays elaborate composition and looks gorgeous. It includes both Buddhist and Confucian elements as well as contents relating to the royal court of the Joseon Period.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Iri Hyangje Julpungnyu is a piece of instrumental music handed down in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, depicting the scene of Shakyamuni preaching of the Lotus Sutra, at Vulture Peak, Gijjhakuta Hill. It has a cousin centered around daepungnyu (wind instruments), which differs from julpungnyu in terms of tone and instrumental composition. Iri Hyangje Julpungnyu, which originated in Iksan in 1958, is played on eight instruments (geomungo (six-stringed zither), gayageum (twelve-stringed zither), yanggeum (dulcimer), piri (flute), daegeum (bamboo flute), haegeum (two-stringed fiddle), danso (vertical notched flute), and janggo (hourglass-shaped drums). It is composed of 15 separate pieces of music.

Inscribed in 2010 (5.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity In Korean music, jeongga (translated as ‘right song’) refers to vocal music that falls under jeongak (translated as ‘right music’). Gagok, gasa, and sijo are examples of jeongga, which were sung by the members of the high society for character development. Unlike other forms of jeongga, gagok is sung to the accompaniment of orchestral instruments, such as geomungo (six-string zither), daegeum (large transverse bamboo flute), gayageum (twelve-string zither), and piri (small double-reed instrument). Gagok is highly esteemed for its musical and artistic perfection. Gagok complies with the definition of the intangible cultural heritage within the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as ‘practices,representations, expressions, knowledge and skills… that communities, groups, and… individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage’. Gagok fits within the domain of ‘performing arts’. Traditional gagok is an original art form that has been sung by the Korean people for a long time, and is distinct from Western vocal music. Gagok is vocal music that was popular in the high society of the Joseon Dynasty (A.D. 1392-1897). Gagok is composed of twenty-six namchang, or songs for men, and fifteen yeochang, or songs for women. Thus, gagok features both masculine and feminine qualities. All notes in namchang are sung in geotsori, a strong voice resonating within the body. On the other hand, yeochang uses geotsori and soksori, a highpitched, thin voice. Gagok is composed in ujo, a key that is solemn and peaceful, or gyemyeonjo, which is melancholy. Gagok is played in either 16-beat or 10-beat rhythm. Accompaniment is typically comprised of orchestral instruments such as geomungo (six-string zither), gayageum (12-string zither), sepiri (small double-reed instrument), daegeum (transverse flute), haegeum (fiddle-like instrument), and janggu (hourglass drum). Yanggeum (hammered dulcimer) and danso (bamboo flute) are sometimes included in the accompaniment. Gagok has been preserved without transmutation for a long time, and it continues to be transmitted through the hands of master musicians. Gagok is intangible cultural heritage of great historical and artistic value.

South Korea 2010

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Sanjo refers to the playing of a solo instrument to the accompaniment of a janggo (hourglass-shaped drum), moving from a slow to a fast rhythm, in four to six movements. Daegeum Sanjo is an instrumental folk music played solo on the daegeum (bamboo flute). Daegeum Sanjo is said to have been created by Park Jong-gi in the early 20th Century. Its musical features are embellishments designed to add rhythm and tempo to melodies, nongeum (embellishment sounds improvised by the performer), teul (forms), and extemporaneousness. Daegeum Sanjo has been handed down with its unique features intact. A skilled performance based on arrangements that aim to make it easier to listen to has the power to render both tension and joyousness.

National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Jeongak (literally “elegant orthodox music”) refers to music played at the Royal Palace, government offices, and local places where people of refined tastes gathered together. As one of the three bamboo instruments developed during the Silla Period (57 BC - 935 AD), i.e., daegeum (large-sized bamboo flute), junggeum (medium-sized bamboo flute), and sogeum (small-sized bamboo flute), Daegeum is the longest among the traditional transverse flutes of the country. It has the emboucher hole at the right end, a buzzing membrane made of inner skin of reed that gives it a special timber, and six holes. Since it makes a wider range of sound than other instruments, it is used as a leading solo instrument. Daegeum-played jeongak covers all kinds of formal ceremonial music, which are all ensembles. It is not known when they started to be played solo. The titles of the pieces of music played by daegeum include Cheongseong Jajinhanip, Pyeongjo Hoesang, and Jajinhanip. Melodies made by Daegeum Jeongak sound delicate but not light, soft but not feeble, and fragile but not shallow.