Andong

Andong
January 22, 2006

Today was yet another wonderful day filled with visiting traditional Korean places with Jin's family. I have spent more time traveling and seeing places with them than I ever did with my own family!

Today's trip took us to the area known as Andong. It's billed as the Korean Capital of Spirit and Culture. First we visited the Hahoe Mask Museum that not only has traditional Korean masks, but masks from all around the world. There's really no "ancient American" masks, so it was very interesting to see this museum.

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At the heart of the museum is the collection of masks and costumes used for Hahoe Pyeolshingut T'alnori. A combination mask dance, drama, and shaman rituals consisting of 9 different acts, it has been performed every January from as early as the 12th century. It makes fun of the ruling class using humor and satire, and tries to ease tensions among the different social classes. In addition, the shaman rituals performed pray for a prosperous year and are supposed to prevent natural disasters.

In 1964, the government declared Hahoe Pyeolshingut T'alnori Important Intangible Cultural Property #69. The costumes used are modest compared to other ceremonial mask dances, and the movements very natural. Although originally 12 in number, only 9 masks are currently used.

Imae
Fool

Bunae
Flirtateous Woman

Chung
Fallen Monk

Halmi
Widow

Ch'oraengi
Scatter-brained Meddler

Baekcheong
Butcher

Seonbi
Scholar

Kaksi
Bride

Yangban
Aristocrat

After the museum we went to Hahoe (pronounced "ha-hwae") Folk Village:

Hahoe's history dates back to the late Koryo period (918-1392). Unlike other villages, both upper class and commoners lived in the same village together, with the upper class houses located in the village center and the lower class ones along the outside. Another distinguishing feature is that the houses face in all directions from the center. (Most houses in other villages all face south.)

Yangjindang is one of the oldest houses in the village that belonged to the head of the Ryu clan in the P'ungsan area. It has been designated Treasure #306. Ryu, Seong-ryong (1542-1607), a famous court minister who helped protect Korea from the Japanese invasion of 1592, lived here. Across the river from Hahoe, Puyongdae offers a picturesque setting with forested cliffs overlooking the river.

I took a ton of pictures of the museum and the folk village. It was an amazing treat to walk in a village that has been kept in the traditional style. Just thinking about walking on the same ground that ancient Koreans did over 5,000 years ago was mind blowing.