Koreana Winter 1988 (English) by The Korea Foundation

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KOREANA Vol. 2/No. 4/1988 KOREANA is published quarterly by INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL SOCIETY OF KOREA. 526, 5-ga, Namdaemunno, Chung-gu, Seoul 100-095, C.P.0. Box 2147, Seoul, Korea Telex: INCULKO K27738 Fax: 757-2049 Tel: 752-6170, 753-3463/7 KOREANA was registered as a quarterly magazine with the Ministry of Culture and Information, Republic of Korea, on August 8, 1987 Registration No. Ma-1033

FEATURE

KORE>:S SCULPTURE PARKS

THE FUNCTION AND BEAUTY OF THE TRADITIONAL KOREAN HOUSE By Shin Young-hoon

By Chung Choon-haun

54 PEOPLE

14 KOREAN'S TRADITIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

PAK KO-SOK Modernism Illuminated in a Mountain

By Joung Chung-Sik

By Ryu Joon-sang

SYMBOLISM IN TANCH'ONG

THE EPITOME OF KOREAN FOLK DANCE HAN VONG-SUK DANCES WITH HER SOUL

By Im Yong-ju

By Lee Kyung-hee

25 TANCH'ONG: Painting as an Art of Adornment

KANG TONG-SOK A Restrained Romantic Comes of Age in Korea

HAHOE VILLAGE IN AN DONG:

By Kim Won-koo

Beauty Born of Man's Accomodation to Nature

By Kim Yong-jik

70 SPOTLIGHT

INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL

PHOTO ESSAY

By Kim Young-uk

NQWAHOUSES

By Art · Space

WHITE BLOOD

By Paul Mooney

HERITAGE

SHIN MYONG

ART NEWS PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT: Kim Seong-jin EDITOR IN CHIEF: S. Chang EDITORIAL BOARD: Choe Chungho Hahn Man-young Rhee Sang-woo Yoo Young-ik

CX,VER: A sense of space and

freshness is given to the interior of the trOOitional Korean ha.Jse in its use of a central wooden floored roan or '\raru. ''

ART DIRECTOR: Park Seung-u TEXT EDITORS: Paul Mooney Suzanne Crowder Han Suzanna M. Samstag

ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Kim Young-uk (text) Sul Kyung-dong (design) Hyun Kwan-uk (photos)

CIRCULATION Overseas

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FEATURE

THE FUNCTION AND BEAUTY OF THE TRADITIONAL KOREAN HOUSE By Shin Young-hoon arge Western style houses are magnificent. There are also one-story houses, and two- and three- story houses. Open the door and step inside to find all the things one needs to live: movable partitions which can be shifted around when needed and stairs going up and down from the vestibule. Except for extraordinary circumstances, this kind of house is built so that its inhabitants are aware of everything that is going on inside. Most Western houses are built in this way. Korean houses usually comprise a number of different buildings inside one walled or fenced compound. The principle of "one room-one building" has long been the tradition in Korea . Individual structures were built for the sole possession of one member or one branch of a famil y, or according to the structure's distinct function. The affairs of one building within the compound had little to do with those of another, It was comme ii faut to

guard secrets within one household. The principle of "one room-one building" was already well established in the Three Kingdoms Period (57 B.C.A.D.668). There are no surviving examples of the houses of the Three Kingdoms Period. So. we cannot be certain how the people of that period lived, but paintings from around the fifth century give us some indi ca tion of the residential architecture during that period. The Koguryo people (37B.C.-A.D.668) built tombs out of large stones. Several examples of these tombs remain in the Yalu and Taedong River Basins, including some belonging to the royal family. They have elaborate paintings decorating their walls. Among these wall paintings are pictures of Koguryo houses with a number of buildings surrounded by a outer fence or wall. Wall paintings found in the Anam region portray homes in which the living quarters of the owner were surrounded by a storage building, a

stable, a kitchen and a well. According to the Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) , General Kim Yu-shin, the unifier of the Three Kingdoms, died at home. But he was moved from the outer drawing room to the ma in room where he took his final breath. This record indicates that there were several buildings within the walls of a single res idential compound , each with its own name befitting its function . These buildings with their distinct names are still part of Korean houses today. The house by the main gate (taemun'ganch'ae) , servants' quarters outside the inner gate (pakkat'haengnangch'ae), house by the inner gate (chungmun'ganch'a e), servants' quarters within the inner gate (chung'haengnangch'ae), the storage building, the stable, the outside toilet, the drawing room (sarangch'ae), the inside servants' quarters (anhaengnangch'ae), the annex (kyotth'ae), the main house (anch'ae) , the separate house, the

Dancing Scene (Muyong-ch'ong) from the east wall of the coffin chamber in the Tomb of the Dancers. Koguryii period, Chi-lin Province, China.

kitchen , the sitz bath or bidet room (buksukan), the inside toilet (naech'uk),

(from top to bottom) Sosul Taemun. Located in the Korean Folk Village, this gate was built to accomodate mounted yangban (noblemen) without difficulty. Anch'ae . Here the female residents of the house live and work. Pakkalch'ae. The quarters outside the inner gate. Sadang. Th e ancestral shrine of Py6ngsan S6won.

and the shrine are all terms used in reference to Korean houses even today. These various structures each have an appropriate place inside the walled enclosure and are grouped together according to their various functions. The compound can be divided into three general functional areas. First is the area centered around the drawing room (sarangch'ae) where the male residents live and work. Storage buildings and facilities used for trading of grains, guest rooms, and rooms used for the education of the family's children are concentrated in this area. The second distinct area found in a traditional Korean home is the area surrounding the main house (anch'ae) where the female residents live .and work. Storerooms for household items and foods, facilities necessary for the care of the family, living quarters for female visitors, the children and female residents, a sitz bath or bidet room, and a toilet make up this area of the hosue. The third zone is the ancestoral shrine. A table erected in honor of the souls of four generations of the resident's ancestors stands in the shrine building. The first two areas mentioned above are established for the living, but the shrine is the residence for the souls of the dead. Each house has its own personality. The more important the resident, the larger and more magnificent his home. The drawing room is large and impressive, and the main house dignified and stately. The other structures within the compound are smaller and simpler in design. Smaller structures cluster around taller buildings. Each area of the compound has its own central structure. There is a sense of harmony between the central structure and the various smaller buildings which surround it. A beautiful mountain often stands behind the house, the house shaping its character after the form of the majestic peaks, large and small, which loom behind it. This kind of harmony with nature, is hard to find in most houses in other parts of the world, and could be the distinct character of Korean houses alone.

Pyongsan S6won overlooks Sosul Taemun (top). The sarangch'ae is where the male residents live and work(bottom).

Eaves are found in wooden structures all around the world. In regions where the climate is quite wet, eaves tend to be long. In fact, the length of eaves varies in direct proportion to the amount of rainfall. In a rainy region, eaves are long so that rainwater drains away from the wooden walls and protect the house from water damage. If the wood used in the structure is not specially treated, it is less durable and rots easily if exposed to water in highly acidic soil. Thus rainwater must be kept away from the wood. Soil or clay applied to the wood's surface must

also be protected from moisture. It is precisely for this reason that eaves are made long in rainy climates. The character of a house with long eaves and that of one with short eaves is quite different. The sun, even at midday, can shine directly into a house with narrow eaves. But if the eaves are long, the rays of the sun are blocked out and there is no direct light inside the house. Thus one house uses direct light for lighting while the house with long eaves is lit by reflected light. Light directly from above flatters the human face, setting off the regular features of Westerners. In sculptures of the West, such as that of Apollo, the eyes are deeply set, with high cheekbones, the long and shapely nose, and the strong chin. People with distinct and sharp features should therefore live in houses exposed to direct light. The faces of people who live in houses lit by reflected light are flat and smooth. Shielded by eaves, the light in Korean homes is reflected off the ground, So the people live in a world lit from below. Summer thrillers and horror movies are filled with shadowy-faced characters. People returned from the dead

and vampires are often portrayed in this manner. This effect is achieved with lights up from below. When the face of a person sitting in a room is lit from the reflection of light off the floor, a rather ghoulish expression can result. This is parti cularly true of people with very distinct and prominent features like those of Apollo. On the other hand, many of the sculptures of the Buddha found in the temples of East Asia seem to be completely devoid of lines on their faces. This is a result of a sculpting technique which takes indirect lighting into consideration. Koreans are accustomed to this. A bride lowers her lovely brow as she sits quietly in front of her elders. By doing this, her face catches the most flattering light and shows her chaste beauty to its best advantage Koreans have thus adjusted to life in houses with long eaves. l.Dng eaves are particularly effective in the use of solar heat or energy. This is especially important in a Koreanstyle house. Korea's geographical position is closely connected to the sun's changing angle. Seoul is located roughly at 37"35' North fatitude. At noon on the summer solstice the sun is at an angle of some 70 degrees from which its rays beat down mercilessly, heating the ground to the point where it is difficult to put one's feet down. lDng eaves block the sun's rays like an awning. Shade covers the main hall, the rooms and the terrace stones. The shaded area is much cooler than the surrounding area flooded with the blazing sun. When the cool inside air meets the hot air from outside, it moves. The room could not feel any cooler even if one used a fan . The coolness is wonderful, making life bearable without any artificial ventilation. This is the advantage over a house with short eaves. The sun at noon on the winter solstice hangs at an angle of about 35 degrees south. The sun is low and so are its rays. They reach far into each room under the eaves, filling the room with warmth. The heat flows in the direction of the cooler air, out of the room to be blocked by the long eaves, but the triangular space formed by the rafters traps the warm air, holding in the radiated heat, and thus making the cold winters bearable, another advangage of long eaves.

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The place where the roof peaks is known as the yongmaru. (upper left ). The s6kkarae or rafters are placed at regular intervals approximately 30cm apart. ( upper right) A royal ancestral shrine at J6ngj6n in Chongmyo. (botto~). ·

If the eaves are long, then the roof, is accordingly large. When a black tile roof is large, it seems very heavy. It must be given a feeling of lightness or brightness in order to diminish the effects of its weight. In China and Japan, the use of square timbers for rafters is quite common. Many examples of this can be found in both palace and temple edifices. With the use these square timbers the eaves seem much lighter. In consquence, the contour of the eaves closely resembles a horizontal line because the ends of the timbers must be laid evenly. Only at the very end of the eaves where the protruding corners turn up is there any upward lift. The closer the eaves to a horizontal line, the more rigid the feeling exuded by the roof. A softer or brighter feeling is lost. The eaves of Japanese houses are of this type. Their tense feeling resembles the fighting spirit of the samurai. The rafters of a traditional Korean house are made of round pine logs grown in the mountains. Because they are so large, processing or trimming is possible. The rafters are "spun" by trimming away at the timbers with

an adze. The expression "spinning" the timbers means endowing or creating both length and curve in the rafters. When viewed from the front, the eaves of a Korean house curve upward at both corners and have a curved line overall. In order to create this curve, the angle of each rafter must be fixed according to its intended location. Rafters are placed at regular intervals approximately 30cm apart. If the rafters were installed without any processing or trimming, the roof would, of course, be horizontal. But because the beams are pared down to a specific angle, the roof line is curved. The curve is much like a dance in which the performer plants his feet firmly apart and sways smoothly in time to the music. Viewed from below, the curve of the eaves is more extreme in the center than at the outer edges. This phenomenon is expressed as "the inner waist is pleated" (anhori chap'hiotta ). This means a slightly crooked curve is created. To achieve this, the rafters are cut in different lengths depending on their location; in the center, they are short while at either end, they are long. Only in this way can a curve be

created along the track of the eaves. This track and each curving line creating it blend into one. Each link in the curve joins together the different curves. The protruding corners of the eaves opening from the center like the slates of an open fan reemphasize the curves. This fan-like construction technique is rare in the wooden structures of Korea's neighbors because both the process of making and trimming the rafters is difficult. The length and angle of the rafters is not determined after they are put into position. Rather these details are specified ahead of time in the workshop. The length and angle of each rafter needed is calculated, and each beam is assigned a number. Rafters are then trimmed in accordance with the prearranged specifications. When all the rafters are completed they are taken to the building site and put into place in the order of their assigned number. After the rafters are fixed, laths are laid across the ridge of the rafters to enhance the curve. With this, the distinctive curve of the Korean roof is completed. Compared to this very elaborate process, the construction of the peak of the roof (yongmaru) is natural and is quite different than those found in other countries. The uppermost ridge forming the peak of the roof is called the yongmaru. The creation of the yongmaru is the final touch on any large roof. To make the yongmaru, two workmen specializing in roof tile laying climb up on opposite ends of the roof and extend a heavy string along the line where the peak of the roof will be built. The chief carpenter views the taut string from the ground , ordering the two men to lift or lower the string this or that way. The height of the yongmaru is adjusted in this way. When the height is set, the string is pulled taut, but the pull of gravity on the heavy cord causes it to sag slightly in the middle. The line of the yongmaru follows the curve of this slightly sagging cord. It is a curve produced by heaven. The structure built with such painstaking meticulousness and precision is finished off with a curve created by nature, a natural element unparalleled in the roof architecture of other cultures.

An old style kitchen in the house of a commoner.

Because it is a distinctly Korean structure found nowhere else in Asia, the Korean house has its own special name: hanok. The hanok unites the ondol room which is heated by a unique underfloor heating system and the maru, a wooden floored room exuding a free sense of openness. The under-floor heating system was created to heat enclosed rooms in an extremely cold climate. The maru, or wooden floored room, on the other hand, was originally found in the coastal areas of the hot and humid southern region. The houses of this region have a very free and open feeling, and thus the two different architectural styles are complete opposites. Over the centuries, however, the two have com.e to a compromise, gradually moving closer together and ultimately starting to coexist. As a result, harmony between the ondoZ-heated floor and the maru was achieved in one structure. While the two architectura l types now coexist, the ondol-style room with its heating flues under the floor has with the maintenace of walls, doors and windows preserved its feeling of isolation or enclosure, and the sense of freedom and openness found in the maru, wide open with no walls between its supporting pillars, lives on. Here resourcefulness is touched with a quiet taste of complacency and satisfaction. The ondol rooms and maru make up the main hall of a Korean house, but a maru wooden floor also extends out in front of the room to form a verandah. Some homes even have rear verandahs. The verandah is convenient both in design and use.

A clear distinction between the interior and exterior is common in wooden architectura l theory and the development of both interior decoration and the bea utificat ion of the exterior environment is quite w idespread. In appli cation to traditional Korean homes, however, there are some who doubt whether one can rea lly make a distinction between the interior and the exterior. If one opens a door and goes in , it is the interior, and if one then closes the door, behind the door is the exterior. If one defines interior and exterior in this way, the ondol room is the only interior as it is the only place with a wall and a door in a Korean house. If this is the only "interior," then the main hall maru seems su ch a waste. If one includes the ma in ha ll maru as part of the interior, then perhaps it would be best to distinguish the interior and exterior along the lines extending between the pillars surrounding the ma in hall or maru. But then what do we do about the small verandahs formed by the pill a rs, and what about the banisters or ba lustrades which stand around the edge of the verandahs? If these a re i,ncluded in the debate over interior vs. exterior, everything becomes very ambiguous. This ambiguity arises from the fact that there was never a concern over the distinction between the inside and the outside in traditiona l Korean houses. This distinction did not ex ist. One interpretation suggests that we consider all space used for living as the interior. Living includes drawing water from the well outside and ca rrying it into the kitchen to wash and scrub, and so we can say any space connected with everyday living and household furnish ings is part of the interior. If there is a well in the front yard of the main building of a Korean house, many household furnishings used in everyday li fe are placed near it, thus making the yard part of the living space. Similarly, if one steps into the backyard, one finds a terrace on which a number of soy sauce, red pepper paste and bean paste crocks are kept.

This spot is extremely important to the grandmother and mother of the family and is also the home of the household mascot called "the lord of the castle" as well as the three household gods which watch over the health and happiness of the house's residents. The idea that everything inside the outer fence or wall is the interior is a generally accepted principle. In the countryside, however, there are houses with no fences at all, thus including the entire universe as part of their living space. In a Korean house, the width and height of each room and. maru is determined separately. The standard width of a room is 15 ch'ok (4.5 meter), or approximately 4.5 meters on each of .its four sides.The Samguk Sagi(History of the Three Kingdoms) contains references to building codes of the Shilla period stipulating that if circumstances improved, rooms of widths of 18ch'ok(5.5 meter), 2lch'ok(6.4meter), 24 ch'ok (7.3 meter) and 27ch'ok (8.2 meter) were permitted. These sizes - 15,18,21,24,27 - are all multiples of three, a number of great significance as found in the traditional concept of cosmic creation included in the Ch'onbukyong which states that heaven, ea rth and man are one. The number five is at midway from one to ten. It is the center of the universe. 1.5 meter is also the average height of the Korean people. A person 1.8 meter tall is called a tall man and a person 1.2 meter tall is considered short. Âˇ Humanity is a microcosm. The house is a way of expressing space in order to connect the individual to this microcosm. If one sits in the middle of a room which is 4.5 meter wide, one is 2.3 meter from each wall. This distance is the sum of the height of the average man, 1.5 meter, plus the distance from the floor to eye-level when seated, 0.8 meter. Thus the standard height of the ceiling in a Korean house is 2.3 meter. If the width of a room exceeds 4.5 meter, the ceiling is raised proportionally. From this one could say a Korean house is built with an emphasis on the human being and the human scale. + The w ri ter is an expert advisor to the Cultural Properties Maintenance Office.

FEATURE

KOREA'S TRADITIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: DISCOVERING AND PRESERVING ITS DISTINCT CHARACTERISTICS By Joung Ch' ung-sik

The Roots of Traditional Landscape Architecture he term "landscape architecture" (chokyong) originated in the late 1960s when the first rumblings of a Korean landscape architecture movement were felt. Prior to that time, Koreans tended to use the Japanese expression "landscape gardening" (chowon), but while this term characterized the unique style of miniaturization developed by the Japanese, it failed to capture the breadth and reality of Korean landscaping techniques and philosophy, and so a new expression, landscape architecture, or chokyong, was coined. The technique of landscape architecture developed long ago in Korea, and during the Three Kingdoms period, Korean technology, like that of other cultures, was transmitted to Japan. The pulse of Korea's brilliant traditional landscape architecture continues to beat on today in Japan. In Korea, however, the downfall of the fortunes of the Choson period, the dark days of Japanese colonial oppression and the tragedy of the Korean War caused a withering of traditional landscape architecture over the last 100 years or so. Thus, we must revive traditional landscape architecture in Korea and at the same time unearth elements of past creations, research new methods that will help us apply traditional techniques to our present reality. We must develop and pass on our own distinct styles of landscape architecture culture. The Korean people have always loved and respected nature. Traditionally, whether they were building a house or planting a single tree, Koreans never altered the natural

topography by excavating hills or damming streams indiscriminately. There is no evidence that our forefathers tried to disturb the beauty of natural lines and forms through artificial methods like pruning. Rather than contradicting nature, Koreans immersed themselves in it, assimilating to the powerful forces of nature. This sense of oneness or unity with nature runs throughout Korean landscaping and is the source of the unique beauty of an ancient temple deep in the mountains. The same could be said of enormous palace buildings in the capital and of the humble thatched roofed homes nestled in remote country valleys. Records of the Paekche period indicate that Korea's landscape architecture was already highly developed at that time. King Mu-wang, a Paekche monarch who ruled in the early 7th century, had a pond dug to the south of his palace in Sabisong, which is now Puyo, Ch'ungch' ongnamdo Province. King Mu-wang filled the pond with water from a spring eight kilometers away, created a man-made island in the middle, and planted willow trees on the edge of the pond. Japanese records show that Nojakong of Paekche travelled to Japan to build a miniature mountain and bridge in the garden of a royal palace. This project is believed to be the first attempt at landscape architecture in Japan. This reflects the high caliber of Korean technology at that time. Landscape architecture developed more slowly in Shilla, but some of the remaining examples of Shilla landscaping, such as the lmhaechonj,i Royal Villa, the Anapchi pond and the elaborate stone channels of P'osokchong Pavilion in Kyongju, the most advanced technology of that era, indi-

cate the remarkable capabilities of the Shilla people. Few vestiges of Koryo period landscaping remain today. So it is difficult to imagine what distinguished this period from the preceding Three Kingdoms period or the succeeding Chason period. The Munsuwon at Ch'ongp'yongsa Temple was one typical example of Koryo landscaping. It was by Yi Cha-hyon, a powerful official of the early Koryo court who studied Zen Buddhism and later entered a monastery in his old age. All that remains of Munsuwon is a single reflecting pool. The Chason period marked the zenith of Korea's landscape architecture. Pavilions were built at scenic spots around the country, and Confucian literati erected scores of small villas near isolated mountain streams. Two sul,'Viving examples of the simplicity and comfort of landscape architecture in the Chason period areÂˇ Seyonjonji, a villa built by the poet Yun Son-do (1587-1671), and Soswaewon, a garden created by Yang San-ho, a sixteenth-century scholar in Dam-yang Chollanam-do Province. In addition to these, there were many private gardens, large and small, scattered both inside the capital and elsewhere around the country. Each had its own distinct character, but also reflected the general trends in landscaping of the time. Few examples of such gardens remain. We are forced to evaluate the landscape architecture of the Choson period by the techniques employed in palace gardens. The most representative of them can be seen at the Kyongbokkung Palace and the Ch'angdokkung Palace in Seoul. In the Kyongbokkung Palace, the large garden around Kyonghoeru, a two-story open pavilion used for ban'

quets and for entertaining diplomatic envoys, Amisan Garden, built with the soil excavated from the Kyonghoeru pond, which lies behind Kyot'aejon, once the royal bed chamber, and Hyangwonjong Pavilion which sits in the middle of a lotus pond in the northern part of the palace represent, the pinnacle of Choson-period landscape architecture. In Ch'angdokkung Palace, the garden behind Naksonjae and Piwon (the Secret Garden) are typical of the rear gardens of the period. The garden behind Naksonjae is quite small but its effective use of the back slope for decorative purposes was a model for rear garden landscaping. The essence of Korea's traditional landscaping is based on the principle of inch'a, which attempts to present the natural environment as it is rather than impose an artifi cial structure, a centra l concept throughout all East Asian gardening. It is full y reflected in the Secret Garden. Comprising 300,000 square meters of the entire 405,636 sq ua re meters of the Ch'angdokkung Palace site, the magnificent garden has six ponds, and some 30 buildings, including 18 pavilions.

Detail of the lotus pond, Sey6nj6nji

The planting of lotus blossoms is an acceptable human touch. They are found in almost every garden pond ( upper right), here at KangnOng's S6nkyojang. Pictured below is Ky6nghoeru .

Typical examples of an harmonious architectural landscaping arrangement: Hyangwonjong Pavilion (top), Soswaewon (middle), and Kwanghallu (boltom).

The Distinct Characteristics of Korea's Traditional Landscape Architecture.

AClear Understanding of Tradition and the Legacy Which We Leave to Our Successors.

From ancient times right up until the present, a common characteristic of Korea's traditional landscape architecture has been the placement of buildings facing the south and with a mountain at the back. As a result, the gardens surrounding such buildings were naturally divided into a front and rear garden From the same reason, the creation of a front pavilion and a rear garden has emerged as a key feature of Korean landscaping, common to private gardens and palaces as well as huge Buddhist temples. The front garden is left as an empty space except for one or two fruit trees. In the case of farming households, this space is used as a work area and for family ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals and religious rituals, and thus could be called a small family square. The backyard is typically elevated or terraced using stones to connect the backyard with the adjacent mountain. Flowering trees and plants are planted on the stair-like terracing, thus leading to the name hwakye or flower , terrace. This is unique to Korean landscaping. Chimneys adorned with beautiful patterns, stone mortars and other decorative details create the special atmosphere of the backyard. Another unique characteristic to be noted here is the use of deciduous trees such as fruit trees and flowering trees, rather than evergreens, so that the residents can fully experience the glories of the four seasons.

With the leap in economic development Korea experienced in the early 1970s, a new interest in the restoration of cultural relics emerged. With this came an opportunity to reexamine and pass on the traditional landscaping techniques used around many of these historical structures. In the course of restoration remnants of traditional landscaping were found at many of these sites, however, numerous difficulties were encountered because of a lack of both technical experience and skilled workers. There are many examples of the misunderstanding and misrepresentation of traditional techniques and destruction of the natural beauty of the original site. At times Japanese methods have been used in the construction of embankments for ponds or in the use of natural stones in stone construction. Often the traditional preference for deciduous trees has been ignored and severely pruned Chinese junipers have been used in complete contradiction to the basic philosophy of Korean gardens. Japanese and even Western architecture has been incorporated into the construction of some pavilions and other Korean-style buildings, and tanch'ong, the colorful patterns used on exposed woodwork both inside and outside traditional structures has, in many cases, been misused. In Âˇ addition, despite the essentia l necessity of sufficient time and specialized research for successful renovation

The smoke from the underground heating system employed in Korean homes was funneled out through these highly decorative chimneys. Kyongbokkung.

Ky6ngju, the site of many ot Korea's bestpreserved artifacts is also the site of these intimate ponds or Anapchi (above). The entrance to Py6ngsan S6won, Andong (bottom).

of landscaping around historical sites, all too often construction deadlines are unrealistically set and plans are subjected to the biased whims of highranking policy makers. When we compare traditional landscaping styles with those used in modern times, it is clear that traditional landscape architects tried to create a garden of limited space to be used by a single individual or a verx small group of people. It was a handcrafted, enclosed garden, a silent space with an emphasis on the visual rather than the functional. Landscaping today, however, centers around the Western concept of a park: functional and used by a wide range of people. Landscape architects must develop with the times. Landscape architecture today must move beyond a simple focus on planting, and the landscape architect must familiarize him or herself with a broad range of fields architecture, urban planning, aesthetics, engineering, ecology, psychology and anthropology. After such study, landscape architects must specialize and then work together with other specialists to create a unified product. On top of this, landscape architects must have a clear concept of space in order to prevent environmental damage caused by poorly conceived landscaping. At present, there are several hundred historic landscaping sites scattered around Korea. The majority would probably be looked upon by the average person as nothing more than an insignificant pile of rocks. Therefore, we must rediscover the roots of our distinct landscape architecture through the systematic archeological and documentary study of these sites. On the basis of such investigation, we should set clear standards for our traditional landscaping forms and reevaluate both the concept of function and our modern concepts of space. If we succeed in doing this, we can produce our own unique landscape architecture by fusing the elements of traditional landscaping with the demands of modern society, and so create a Korean landscape architecture which is worthy of passing on to the next generation. +

The writer is an architect and runs his own Environment Planning Research Institute.

HERITAGE

SYMBOLISM IN TANCH'ONG '--'

By Im Yong-ju

n a long ago time when the legendary figures Yu and Hsia ruled the world, people lived in peace, very well cared for by their kings and by heaven. Yu and Hsia were very thrifty and lived in a house with a thatched roof. The end of its eaves not even trimmed and the timber which supported them were no more than undressed logs from the forest. That was a legendary time, however. From time unknown, houses and palaces were adorned and embellished with luxurious decorations. It is recorded from time to time that the court issued warnings against excessive decoration and

knowing what to do. U Ch'on that people should decorate their stepped forward at this moment and houses in keeping with their status. said to the emperor, "What a great During the time of Shi Huang Ti of idea, Your Majesty! It is indeed a Ch'in China (221-207B.C.), there was wonderful idea to lacquer the whole an official named U Ch'on who was city. In fact, I have been thinking of known for his sharp tongue and proposing it to you for some time. quick wit. One day, Shi Huang Ti's Not only will it make our city successor was struck with the idea that his capital should be made dazzlingly beautiful but also very safe, for enemy forces will never be more luxuriant and glittering. So he able to climb up the wall because it gave the order, "Lacquer the whole city to make it sparkle." His subjects Âˇ will be too slippery. This is really a were flabbergasted. Not only was it a wonderful idea. It is a shame that we do not have a dry room large enough daunting task technically but also it to put the city in and coat and dry would involve a staggering amount the lacquer. What a crying shame of money and labor. An emperor's indeed!" The emperor, it is said, saw order was not to be ignored lightly, his point and, much to his chagrin, however, and they all despaired, not

withdrew his order. Although the city could not lacquered, this episode shows us the extent to which the rulers of that time loved luxury and how they would have indulged themselvese if given the opportunity. In Oriental philosophies, the future or the next world is represented by sky or heaven and the present world or the here and now by earth. This symbolism was applied to the construction of palaces, tombs, and private houses and also to the crafting of everyday conveniences. It is evident in tomb murals of the Koguryo period. The Third Anak Tomb (circa 357) has a wall painting that depicts

The auspicious dragon decorates the eaves of many temples. (top) Pusoksa Temple's tanch'ong. (middle) The ceiling of lnjongjon Hall, Ch'angdokkung Palace. (bottom)

the prosperous, dignified lifestyle the occupant must have enjoyed in this life, while on the ceiling, the sun and the moon are emblazoned together with clouds and lotus designs in a symbolic representation of the next world. Prehistoric earthenwares are decorated with geometric patterns. Similar geometric patterns are found in prehistoric petroglyphs. What are the concentric circles and lattice patterns doing there? Ancient architecture and ancient vessels have certain points in common. A column or pillar on a plinth is much like the foot or base of a vessel. If a pillar of a structure can be likened to the legendary pillar that supports heaven, so too can the tall foot of a pottery vessel that has square or triangul ar "windows." In a building; a column is topped with a capital on which a tie beam is placed the pieces where the column and the tie beam are decorated with a wood carving that appears to be floating clouds. Such a decoroation was one of the ornamental features that distinguished palatial structures from private houses. The head of a column is painted in a tanch'ong pattern as intricate as drapery, la ce, or sometimes a bead necklace. These patterns are also found on the tall foots or pedestals of some ancient earthenware. The framework of the eaves is symbolically divided in two parts by the tie beam from which the brackets spring up. The part above the beam signifies heaven and the part below, earth. Such symbolism is also found in the interior decoration of ancient tombs. The end of the tie beam is painted with lotus blossoms or a palmetto leaf design called hui, which literally means light. According to an ancient record, musical sounds and colorful clouds filled the air when a palace or a temple was built, alluding to the human aspiration that the structure be a palace in heaven. The hui has many variations and is colored in the five primary colors symbolizing the five directions. Also symblizing the five universal elements of the Oriental philosophy, they are in fact the most dominant colors in tanch'ong, both on buildings and ceremonial vessels or whatever objects it is decorating.

Blue is the color of wood and symbolizes the east, red the color of fire and the south, black the color of water and the north, yellow the color of earth and the center, and white the color of gold or metal and the west. After the hui pattern, toward the mid-part of the beam, comes the geometric ~ummun , brocade patterns of great variety and flamboyant colors. Varying from the basic plan of square, triangle, hexagon, oval, circle, diamond or cross, these patterns develop in repetitions

along the length of the beam. Sometimes, lotus petals are inserted between these patterns to further embellish the colorful decoration. Such designs are often found in ancient tomb murals as well. The west wall of the burial chambers of Ch'onwangjishinch'ong of the fifth century is covered with a tortoise shell pattern, in each hexagon of which is painted a lotus bud. A simi . Jar pattern adorns the head rest and gilt bronze footwear retrieved from the sixth-century tomb of King not Muryon-wang, and in the open-

work decoration on the round pommel of a Shilla sword from an ancient tomb. Geometric patterns that frequently adorn earthenware have some similarity with the Kummun patterns of the wooden structures. Both are closely associated with wishes for longevity and good fortune. Such ideas are more clearly illustrated on the decorative designs of the stele pedestals t~at prevailed in the late Unified Shilla period (668-935). Each end of the ridge beams is painted with morich'o

designs, which are very colorful, and intricate variations of posangmun, the palmetto design, and are encircled by honeysuckle designs. These patterns originated from Greece and prevailed in Unified Shilla during the seventh and eighth-centuries when Korean art was greatly influenced by Western styles. There are many tiles and roof-end tiles as well as some lacquerware featuring such patterns. Toward the mid-part of the beam some auspicious animals are painted to represent a scene from heavenly 23

Tanch'6ngdoor panels open into the Taeungjon, Piipchusa Temple

life. Many of the components of the bracket system that supports the eaves, including the bracket arms and bearing blocks, are carved very ornately, and tanch'ong painting enhances them further. The basic plan for this pattern is mostly honeysuckle. It has developed from the arabesque pattern often encountered in tomb murals or funerary objects, its prototype being the cloud-like fluctuation of the arabesque on the ceiling support in the Uhyon-ri Tomb. Such viny patterns are believed to have originated in an effort to symbolize clouds. A major hall of a palace has a coffered ceiling. A lotus blossom is painted in each coffered square and a variation of a floral pattern, called Ch'ongdaranich'o, at each corner of the joists. Originating from ancient times, they are suggestive of man's idea of heaven. Outside the building on the roof, are perched more of the

ornamenta l elements such as the ridge-end tiles and rows of various colors on the ridges, ever vigilant to fend off ev il. The roof-end tiles with floral patterns, auspicious animals or birds and the grotesque masks at each corner of the roof are also to expell evil. Such exorc ising features are also found in ancient tomb murals. A column covered with S-shaped honeysuckle vines is painted at each corner of the burial chamber of the fifth to sixth century Koguryo tomb Hwanmunch'ong. The viney design spreads to both sides in a symmetry that is much like the vine design on the bracket supports of today. This similarity suggests that tanch'ong has been transmitted from ancient times without much change. + A fresco in Pomosa Temple. The writer is an expert advisor to the Cultural Properties Maintenance Office.

anch'ong, the colorful patterns that emblazon the exposed woodwork inside and outside many of Korea's traditional structures, especially temples, is an art form which dated from Korguryo, the kingdom Âˇ that dominated the Korean peninsula from around 37 B.C. to 668 AD. The name is derived from the Chinese characters tan and ch'ong meaning red and blue, its two major colors. Like the mineral pigments and painting techniques, a lot of iconography was brought from China but Korean artists added their own special touches. In particular, Tanch'ong techniques were developed and perpetuated by court painters and Buddhist monks. While their main task was to paint various portraits and paintings, the court pain,ters belonging to the Office of Painters were also required to paint tanch'ong on public buildings. The monk artists also worked on tanch'ong in addition to painting religious images. They painted tanch'ong on public buildings as well as the structures in their temples. For instance, a work log for the the construction of Chosiingjon, a hall in Ch'anggyonggung Palace, records that seven court painters and 66 monks were mobilized to paint tanch'ong on the building. It is also reported that six court painters and 40 Buddhist monks were involved in painting tanch'ong or Suwonsong Fortress. Tanch'ong is an important and very necessary feature in traditional architecture bec_ause it protects the wood from humidity, making the structures more durable. The pigments and oil finish provide protection against humidity and decay. In most cases Korean wood is not suitable for construction as it tends to crack and warp in the seasoning process. Thus tanch'ong is doubly useful in that it covers up the scars on the timber and gives a sense of balance the overall structure. While wooden structures without adornment exude a simple grace, those embellished with flamboyant tanch'ong patterns apperar more impressive. The tanch'ong designs and colors vary according to the nature and function of the structure. A palatial structure should exude the dignity befitting the abode of royalty , while a temple should inspire religious thought through the unique

Buddhist monk and National Living Treasure, Rev. Lee Man-bong, 79, now chief abbot of Pongwonsa Temple near Yonsei University says that he has studied the art for more than 50 years.

patterns of tanchong. Before applying tanch'ong colors, the timber should be meticulously cleaned with a wet _cloth and then wiped several times with a dry one to remove moisture. Only when the timber is thoroughly free of dirt and moisture is the primer applied with diluted isinglass. Pulverized lead mixed with white clay is most often used as the primer and after several coats of it, are applied, powdered green pigment is applied Diluted isinglass and the primer is applied alternately several times, at a long enough inter-

vals to allow the previous coat to dry completely. by the fifth coating, a thick protective layer has been built up, safely hiding the defects of the wood. When the base coat for the tanch'ong has thus been prepared, the next step is to select the design. Tanch'ong is usually applied to five parts of a building: the brackets on the column heads, the beams and girders, the corners of the roof where the bracket arms are joined to the roof frame, the eaves, and the ceiling and lattices of the doors and windows. There is a more or less set pattern for each part determined by

Lee Man-bong. The name "Man-bong" means "one who serves many," reflecting a life dedicated to such an art. Basic material for a monk-artist: "t'aengchae" which produces the pure red, yellow, blue, green, and orange. (bottom)

a long tradition. As has been mentioned, the function and nature of the building prescribe the elaborateness of tanch'ong. Kutki tanch'ong is a black or white delineation and moru tanch'ong is decorations on the end parts of the beams and rafters only. Kum tanch'ong, is various patterns of five brilliant colors. Kummoru is a combination of kum tanch'ong and rnoru tanch'ong. Kazum kum tanch'ong is the most elaborate and flamboyant of all tanch'ong techniques. After the motif and design for each

part has been determined, a transfer sheet to duplicate it onto the timber is prepared by drawing the pattern on a sheet of thick mulberry paper with black ink or charcoal. The outline of the drawing is then closely pricked with a pin or a gimlet. Thus prepared, the sheet is held securely against the primer-coated timber and struck with a hemp or cotton bag filled with powdered chalk. The paper is then removed to reveal a dotted, white outline of the pattern. As a pattern is repeated many times, like on the rafter ends, one transfer sheet can be used to produce a

great number of identical patterns. Now it is time for coloring. As the multicolor pattern is repeated many times, it is obviously expeditious to have several artisans do the painting, each working with one color, thus eliminating the time consuming mixing of several different colors. The paint is applied with a pig hair brush, the dark colors toward the inside of the pattern and the light colors toward the outside. For repetitive patterns such as the scaly pajahui toward the end of a beam, the pattern is outlined with black beforehand or with white afterward to highlight the colors inside the pattern. If there is any space between the patterns, it is usually filled with pictures of human figures, flowers or birds painted in the same manner and outlined with white. When the painting is completely dry, it is coated with paulownia nut oil and gone over with a hot iron. The paulownia nut oil, with its potent water repelling agent, is ideal for making the tanch'ong paint weatherresistant. In the absence of paulownia oil, sesame or perilla oil is used. With several coats of primer, mineral pigments, and a paulownia oil finish, the tanch'ong not only protects the timber from the elements and hides its defects but emblazons the building magnificently.+

By Kim Yong-jik

ahoe Village sits on the banks of the clear blue waters of the Naktong River. It is one of many villages with long and rich histories scattered along the length of the N aktong. Hahoe possesses something that sets it apart from the other villages, however. It is known throughout the Yongnam region (southeastern Korea) as a large and important village, and is unparalleled in the bounty it has reaped from its natural environment. The Naktong River is at its fullest as it flows along the front of the village. In fact, before the river reaches Hahoe Village, the main stream from Hwangji and waters from the southern branch of the river which flow from Ilwolsan Mountain in Yongyang County join in the southeastern corner of the Andong district. The swollen river moves along lazily, wrapping around the village. Thus Hahoe has always been blessed with an abundant flow of water. Add to this the work of man and the passage of time, and Hahoe was born. From an administrative point of view, Hahoe is part of Andong County's P'ungcHon-myon. On a map, Hahoe seems to be at the very center of P'ungch'on, but in fact the village is somewhat isolated. This is because of its unique topography. More specifically, the mountains and hilly region of the entire county loom up behind the village, and the Naktong River crisscrosses the area, isolating the village from transportation. From another point of view, however, these geographical conditions can be seen as a gift of nature. It is precisely these conditions which have made Hahoe what it is today. The topography of Hahoe has led many to call it the "T'aeguk" village (t'aeguk is the name for the ii m-yang syrp.bol), the "lotus flower" village and even the "iron" village. The expression "T'aeguk" village derives from the configuration of the mountains and streams surrounding Hahoe. lDoking down from one of the peaks or hills towering over the village, the lines formed by the base of the mountains suggest the t'aeguk, and the waters of the Naktong River flowing from the northeast to the southwest also resemble the t'aeguk. Thus Hahoe has long been known as the home of the "mountain t'aeguk" and the "water t'aeguk." The expressions "lotus flower" village and "iron" village seem to have

A typical village path. The walls are of stone and clay.

originated in the way the lay of the land has afffected the shape of the settlement itself. Hahoe is shaped like an oval, long from east to west, but short from north to south. If viewed from above, there is clearly reason for the comparisons to a lotus flower or a flat iron. Lofty mountain peaks, the tallest of which is Hwasan, rise to the east of the village. An offshoot of the T'aebaeksan Range, Hwasan is 271 meters high. At the foot of Hwasan stands the Pyongsansowon, a Confucian academy built in the memory of the learning and virtue of Yu Song-nyong (pen name Soae), a great government official of the Choson court who was born in Hahoe and returned there in his retirement. Hwasan stretches out to the southwest, quite a distance from the Naktong River, and thus the village of Hahoe is divided into two equal halves from north to south, with low hills following the river southward. In some ways, one gets the impression that the mountains are shielding the village. The waters of the Naktong River which flow in front of the village are called Hwach'on. Across the blue rush of the Hwach'on stands a haggard

range of mountains. These are a branch of Yongyang's Ilwolsan Mountain. The lofty peaks of Pyongsan, Kyupong and Wonjisan are part of this chain of mountains. The lower reaches of these peaks stretch all the way down to the river's edge and offer the visitor magnificent views in every season: flowers and greenery, brilliant fall foliage, wintery silence. In addition , the banks of the river which lie between the village and Hwach'on exude much of Hahoe's unique charm. These banks are covered with a clean, white sand which is met at its borders by a verdant pine forest. Some say that this is a man-made forest, but its rich green coolness today washes away any feeling of artificiality. Here, the refreshing sensation of a light breeze flowing over the fields and crossing the river creates an idyllic world, free from all vulgarity and trouble. This is, of course, one of the treasures of nature that only Hahoe possesses. It could be said that Hahoe is made even more beautiful by the combination of man's work and the magnificent creations of nature. World culture can be divided into several categories. East Asian cultures

belong to the agrarian category. An agricultural culture obviously depends on agriculture for its existence. It is characterized by an adaptation to nature and a desire not to offend the forces of nature. Agriculture starts with the cultivation of fields and the planting of seeds at the appropriate time. The seeds sprout, the flowers bloom; fruit develops, all thanks to proper doses of sun, rain, and wind, and nutrients from the soil. Nothing artificial can be added to the rain, sun or wind nor can these forces be controlled. Agriculture is possible only if one believes in and depends on nature. In the words of one Oriental wise man: "One cannot add to perfection." This expression reflects the wisdom of East Asian culture which teaches us never to contradict the dispensation of nature. If one strolls through the village of Hahoe and looks at the houses there, it is clear they embody the very principle of adaptation to nature. The design of the houses utilizes the natural lay of the land. Buildings face south to catch the sun if nothing blocks the southern exposure, but one also finds structures facing both west and east,

(from left to right) Pictured to the right is a ritual, "Treading the Earth" traditionally performed during the first month of the Lunar New Year. The ceremony is in progress in an interior courtyard where the rooms, kitchen, etc. and even kimch'i pots will be blessed. To the far right is a front view of the Ch'ung hyo-dang. This is the former residence of Yu S!Sng-nyong, an important government official of the Chosen period.

and some pavilions and summer houses even face north. There is one thing that all these structures have in common, however; they all stand with their backs to a mountain or hill and face the river. The reason for this is clear from the topography of the village. The northern part of the Yongnam region is a landlocked basin, and so the summers there are unusually long and muggy. One way to relieve the summer heat is to place the main door of a building so it faces the cool waters of a rushing river. Hahoe is thus a living example of the wisdom of the Korean people who work together with nature rather than fighting it. The structures of Hahoe can be divided into three categories. There are the basic everyday houses with their usual subsidiary facilities. In Hahoe, most of the houses that fit this description have tile roofs. The preponderance of tile roofs in Hahoe reflects the village's long and distinguished history. Scattered amongst these tile-roofed houses are a few thatched-roofed homes which are becoming less and less common throughout Korea. The combination of the warm golden thatch and the blue-grey tiles shows that the mystery of nature begins with the roofs of Hahoe village. When speaking of Hahoe, one must never forget the various village schools for the study of the Chinese classics (sodang), small pavilions (chongja) and pagodas (nugak). During the Choson period, Hahoe came to be known as the home of many illustrious goverment officials and Confucian literati. A great part of the literati's life was, of course, spent reading and in meditation, pondering and discussing man and the universe. In order to carry on these studies effectively, a place for quiet study was necessary. Thus it was common for most villages to have a village school, but Hahoe had several such schools and pavilions. In addition to education, man has an innate need for religion. Indeed, man is a religious animal. The oldest Korean religion is shamanism and divination, both types of folk belief. Shamanism was already deeply rooted in Korean life well before Buddhism, Confucianism or Taoism were introduced, and it tenaciously remained the predominant form of religious belief despite the onslaught of these foreign religions. As in most Korean

The unusual height of the main gate into Yangjin-dang accomodated riders on horseback. (top). Pictured below are the rooms of the male members of the household or Sarangch'ae. Detailed below are examples of the use of wood following its natural grain.

The sanjuor officiant performs the main rite at the si5nghwangdangto pray for the welfare of the villagers on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The food placed on the altar usually included three different color fruits and nuts such a jujubes, dried persimmons and chestnuts as well as white rice cake.

A scene from the Hahoe Pyolshin-kut : the Yangban Sonbi Madang (The Nobleman and the Scholar). Pictured here is the Yangban or aristocrat character.

villages enjoying a long history, the roots of shamanism run deep in Hahoe, and thus many shrines and spaces used as shrines are found there. There are three types of structures for folk belief in Hahoe. The first is the shrine for the local guardian god which is called Sangdang. This shrine is located half-way up Hwasan which stands behind the village. It is said the shrine's roof was once made of tile, but now it is covered with straw thatch, and its walls are made of earth. Other shrines to the village's tutelary deity stand at both the large and small hills at the entrance of the village, adding up to a total of four or five shrines to the local deity alone. The Hadang, the counterpart to the Sangdang, stands on the banks of the Hwach'on flowing in front of the village. Another name for this shrine is the Kuksadang. The Sanishindang, the shrine of the three gods which watch over childbirth, is located behind the Tongsa . While the Sangdang and the Hadang are manmade structures, the Samshindang is housed in an old elm tree. There are two interpretations of this. One is that the Samshindang is a more primitive form than either the

This is a type of house known as Oky6nj6ngsa. Drying soybean malt hangs from the raters. During the winter the soybean is steamed and Soybean paste is made.

Sangdang or the Hadang. Shamanism originally adopted only natural objects as its shrines. The building of manmade structures came later. Another possible explanation for the placement of the Samshindang in an elm tree is that the shrine must be deified; that is, the pl ace where the shrine is located must be qualified to house the deity. Since life and childbirth are natural functions, a natural object, a living tree, filled with robust life, is a much more suitable home for the gods of life and birth than an artificial structure. The rich natural environment of Hahoe has bred in its inhabitants a unique sensitivity. On top of this a re added the civilized human environment of and economic benefits of the area. Thanks to these factors, Hahoe has its own unique culture which has been handed down to the present generation which cherishes and nurtures it today. We cannot forget two indigenous folk arts unique to Hahoe's cultural legacy: the Hahoe Pyolshin-kut and the Chulbulnori, both shamanistic rituals. The Pyolshin-kut is a ritual unparalleled in Korea, even in its most basic element, the shape of the

The cliffs of Puyongtae.

mask used in the ritual. The content and means of dramatic expression are completely different from the kut rituals seen in other parts of the country. The Chulbulnori could not exist if it were not for the river and the steep cliffs overhanging the bank opposite the village. Thus, it can be said that both of these rituals are the property of Hahoe Village alone, part of a rich and unique local culture. + The w riter is a professor in the Department of Korean Litera ture at Seoul Nat iona l University.

PHOTO ESSAY

....,

NOWA

HOUSES By ArtÂˇSpace

trip into the mountains of inner Sorak brings one into a world so often missed oy travelers, Korean or foreign. It is a world as removed from the villages in the valleys as small towns are from the big cities. Here, up twisting lanes and narrow tracks, small houses with bark roofs cling to the rocky mountainsides like twisted pine trees and patches of earth won from the rocks yield the necessities of life.

The people here are a people unto themselves, they grow corn, beans, oats, potatoes and Chinese bell flowers (the roots of which are eaten). Extra money comes from harvesting wild ginseng roots found in the remoter reaches of the mountains. Ginseng diggers often go to the mountains for long periods and during this time they live in small shelters built on the same lines as Âˇ their distinctive bark roofed houses called nowa houses. Life in the mountains follows a simple round of farming and wood and ginseng gathering and is typified by its solitude and closeness to nature. A typical sight expressive of the life of this region is a wood gatherer carrying his heavy load along the empty country lane.

The nowa houses are basically built out of logs laid on top of each other with a mixture of mud and straw used to caulk the narrow spaces in between the logs. Usually nowa houses comprise an area of about 25 square meters and consist of one room and a kitchen. The roofing is made of the bark of pine or fir trees and between the ceiling and the sloped nowa roof there is an open space that ventilates the house. The ceiling is built in the same way as the walls and does not cover the kitchen. The main room is heated by an ondol underfloor heating system. Despite the fact that the sky can be seen through the spaces between the shingles that form the roof, they overlap in such a way that no rainwater seeps into the house.

The people that live in nowa houses have an openness and a frankness that marks them off from those whose lives are encumbered with property and possessions. There are no walls, rather the boundaries of their private domain are marked by the stream in the front and the mountain in the distance. Nowa houses are not gathered together into hamlets, their inhabitants chose solitude prefering the sunny open spaces to the huddled proximity of farming villages. The people who live here are not natives to the Sorak region, they settled here after the Korean War. But, they have not chosen to seek their fortune elsewhere, rather they give an air of contentment that comes from a life lived so close to nature. However, they are not hermits eschewing the world, the children play and attend school like all other children, the people are dressed like anyone else in the Korean countryside and while they cherish the beliefs .of their ancestors, they are not followers of some esoteric cult. They are just simple people whose contentment and openness to life can be seen on their faces.

HERITAGE

"-'

SHINMYONG The Ferformer and the Spirit of Life

he interrelation between traditional Korean group performances, such as mask dance/drama and the village kut (communal shamanistic rites) is now widely accepted among scholars who acknowledge shamanism as the basis of these performances. Shamanism has to be understood in its wider sense as a way of approaching and explaining life and, as such, a distinct factor in the ways of thinking and reacting to events and social conditions. Mask dance/drama and other traditional Korean group performances directly reflect this shamanistic consciousness and thought pattern. Korean shamanistic folk practices such as exorcisms of evil spirits and prayers for good harvests were directly rooted in the existential reality of everyday life. An evil spirit or sal was identified as that which prevented the fulfillment of life and as such would naturally have to be exorcised. The exorcism of evil was known as a salp'uri or a way of to confront and overcome evil by understanding its essence. Therefore, this became the folk wisdom about life and how to survive in the world. Salp'uri then is not just a ritualistic act of exorcism but a whole perception of reality, the understanding of how to struggle with life and resolve life's problems. When the process of salp'uri reaches a climax it releases a power and produces an experience known as shinmyong. Shinmyong is characterized by ecstasy and spontaneous song and dance. This power is nothing less than the descent of

Ha hoe T'al Ch'um (mask/dance ctrama)'s amorous young heroine, Pune.

the spirit into the supplicator causing him to fly with the wind which the spirit himself blows out. Shinmyong then is a phenomenon which can come to anyone who has been enlightened with an understanding that man is with Heaven. This integration of the sacred and the secular is best seen in the process of shaman rites. "Shaman sickness" in the initation rites of shamans is the process of calling in sal, then the kangshin (possession) kut is the process identifying the nature of the sal and kongsu (the proxy's pronouncement of the spirit's words) will finally create the shinmyong. The shaman who becomes fully possessed will then invoke and ignite the shinmyong hidden deep in other people.

In this process then the stronger the forces of evil, the stronger then impediment in life becomes, and the stronger the sal, the more elevated the shinmyong. So, when the sal becomes common, we see not only the victory of shamanistic shinmyong as salp'uri but also the victory of common of group shinmyong. In this light, someone observing group performances at village communal rites can interpret the sense of group shamanism consisting of group ecstasy and group trance. Shinmyong of such na.ture in the process of salp'uri is a product of the fighting spirit in the incessant struggles against reality in everyday life. The people's social needs are met when an oppressing force is expelled after its real sal is identified and overcome. This process of salp'uri is directly reflected in the structural logic of the mask dance/drama. The mask dance/drama interprets and presents everyday situations and social relationships. This process of realistic perception, imitation and artistic expression is called a madang kut. Madang kut carries a critical distance between itself and reality but its dialectical intergration of work and play into life sharply distinguishes it from epic drama, for example. The mask dance/drama, in exposing the hypocrisy and falsehood of man and society and in presenting life as it is, forces the members of society to face the realities of life. In the movement of the mask dance truth counters falsehood by exposing it. Falsehood and hypocrisy cannot

be sustained without resorting to technical violence. Thus, even if it begins with an abstract conception, truth developes a realistic expression and runs into conflict and friction with issues of reality. However, if a mask dance/drama fails to invoke and bring out the shinmyong latent in every person and share it commonly among the people then the social variable cannot acquire its collective force and remains internalized as a passing happening in the human heart. If it is allowed its full expression then shinmyong resolves the resentment and pain accumulated in the course of life and gives fresh vigor to life. The place where a mask dance/drama is performed (norip'an) is an actual living area and the collective shinmyong arising from that place suggests that all people gathered at the performance are partakers and participants in this drama of life. Here individual questions and individual shinmyong are collectivized and elevated into group events and individualized, episodic and itemize.cl events are grouped together and developed into a general comprehensive pattern centering around the core. The mask dance performed with bodily motions and spoken in natural voices becomes a storehouse of popular tradition out of which the shinmyong of the people can be invoked This creates a cycling phenomenon where the situational truth is percieved ever anew in the uninterrupted course of everyday life. The mask dance/drama, then, presents us with the phasic process of life from death back to life again. In the act about a transgressing monk, the struggle between the old monk and the young man, Ch'wibari , over the affections of a young girl results in the victory of the young man and the birth of a baby from his union with the girl. The child's birth in putting an end to the conflict suggests the coming of a new world and is the conclusion of one plot and the seed of a new start at the same time. This stands in contrast to the death of the old woman, Miyal Halmi, which symbolizes not just the passing over of the old for the new but becomes the occasion for a requiem rite (chinogwi kut)

performed by the villagers to send the spirit of the dead to a better world. Death and life are simultaneous, and in the mask dance/drama an ordinary death becomes a weapon of life, the igniting point of the people's festival, signalling the birth of a new order. The popular shinmyong which is acquired by freeing oneself from an obsession with reunion and parting, with love and hate, and with life and death is closely related to wandering. The content of mask dance/drama depicts the aspects of a vagrant lifestyle, showing almost no attachment to or obsession with the theme of "reunion and parting." It is no surprise then that most of the cast in the mask dance/drama were either wanderers or those who display~d such a tendency. In the case of "shaman sickness" for a possessed shaman, it is typical for the body and the spirit to float into an unknown world. This can be understood as an escape from the cosmos and a return to the chaos of an eternal existence. While at the same time, it can be seen as a rite of passsage through reality to selfobjectification. The cast of the mask dance/drama (many of whom were itinerant) may be the source of their spirit of both a deep understanding of and resistance to society. These people, somewhat socially alienated accept reality as it is but fight against the impeding elements in their lives. The spectators are supplied with shinmyong from these figures by projecting their own images upon the action of these figures. Genuine actors (kwangdae) are those who are equipped with the collective shinmyong. The performer who is truly a popular artist is one whose shinmyong identifies itself with the group shinmyong and is able to create a common ground of conscience with the shinmyong of the people by speaking as one of them. In ordinary speech the performersÂˇof mask dance/drama were called those who had "much shinmyong" meaning they were good at dance or song, or that they had "many or much ki" meaning the exuberant possession of artistic talent. A sense of sorrowful resentment is present in Korean dance as it is in

Korean consciousness in general. However, while this sense of resentment is a sorrow, it is also a force which gives the momentum for selfimprovement. The resentment gives way to resistance becoming a gateway leading from despair to hope. This hope is nothing but the image of shinmyong hidden and put away somewhere. The shadow of resentment is already embraced in the breast of justice and righteousness. Korean dance can be nothing but the dynamic dance of shinmyong struggling to free itself from the sorrow of han. The Korean tightrope dance most precisely signifies the features of shinmyong. Going beyond the level of a stunt, when the dancer dances, sings songs and plays, he enters the world of shinmyong bringing the spectators with him. This is even more so when the shaman performs the feat of dancing on a blade, which only p~ssessed shamans can do. The spectators are robbed of their souls and become disciples of shinmyong leaving the aesthetic sense total behind. This transcendence of the aesthetic is most obviously displayed in the pyongshin or cripple's dance. The cripple's dance is one which physically disabled persons are supposed to dance, but it tells us that we, after all, are physically disabled also. The dance is the symbol of the Korean people's shinmyong creatively encompassing into one sorrow and laughter, tension and relaxation, naturalness and normalcy and sacredness and secularity. Shinmyong carries a religious overtone as the spiritual basis of poeple in everyday life and at the same time creates a bond of community spirit by resolving the conflicting forces in life and society. Shinmyong is not only a catharsis but a rite of passage and the dynamic shinmyong is an artistic experience in which reunion can be made through parting, life by death, and normalcy can be acquired through invalidism in the aesthetic matrix of the Korean people. This creates a popular connection, whether on an individual or on a group level, alive in the spirit of the people as a whole. +

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he idea of a park, specifically conceived to be a place for displaying sculpture or other works of art outdoors, is a concept which is relatively new to Korea . While in the United States and Europe there is now an art for creating objects to be placed in a park and admired in conjunction with many other pieces in a "museum without walls" setting, Koreans only began their appreciation of sculpture in such a manner in recent years. The city of Mokp'o located on the tip of Korea's southwestern coast, became host to the first sculpture park in Febr.uary, 1982 the Mt. Yudalsan Sculpture Park. In the space of six years over ten other sculpture parks have come into being. This reflects the positive response that this fusing of nature and human creative effort has engendered among Koreans. In looking at a description of the major sculpture parks throughout Korea it is obvious also that each one of them is slightly different in character and scope. The next scuplture park created was in Kwangju (geographically close to Mokp'o), the Mt. Mudeungsan Sculpture Park. There was a great dea l of support for this effort from among the very artistic-minded people of this province. Seoul's contribution came in 1984, the Marronnier Sculpture Park. Its location on what is known as "University Street" makes it a popular point of rendezvous for students, artists, and fun-lovers of nearly every category. Close to Seoul in Kyonggi-do, the province which surrounds the capital city, several outstanding scuplture parks (the Tota l Gallery, the Pyokche Gallery, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Ho-am Art Museum) now provide a close and convenient retreat for Seoul's citizens in an informal atmosphere. Finally even Korea's southernmost island, lovely Cheju, enjoyed an addition to its art facilities with the opening of the Cheju Art Park in spring 1987. Private individuals and collectors have been inspired by these large, public parks and have created intimate, personal sculpture gardens. In the southern port city of Masan,

The Olympic Sculpture Park in Seoul is the best known sculpture park in Korea. The work displayed in this picture is Tanaka Shintaroh's "ltineray to the Void" (Japan).

sculptor Moon Shin's drive to present his and other's art on this personal level has influenced many throughout Korea. Without a doubt the best-known sculpture park in Korea is the Olympic Sculpture Park. By 1986 when Korea hosted the Asian Games, the site for the future sculpture park consisted of a greenbelt area approximately 13 kilometers from downtown Seoul. It was surrounded by four sports venues and the Olympic Center and Commemorative Hall. One special feature of the area was that it was first an archeological site: the ancient Mongch'on Fortress dating from the Paekche Kingdom (18 BD660A.D.). The area had such a unique charm that a foreign artist, on being shown the grounds by a member of the Seoul Olympic Organizing committee, suggested that it might be an excellent place for a sculpture park. Experts in many fields were consulted and with everyone's overwhelmingly favorable recommendation, the idea for an

Olympic sculpture park as site for an International Open-Air Sculpture Symposium and.Exhibition was born. In order to organize such an ambitious event, in 1987 the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee (SWOC) formed an international committee made up of five members from the International Olympic Committee. Included were Thomas Messer, Yusuke Nakahara, Pierre Restany, and Gerard Xuriguera as well as 14 Koreans including Lee Kyung-sung and Lee Jun. The Korean members handled the selection of artists and management of the symposfoum. This committee took charge of both the International Open-Air Symposium and the World Invitational Open-Air Sculpture Exhibition. Generous corporate sponsors were found to donate the approximately US$ 12.95 million to finance the 1,672,730 square-meter park and plans were made for the first portion of the symposium in the summer of 1987. However, organizers first had

to convince concerned citizens and archaeologists that no precious artifacts would in any way be harmed by the opening of the sculpture park. In the first part of the International Open-Air Sculpture Symposium held in July, 1987, 17 artists from 16 countries, including several from East European nations, participated. The symposium was a rare opportunity to bring together sculptors from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union as well as from Western countries such as Italy, Greece, Spain and Sweden. Most of the works created in the first part of the symposium were made of stone, with some use of cement, iron, and wood. The second part of the symposium began in April, 1988, and lasted two months. Unlike the first part of the symposium which was centered around stone sculpture, metal was the material of choice for this time around. It was unfortunate that

these sculptures could not be produced right on the grounds as had been the case during the first part of the program. The nature of the technology and equipment used in metallic sculpture required that the sculptors seek out work space suitable to the demands of their own particular work. A total of 18 sculptors from 16 different countries, including three from Korea, participated in the second part of the symposium. With the exception of the French sculptor Cesar who for personal reasons created his work in France andÂˇ shipped it to Korea, all the artists completed their works in Korea with local technical assistance. In fact, the two-part symposium has permitted artists from abroad to meet with their Korean counterparts to exchange theories and ideas through this shared experience. The well-known artists such as Mauro Staccioly of Italy, Josep M. Subirachs of Spain, Gunther Uecker of West Germany, Magdalena Abakanovic of Poland, Dennis Oppenheim of the United States, and Soto of Venezuela, left a deep impression and a warm feeling of camaraderie with the Koreans. The devotion of Diohandi of Greece, one of only two women participating, and Israel's Dani Karavan's sculpture inspired by the sundial of King Sejong provided great intellectual fodder to the artistic exchange. The sculptures erected in the Seoul Olympic Park as a result of the sculpture symposium are the permanent and symbolic artifacts of the Olympic cultural events. Compared to all the other activities which were almost all one-shot events, the International 0Ren-Air Sculpture Symposium will leave a most concrete and clear legacy. As long as the sculpture park and the sculptures within it remain, people will always remember the glories of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The special significance of the cultural events which marked the Games will never be forgotten. The Olympic Park was opened fo the public as a city park following the end of the Seoul Olympics. A variety of performances will be given from time to time on the stages scattered throughout the park. Because of its excellent location and

fine environment, the Seoul Olympic Park will most certainly develop into one of the world's most special scuplture parks. Only one hour to the south by air lies Korea's largest island, Cheju-do. However, Cheju-do is worlds away in climate and concept from the Seoul Park. Here there are two sculpture parks, the Shinch'onjee Art Museum and the Cheju Art Park. Their allKorean roster of art works are shown to great advantage by a superb natural setting. Shinch'onjee Art Museum opened in March of 1987 is directed by a Sung Shin Women's University professor, Chung Kwan-mo. The site consists of a 99,170 square-meter land area and a 496 square meter museum. Located slightly farther south in the rolling foothills which surround Mt. Sanbongsan is the Cheju Art Park. The Cheju Art Park has already completed the first two phases of its planned three-phase construction. The park contains perhaps the finest collection of true contemporary Korean sculpture. Sculptors No J ae-seung and Kim Kwang-vyoo head the list of outstanding artists noted for their abstract and experimental works. Cheju, once known mainly as a honeymoon resort, has now begun attracting art lovers also. Another sculpture park with the advantages of a superb natural setting is Mokp'o's Mt. Yudalsan Sculpture Park. In an area of 49,590 square-meters, the 44 members of the Korean Sculpture Society display approximately 100 pieces of distinctive art. In addition, the park has a large plaza-like area which is used to host cultural events and a periodic market. Aside from a natural setting which complements the art work extremely favorably, the park has one other important characteristic. The artists who wish to display their pieces here must agree to lend their works to the city of Mokp'o for at least ten years. The entrance fee to the park is divided so that 50% goes to the artist for his contribution. With the success of this park, it is hoped that sculpture parks will soon be found in every province. In 1985 Seoul joined the ranks of the world's finest cities with the opening of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in the nearby

Korea's largest island, Cheju-do, has two sculpture parks, the Cheju Art Park (above left) and the Shinch'onjee Art Museum (bottom left). The work in the above left hand corner picture is by Chon Sang-born. The Total Gallery in Kyonggi-do Province (below) and the outdoor sculpture park at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul (bottom right).

The outdoor sculpture park in the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Kwach'On

suburb of Kwach'on. The initial reaction to the technical facilities was that they were excellent, however, there was some criticism of the content of the exhibitions. With the prospect of the Olympics in 1988, efforts were made to improve the quality of the exhibitions. A 33,060 square-meter outdoor sculpture park was created. At the beginning Korean artists were featured exclusively. But reviewers made it clear that in order to gain an international i;.e putation the park should open itself up to works by distinguished foreign artists. In 198 7 a workshop opened the door and new works by Americans Betty Gold and Tai Streeter, Japanese Niizuma Minoru, and the Belgian Claude Rahir, to name a few, now dot the landscape surrounding a made-man lake at the entrance of the museum. Finally this survey of Korea's sculpture parks should include at least a mention of some of the smaller, but very influential parks. One such place was created by the Korean philanthropist Lee Byungch'ul; the Ho-am Art Museum. This compact museum specializes in the collection of Korean traditional arts - especially ceramics and metal crafts. In addition, their outdoor

garden often features works by foreign artists: Rodin, Bouredet, Maillol, and Henry Moore have been exhibited here. To the north of Seoul on a 19,830 square-meter site is located the Total Museum. In 1984, Moon Shin-kyu conceived not only a sculpture park but also a place where various performance/ events could be held. The park has played host to jazz and modern dance recitals as well as performances of traditional Korean dance and music. Not far from the Total Museum, the small village of Pyokche hosts a 5,289 square-meter site with approximately 80 pieces on display. To the south, in the port city of Masan, Moon Shin runs a private sculpture park on the hills which overlook the harbor. With a total space of 9,587 square meters the park is noted for its display of larger works which contrast well with the view of the sea below. In the city of Seoul there is a small, but highly visible sculpture park located on "University Street." The pieces displayed in the Marronnier Sculpture Garden get a great deal of exposure. This area in no small way contributes to raising the consiousness of the average Seoulite regarding sculpture. Korea's sculpture parks have

admittedly a short history and little impact on the international art world. Frankly their impact in Korea on the lives of ordinary people has yet to be felt. This does not mean that there is a lack of aesthetic sensibility. Rather, Koreans feel themselves to be a people who by nature live in close contact with and appreciation of the natural world. Therefore it is still considered to be somewhat superfluous to contrive a place, as Âˇis done in the West or in Japan, and artificially arrange greenery and sculptures for "art." Koreans in their hearts still consider nature and lifestyle to be in harmony. Yet the rapid progress of modernization through the last thirty years has destroyed much of what was once_an easily accessible harmony. Art is now something which must be sought out. As the demand has grown for art, especially sculpture, so has the number of artists and their works. With the increasing spiritual need for art and the increase in the output of sculptures, the sculpture parks are slowly coming to play a needed role in the lives of modern Koreans. + The w riter is vice-chief of the Culture Department at the Chosun !Ibo.

Jinro-Soju-Korea's traditional Ii uor Soju was introduced to Korea more than 600 years ago from Mongolia which was also the country that first introduced Islamic culture to Asia . Soju has for centuries been considered a premium quality liquor because of its mild and refined taste.

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Places of interest in Seoul. lnsa-dong Sometimes called a " Street Museum" lnsadong has numerous antique shops. There are also many book stores and galleries concentrated in this area.

Daehak-ro (College street) Daehak-ro in Dongsoong-dong the previous location of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences of Seoul National University, is a cheerful , cultural street , overflowing with youth and the arts.

ltaewon ltaewon is a shopper's paradise. There are over one thousand stores in and around ltaewon and it is one of the best shopping place in Aisa for clothes , leather goods and various industrial products. After shopping hours the nightlife in ltaewon is something to write home about .

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PAK KO-SOK Modernism Illuminated in a Mountain By Ryu Joon-sang

have always thought of Pak Ko-sok as an example of a Korean modernist. I cannot define modernism here, but whenever I saw Pak Ko-sok, or I am confronted with one of his works, the word "modernist" comes to mind. He likes mountains. I heard that he was miserable last year when, due to an injury sustained while mountain climbing, he was confined to his bed. He likes mountains so much that you are more likely to find him in the mountains than in his studio. I've never been to the mountains with him, but I've seen many pictures of him there, standing alone on a rocky summit like Suyuri's Insubong, looking down on the world below, or sharing a bottle of soju (distjlled liquor) with a group of friends. Mountains are the subject of all of Pak's works. One could even go so far as to say that he does nothing more than climb mountains and paint them. At times, it seems one cannot distinguish Pak from the mountain or the mountain from Pak, it seems that the two are one, even while being two; the identification is that strong. Not only does his face look like his name Ko-sok (old stone) but that appellation seems to describe the style of his paintings. The black mushrooms on his dark reddish, mossy canvas feel much like stones. I've seen a picture of him wearing a backpack, high on a mountain summit. It was a really striking image, a man and a rocky crag

forming one silhouette, standing straight against the empty sky. It was while looking at this photo that I began to think of modernism. I guess it would be better to say I thought of a modernism felt through an expression, not a strictly intellectual definition of the word. Like Baudelaire once said, I felt as if smell, light and echos mingled and united with nature in that scene. He was a modernist in my mind most of all because I felt he was a true independent, a loner; a stone floating above another stone.

The Woodcutter and his Ax Pak Ko-sok likes mountains probably because they are an eternal landscape. They were here long before we were born, indeed hunqreds of thousands of years before, and will remain a remote landscape well after we are gone. What I mean by eternal landscape is the reaction, the effect that lies hidden within our subconscious or a kind of harmony. The harmony between man and nature cannot be explained from a dualistic point of view. Once Schmarso, a German aesthetician, tried to explain, in a most combative and antagonistic manner, that the origin of art lay in the confrontation between man and nature. This idea, however, is too simple and crude. The idea of conquering nature falls into this category as well. Man is one thing and what we call nature is another;

how these two things are interrelated is something everyone considers at one time or another. In this case, taking one side or the other is no more than a starting point. Children usually think in this way. For example, "Is it man or is it nature?" Hamlet-style. Nature is not something that exists only objectively nor is it simply a subjective idea. The fallacy in this approach is thinking of only one thing when you should be considering both together. When Pak Ko-sok is at the top of a mountain, resting, releasing all his tension, he is conscious of nature unfolding below him. As the cool breeze sweeps away the mist, a pure spirit, a new energy grows within him. This feeling, this state of mind, is difficult to explain if you have not experienced it. How can I explain? Imagine a simple woodcutter resting after flaying at a stout tree and finally downing it. Wiping the sweat with his headband, he lets out a long breath and, looking around him without really focusing, he becomes aware of the world outside of himself. Imagine the passing breeze carrying the pungent scent of freshly cut wood together with the sweat of his own body. As Baudelaire said, the moment is filled with the intermingling of smell, light and sense. At that moment, the woodcutter feels the sudden welling up of life within him. That life is the outward manifestation of an external spirit or energy which is spontaneous in nature and up.controllable. To be frank, it is what the woodcutter feels

Even advancing years have not daunted Pak Ko-sok's mountain climbing spirit. Tobongsan Mountain, Seoul

in union with his mate. At that point in time, even when he is looking at nothing in particular, his sexual drive is replenished and his potential is brought forth. This is part of our basic human condition, natural and fresh . There are hundreds and thousands of years of difference between this feeling and the sexual desires of an urbanized society. Thus you can see why Schmarso was mistaken: he tried to explain the whole relationship between the tree and woodcutter by concentrating on one process - the woodcutter's ax slicing through the tree. The relationship between the painter in nature with his easel and the woodcutter in nature with his ax is nothing but two sides of one phenomenon.

The Mountain as Eternal Landscape Let us return to Pak Ko-sok. I have said that climbing and painting mountains are both part of his life, but I should add one more thing: resting in the mountains. I do not mean sitting around mindlessly or relaxing in a psychologi ca l sense. Rather it is a feeling of reward, of self-worth. It is said that the people of ancient Ki in China thought that the stars would fall out of the sky at any moment and so were constantly haunted with worry. That is why we use the term ki-u, meaning alarmism or groundless worry, today. This reflects an ancient legacy from a time when the relationship between man and nature was thought to be

non-ex istent or chaotic. Today no one thinks of nature in that way. The stars formed the origin of the ancient story of the Maori and were the guide for those who travelled the Silk fload from East to West as well as the symbol of Chingnyo song. a star in a tradition al Korean story. What is important here is that today's view of the universe is not systemized or humanized by man. It took thousands of millions of yea rs before we could accept nature as a symbolic system. lnng ago, ancient man a lways recorded the images of mountains, fields, valleys, oceans and the sky subconsciously. Today when we look at Mt. Kumgangsan, we see beauty and everyone is enchanted by the autumn leaves in Mt. Soraksan because of this subconscious fee ling. This innate subconsciousness perhaps is a universal feeling shared by all people. That is to say, everyone appreciates the beauty of nature. I like to think that Pak Ko-sok is replenishing his senses, his consciousness, as he sits high on that mountain peak, looking at nature around him. Speaking metaphorically, you could say he is recharging his batteries. Of course batteries are not the driving force of any machine; they provide the shock, the spark, that brings the machine to li fe. Once an engine is running, we forget all about the existence of the batteries, but if the engine dies, we must have the shock from that battery, the electrical source, in order to get the whole thing moving again. If the electrical source runs down, then we need help from another machine using a jumper cable or a push from some friends to get it started. This metaphor is not entirely appropriate, but it does illustrate the revitalizing force of nature. Man's appreciation of nature, like the recharging of a battery, replenishes his subconscious potential. The mountains make part of the deep shadow around Pak bright; they rri.ake the ground fertile.

The World of Western-Style Painting The Second Generation Now let us change metaphors. The young green shoots growing out of the artist's consciousness are a metaphor for Pak's painting. Thus

Pak is representative of the second generation ot Western-style painters in Korea,. He spent his youth in Japan, holding exhibitions in Tokyo and enjoying the romanticism of the time. Like the young Japanese intelligentsia of the period, Pak reacted very sensitively to the changes around him. He came to oppose the realism of twentiethcentury Europe. This still life is representative of his works during the 1950s.

Paekyangsa, 1987. On this page and the next are two of Pak's later works.

Ready at any moment to return to the mountains, Pak's equipment is hung in his studio.

we can use the metaphor of roots bringing fresh nutrients to the green stalks to describe Pak 's .mountain climbing. The cultivation of roots and shoots are a metaphor for Pak's climbing and painting. Pak is representative of the expanding second generation of Western-style painters in Korea. Ko Hui-don, Yi Chong-u and Na Hye-sok were among the first generation who introduced Western painting from Europe. Pak spent his youth in Japan, holding exhibitions in Tokyo and enjoying the romanticism of his youth. Then, all hell broke loose with the Second World War and he turned to criticism. Like young Japanese intelligentsia of the period, Pak reacted very sensitively to the changes around him. He, like the young Japanese artist groups, opposed the realism of twentiethcentury Europe. This is why I consider him to be a real modernist. Although modernism is defined in

various ways, let us define it here as humanization. If we think of humanization as individualism and self-control, we can easily understand why Pak has felt himself becoming smaller and smaller, and finally becoming a tiny pebble in the vast turmoil the whole world has experienced during the last SO years, especially in Japan where modernization has taken place at such a rapid rate. Pak was a loner from the time his predecessors could only accept Western-style painting as an enormous unclassified category that was, in fact, already antiquated in the West. I firmly believe that he was a lonely artist from the very beginning and he was the essence of Korean art in that he wanted to be free from any deductive classification of art and to be able to realize art through individual induction alone. It was in Europe, especially France, that modernism became an object of criticism, and it was

because of the special environment in Japan that the word was used only in a negative sense. What happened during Pak's youth in Japan? Remarkably, the inductive artistic consciousness deep in his heart flourished in that environment. He obviously felt that althought he could distinguish himself, he could not be unique, and thus he turned to mountain climbing. He clearly feels that the art of a romantic can bear fruit only when the artist himself is isolated from society like Baudelaire. He knows that when society accepts the artist as an attractive but useless thing, the artist can concentrate on art for art's sake. This is the cause and effect of his art.

The Living Mountain as an Object Pak's canvas is composed of heavy, thick lines shooting out of the potential of his subconsciousness, with short lines connecting it all. Deductively planned or designed elements cannot be found in his works because Pak;s mountain is not a thought, but a thing. This is the mountain which lives in Pak's heart. As a competent geologist diagnoses subterranean phenomena without breaking the earth's surface, so the mountain existing within Pak's potential spontaneously induces from within us a new world view. + The artist in his studio.

The writer is an art crit ic

Cherry Blossoms at S'sanggyesa, 1987.

PEOPLE

THE EPITOME OF....,KOREAN FOLK DANCE

HAN YONG-SUK DANCES WITH HER SOUL By Lee Kyung-hee

aster dancer Han Yongsuk says, without a bit of hesitation, that dance is her religion. As she says this, the diminutive lady with stately wisps of grey in her hair spills over with pride and her mannerisms with poise. The manner she speaks almost borders arrogance, but far from offending because it is never difficult to tell that this lady has enough reason to assert herself with so much assurance. Mme. Han has five full decades of brilliant career as a widely admired performer of Korean traditional folk dance, which started way back in 1937 with her first solo performance at Puminkwan, the best theater in Seoul at the time and the present annex of Sejong Cultural Center. People made long lines to buy tickets for her debut performace. Many were enraptured by her outstanding talent and beauty. The 15-year-old "Cinderella" was a hot topic not only among dance circles but also m~my artists and writers. Two years later, the late master painter Kim Dn-ho (pen name: Idang) produced his monumental piece, Sungmudo (Buddhist Nun's Dance), undoubtedly inspired by her dancing in a white ritual cowl and gown throwing her long sleeves to the air, a pose considered to be her trademark even today. A poem by Cho Chi-hun, titled Sungmu, followed some time afterwards, drawing even wider and more lasting appreciation. Cho's poem, acclaimed as the epitome of the pathos of Korean aestheticism, describes a beautiful young nun giving herself up to dancing one starlit

night, apparently in an attempt to forget, or to secretly remember her past in the secular world. The poem reads in part: "As if on wings, Her long sleeves flow up against the vast heaven. 0 how her shapely white socks match her movement! Raising her dark eyes, She gazes at a star in the far-off sky. Her fair pea ch blossom cheeks Stained with a tear drop or two. Her suffering shines like a star In the face of worldly cares. Her Arms swaying and turning, Folding and unfolding, Tell of the devout prayer in her heart ..." 'The poet watched me dancing many times before he wrote the piece," Mme. Han once recollected. As to the meaning of the dance, however, she seemed to have an entirely different view. She said she believes the dance is not intended to depict the conflicts in the soul of a nun, but thinks it has its origins in traditional shamanistic rites. "The costume is Buddhist. But it's totally up to the individual viewer to gather whatever he may from my dance," she said. Sungmu, or the Buddhist Nun's Dance, is among her most well received works and has been throughout her long career, along with another solo piece, Salp'uri (Exorcism), also with its roots in shamanism. Both

dances are characterized by a rich variety of tempo ranging from very slow to fast, intended to convey various emotions. The emotions, however, are seldom given direct expressions as it is traditionally considered an important womanly virtue in Korea to restrain one's emotions The movements in both these dances are highly economized to have a subtle and elegant effect. The emotions, whether they be sorrow or joy, or pain, are as much intense as they are restrained. "The essence of Korean dance, I believe, is this subtle and restrained feeling that remains with you long after you've seen it;' Mme. Han says. "And the dancer cannot cause such a feeling in the viewer unless there is intense passion within herself. You must dance with your soul, not your body, to really touch your audience." This may be especially true of her Sungmu and Salp'uri. She is unrivaled in her interpretation and for the former she is designated a "living cultural treasure," the highest honor given to experts in traditional arts. The title accompanies regular government subsidies plus the responsibility of transmitting her artistry to future generations. On the stage, Han overwhelms her audience with immaculate technical perfection as well as unusual emotional tension. Her shoulders rise gently and as she balances on one leg to a lonely flute playing a slow, doleful melody, the toes of her free leg in padded white dancing socks inch upward cautiously, then peek out from beneath her long robe. At the same time, she throws her long, white sleeves to the air as if to summon the spirit from the vast void around, a mysterious climax with religious solemnity. Han explaihed: "Breath control is the first and foremost technique that every dancer has to master. At certain moments in Sungmu, you take a deep breath as if calling in the spirit of the universe, then stop breathing and bend down your knees and chest. These movements must be linked smoothly and naturally. This is a very serious process. How can you think of smiling to the audience at such a moment? It would destroy the whole thing." She is adamant about preserving traditional styles and techniques in dance. She believes that a dancer

Salpuri. The white costume and ethereal white scarf suggest an act of purification.

would come to brim over with his or her own style and creative ideas only when he or she has fully matured and garnered enough self-confidence. Experimenting with new ideas before this stage is, tci this stubborn traditionalist, just like "trying to fill an empty jar with odd stuff, a meaningless waste of efforts catering to fleeting interest." She asserts that only by being faithful to one's own traditions, can an artist truly reach audiences of various cultural backgrounds in this age of sweeping internationalization. "Modernity dwells in your own traditions," she said. As for her own dance, she continued, "I felt I was discovering a sort of center of gravity for my dance after turning forty. After passing fifty, I could feel my movements were maturing. Only in

my sixties, have I began to think my dance is acquiring a philosophy of its own.''

Her "philosophy" is obviously enriching the future of Korean dance through her students. Chong Chaeman, Miss Yi Ae-ju and Pak Chae-hi are all prominent leaders of the younger generation of Korean folk dance. Mme. Han, at 68, still spends most of her time teaching, practicing, and performing occasionally in and outside the country. Looking back on her life, Han says that she cannot avoid feeling that she might have been born to be a dancer. She was born in 1920 at Ch'onan, Ch'ungch'ongnam-do Proyince, of the short-lived marriage of her parents. Her mother left her father three months after their marriage as she

learned he had another wife. She was born at her mother's home and brought up there until the age of five, when she was called back to her father's. But being one of many children her life at the new home was not exactly a happy one. She had to quit school in the third grade, which was the extent of her for ma! education . In the summer of the year she turned 11, she moved again to Seoul to live with her grandfather, the late Hari Song-jun, who was a renowned dancer and musician. The late Han was not only a master dancer but a prominent choreographer and teacher, who played a pivotal role in reviving ancient Korean folk dances from the royal court and banquet halls. He restructured many outstanding folk dances into the performing arts enjoyed today. Many of

the popular piece.s, including Siingmu, Salp'uri, T'aep'yongmu (Dance of Peace}, Hangmu (Crane Dance) and Hallyangmu (Dance of the Gentle Playboy), were recreated in his studio. He was also an excellent drummer who accompanied most of the famous P'ansori (narrative folk song) singers of the time, such as Kim Ch'ang-hwan, Pak Ki-hong, Song Man-gap and Yi Tong-baek. He had learned to dance and play the drum from his maternal grandfather, Paek Sol-ch'ae, who was a distinguished musician and dancer, too. Han Song-jun began teaching his little granddaughter, Yong-suk, the basics of dancing and instrument playing when she was 12, because he had no daughter to carry on the family tradition. She was quick in learning everything and her grandfather considered her physique to be an ideal one for a stage dancer. One by one he taught her every dance from his celebrated repertoire as well as several musical instruments. The training was extremely harsh for a young girl with little understanding of the meaning of all those slow and dreary movements.

She spent the first six months just learning how to move her arms and hands. Following her successful .debut in 1937, she accompanied her grandfather on many tours across Korea and to Manchuria and Japan . She also assisted him with classes at his private institute. It was one of the happiest periods of her life with a future which held nothing but promise. One of the happiest events of these days was her encounter with another leading folk dancer, Mrs. Kang Son-yong. A popular female duo on numerous successful stages, they have maintained an excellent friendship until today as the powerful matriarchs of the Korean traditional dance community. Happy days didn't last long, however. her grandfather passed away of old age in June 1942, and her misery was doubled with the ever worsening flames of the Second World War. The hardships of the war period forced her to join traveling entertainment groups. Finally her loneliness ended with marriage to accordionist Hwang Pyong-nyol in 1944. She spent the first few years after marriage at home as a housewife

in compliance with her husband's wishes. But an "inextinguishable flame" within herself forced her to return to her dance following the end of the Korean War. Mrs. Han has performed on numerous stages on all continents as a cultural emissary of her homeland during her long career. But none has given her greater satisfaction than the Salp'uri she danced at the closing ceremonies of the Seoul Olympic Games on the evening of October 2, 1988. She danced for her largest audience - a capacity crowd at the 70,000-seat Olympic Stadium. Her moment in the spotlight was a fitting finale that came after the Olympic flag was lowered and the Sacred Flame vanished, as the dance is often performed as a prayer for safety and security after major events. "There is no possible way that I can express by feelings about performing before so many people. All that I can say it was one great celebration, a rejoicing as one heart over the success of such a grand festival," she said.+ The writer, a free-lancer, is fo rmer vice- ch ief of the Cu lture Department at the Korea Herald.

Included in her vast repertoire of dances is also T'aep'y6ngmu.

PEOPLE

KANG TONG-SOK A Restrained Romantic Comes of Age in Korea By Kim Won-koo

ogether with his fellow Korean violinists Kim Young-uck and Chung Kyung-wha, Kang Tong-sok has long been known as one of Korea's "Three Musketeer" violinists, reminiscent of the heros in Alexandre Dumas' great novel. Since the sound of the violin is created by a bow, the nickname "The Three Archers" may be more appropriate. Kang Tong-sok is 35-years-old this year, but his name only recently became more widely known on the international music scene. l.at.e last spring when he toured Europe with the Seoul Metropolitan Symphony, Kang received enthusiastic applause and unqualifieid praise as a genius for his flawless performace, particularly of Max Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy" in Bern, Switzerland. Several years ago he was lauded for "his tireless craftsmanship and velvet-like rhythm;' and now he is acclaimed for his perfection, reflecting the great leap he has made both in technique and power of expression. Last September in an invitational performace at the Seoul International Music Festival, Kang joined the London Festival Orchestra to play Mozart's Third Violin Concert( Following the performance, the Seoul Arts Center shook with applause and superlatives much like those which accompanied l<'.ang's triumphs throughout Europe. In his performace of Mozart's Concerto, Kang revealed the classical motif which runs naturally through the work and was uniquely conscious of

the character of classical music which calls not for emotion but rather for the portrayal of the sensual beauty of the music, especially Mozart's unparalleled inspiration and Âˇsense of amusement. A great 19th-century aesthetician and music critic, Hanslisk Eduard once said "In music, it is not emotion, but rather feeling which is necessary." In his interpretation of Mozart's work, Kang has used this very theory. A few days after this performance, Kang was joined in a solo recital at the Sejong Cultural Center by pianist Yi Hye-kyong, a young performer in her thirties recently active on the local music scene. The two collaborated on a variety of works by Brahms, Saint-Saens and others. Kang revealed in this recital his extraordinary technique which rivaled even that of his performance at the Seoul Arts Center only days before. While one cannot be sure of the audience's reactions to his overseas recitals, in his three recitals in Korea since his first in 1983 after 16 years abroad, Kang has thoroughly pleased both his audiences and the specialists, winning the highest praise all around. Kang Tong-sok is consistently excellent in his performance of both classical works which emphasize theory and romantic works such as those of Tchaiskowsky and Bruch which accentuate emotion. Because he is a young man, his emotions are full and he expresses the sentiment of these composers' works perhaps even more emotionally that they origi-

nally intended. When performing such romantic works, hoewever, Kang does not fall into a state of narcissistic self-enchantment by throwing his entire spirit into the piece. In Mozart and other classical works, Kang Tong-sok is controlled and does not go overboard in the expression of emotions; he performs with restraint, placing the emphasis on theory, and even in romantic works which require character and emotion, he is careful to avoid affected exaggeration and ostentation. Thus no matter whose piece he is playing, Kang always perfoms with intelligence and reason. However, whatever his motivations are, when he plays abroad, there are complaints that his expression is so pained, that it resembles a person in agony. Is it to be expected then, that a person who gives us such enjoyment through music should have a look of ecstasy on his face.? If one understands why the great conductor Charles Munch always had an agonized expression whenever he performed, particularly during a beautiful melody, one can grasp why Kang Tong-sok must have such a pained look on his face when he plays a romantic piece. ', If you look closely, however, you will find Kang Tong-sok's charm right here. He has both thrills and suspense. No - everything about him is contained in his twisted expression. Perhaps audiences that demand optimistic music will not find Kang's expression to their liking, but his anguished features in a con-

Kang Tong-s6k in rehearsal for a concert in Switzerland.

tradictory way set off the beauty of the music, heightening its splendor. Thus while I have said he is an eternal Narcissus, we can find a resolute musical will hidden in the scowling face of Kang Tong-sok, the face of a violinist who is doing everything possible to create an even more beautiful visage, that of a handsome Apollo of music. Kang Tong-sok, like the two other members of the "Three Korean Archers;Âˇ Kim Young-uck and Chung Kyung-wha, is small in stature, but when he actually brandishes his bow on the stage, his strong appeal shoots right into our hearts, making him enormous in our eyes. While he is physically small, his musical stature rivals that of the most accomplished in the world. Isn't this what we mean by musical appeal? When he drew his bow during his recent performance with the London Festival Orchestra, just one man in the midst of a crowd of Anglo-Saxon performers, visually Kang seemed like a

small child compared to the tall musicians surrounding him. His music, however, had a supernatural power - one realized once again the mysterious power of the violin. In addition, because the concerto as a musical form is in a way a struggle back and forth between the soloist and the orchestra, Kang seemed much like a lonely warrior as he played with the British orchestra. This experience shows us that music is not easily born, but rather must go through a process of conflict and resolution in order to achieve a musical victory. Kang Tong-sok received the Dong-A Prize at the Dong-A Music Festival when he was just 12-yearsold, and the following year, he went to the United States to study at both Juilliard and Curtis where he worked under the top violin professor, Galamian Ivan. Galamian Ivan was so tough, that his classroom was known as"hell"but Kang Tong-sok was lovingly taught by the infamous

master. Kang by living abroad alone, put himself through exceptionally rigorous training, driven by his resolute will to become a world-class Korean violinist. Kang's talent has been recognized at a number of international competitions where he has received awards, in France and at Canada's Montreal Competition. Since 1976 when he received third place in the Belgian Elizabeth Competition, Kang has become even more active on the international scene. A member of the judging committee at the Elizabeth Competition when Kang performed was the world's best violinist Menuhin. Menuhin voted for Kang Tong-sok to be the grand prize winner, but because of peculiar political considerations, Kang received third place instead. Kang was head and shoulders above the violinist who received the grand prize, however, especially in the eyes of Menuhin. When he first returned to Korea,

Kang was greeted with many a standing ovation and thunderous applause never before witnessed at a concert in Korea. Tears flowed from the eyes of some women in the audience. The beauty of his violin music, reverberated like an ardent lover's heart. As he entered the stage his expression was quiet almost secretive, but as he delves into the music, his is an expression of ecstasy which cannot be imitated by even the most seasoned actor. Sometimes sweet, sometimes romantic, sometimes solemn, sometimes serious, these are all the graceful expressions of a seasoned musician who can respond at will to the unique character of each work. Kang is much like the Italian pianist-composer of the early 20th century Busoni or the figures in the religious painting of the Nazereth School; he exudes unbounded feeling to the audience and is said to be particularly popular with female listeners. When compared to Busoni, Kang's is a mystical face, not a religious one. Perhaps this is his appeal to the ladies! Because Kang's burning intrinsic romantic feeling comes not from his lips but rather is the transformation of his profound rapport with the very spirit of the composers themselves, I have often felt that music is indeed Eros. Eros, the god of love in Greek mythology, had two types of arrows; those of lead could make a m an and woman hate each other, while an .arrow made of gold could make the same man and woman fall in love. In this way, Kang Tong-sok transforms his love into beautiful music and penetrates the hearts of his listeners. His violin bow is more accurate than the bows of William Tell or Robin Hood, and stronger than Hercules'. Indeed, he has the supernatural ability to send his musical arrows even further than a guided missile. His arrows can fly to the Soviet Union, to Africa, to the North Pole or the South. He has made several records, but his real spirit flows in concert. He is known as a nearly flawless performer proving just how peentrating his musical spirit really is. +

Switzerland. In concert with Korean conductor ChcSng Jae-dong.

The w riter is a music critic.

chairman of the CIOFF in 1984. This year's festival involved some 400 Korean and foreign dancers with groups from countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia and Poland. In fact, the presence of groups from Poland and Hungary was a special bonus in Seoul this year as East European performers have not come to Korea until now. But performers from Latin America and Africa were equally fascinating to their Korean audiences as were a group of Maoris from New Zealand. Both CIOFF and the ICSK can be proud of their role in assisting the expanding consciousness of the diversity of world culture. With the Olympic Games this year and the constant development of trade, cultural, diplomatic and sporting links that Korea has been developing all over the world for the last few decades, the Korean people's interest in other cultures and their own traditional culture has grown at an incredible speed. Folk culture is distinguished from classical culture in the fact that it comes directly from the lives and celebrations of the ordinary people; it reflects their joys and struggles and attempts to make a meaning out of life centered on its focal points of birth, maturity, mating and death. In all societies the celebrations of life become ritualized and eventually take on the character of becoming art forms in themselves and thus form the basis of the cultural heritage of mankind. Festivals and celebrations naturally follow from this cycle and even such an event as the Seoul Olympic Arts Festival comes within this category. With travel, mass communications and the increasing interdependence of all

the peoples on earth, one should quickly learn to appreciate foreign cultures on a global scale. To this end it was fitting that the different groups of folk artists participated in the celebrations in nine different provincial cities to greet the Olympic torch as it made its final journey to Seoul. If a festival is a periodiccelebration with connotations of entertainment, drama and merrymaking, then this year's International Folklore Festival fulfilled this purpose completely. With the international entries broken up into these three groups of four countries each, the Korean folk groups concentrated on presenting a fine selection of Korean folk dances and music including 'Nongak' (farmers' band music and dance), 'Talch'um' (mask dance/drama), and representative Korean folk songs. Group A featured Japan, New Zealand, Italy and Saudi Arabia, Group B included Indonesia, Peru, France and Hungary and in Group C were Turkey, Senegal, the United States and Poland. The itinerary sent Group A to Wonju, Suwon and Taejon, while Group B performed in Kwangju, Chonju and Inch' on, and Group C went to Pusan, Taegu and Uijongbu. On the eve of the Seoul Olympics, all the groups assembled in Seoul for an international folk extravaganza with hundreds of Korean artists as part of a wide variety of gala shows held on Yoido Plaza. This occasion was sponsored by the Seoul City government. This tight schedule then culminated with

Farmers' Dance from lri (Korea) (center) Bringham Young University's American Folk Dance Ensemble (USA) (bottom left) Asuka Hoo (Japan) (bottom right) Asi Es Mi Peru (above)

the opening ceremonies for the Games themselves. A rendition of Folk dances from Brittany in France called l.Dus Pastous was one of the most prominent groups at this year's International Folk Festival as it was at the 1984 festival. The company, Les Echassiers de Seignosse, pays homage to the traditions of their native region in terms of music, costumes and dance and their efforts to present this art form over the last 15 years has resulted in a highly distinctive and skillful presentation. All the male members of the troupe perform on stilts presenting a truly unique repertoire of folk dances originally performed by Breton shepherds. The dancing, the music, the costumes and the sheer joy in their performances impressed all who watched them perform. Quite a different brand of performance was rendered by Waka Huia, the Maori folk group from New Zealand. Their renditions added a profound and solemn note to the festivities. The colour of their clothes and the markings on their faces as well as the rhythm and movement of their music and dances provided the Korean audience with a rare glimpse into Polynesian culture and into the diversity of New Zealand's traditions. The group was set up originally as an immediate family concern aimed at preserving the traditions of their homeplace which they had left behind. Their cultural heritage for long was in danger of being lost in the 20th century world of modern New Zealand. Contributions from the AsiaPacific rim were further completed with the Peruvian entry Asi Es Mi Peru. This company of some thirty dancers and musicians presented a selection of typical Peruvian folk dances and musicThis represents the first time such a large cultural contingent has come to Korea from that country. The dancers were distinguished by their colourful costumes made of alpaca wool and both the music and dance reflects their country's mixed Spanish and Inca heritage. In addition, the Peruvian Embassy in Seoul held a Peruvian Night- on September 15 at the Seoul Club on Mt.Namsan to

celebrate the company's performances in Korea. A group with a medieval European flavor was the Trumpeters, Drummers and Flagwavers of Cori in Italy. Their presence truly underscored the pagentry of the festival. Their costumes and their performances came directly from of the highly developed festive traditions of their homeland and while their European motif seemed exotic in the extremely Oriental setting of Korea, the sense of celebration accomodated all the various traditions from near and far. From Eastern Europe, the Hungarian ensemble Erke] Ferenc and the Polish Folk Dance Ensemble of Maria CurieSklodowska University provided a

glimpse into the rich cultural traditions of Central Europe. Both of these groups have made many tours abroad and their dances are deeply rooted in the history and traditions of their countries. The Polish ensemble was founded in 1953 to foster a sense of music and dance among college students. Outside Korea, East Asia was represented by Japan and Indonesia. Japan was represented by the Asuka Hoo dance company which was established in 1966 as part of the Japan Dance Academy. Diligent research into the customs and dances of Japan's past has resulted in the recreation of many beautiful Japanese folk dances by this company, five of which they presented at

(clockwise from upper righf) Asi Es Mi Peru, Sbandieratori dei Rioni di Cori (Italy), National Dance Company of Senegal, the Folk Dance Ensemble of Maria CurieSklodowska University (Poland), fhe National Folk Group of Saudi Arabia, Waka Huia (New Zealand).

the '88 Seoul International Folklore Festival. The group is very popular in Japan and their many foreign appearances have gained them quite a reputation on the international scene. The Indonesian contribution by the Bagong Kussudiardja Cultural Center, established in March 1958, for the purpose of developing Indonesian culture. Their repertoire of dances is very wide and colorful and reflects Indonesia's varied cultural and religious influences. The founder of the centre, Bagong Kussudiardja, is an outstanding choreographer and batik painter whose creations are powerfully evocative pieces that capture the spirit of his people. Another Asian

country represented was Turkey. Eight dances from different regions in Turkey were presented by the Kartal Belediyesi Folklore Association, a group of 50 amateur dancers founded in 1986. The association chooses and trains a different group of talented young people each year in order to teach and conserve the folk dances of Turkey. The National Folk Group of Saudi Arabia performed seven folk dances all directly rooted in the traditions of that vast country. In accordance with their custom, all the dancers are male and their traditional Arab costumes as well as their daggers and guns marked them out from the other performances. Africa was represented by the National Dance

Company of Senegal which was founded nearly 30 years ago when Senegal was established. Their dances and music pulsated with the rhythms and music of the Senegalese people and all the themes they present are drawn from their wealth of life experience. This common bond of man trying to express the meaning of life ran through all the presentations at the festival and gave a thread of unity in the diversity of all the presentations. Bringham Young University's Folk Dance Ensemble continued its tradition of representing the United States at international folk festivals with a series of dances drawn from that country's folk dance tradition. Their three suites traced America's cultural roots to its settlers from Europe, its native peoples and the black African slaves. However the mix in American folk culture was not static and was influenced by the movement westward to settle that great land. Bringham Young's repertoire includes pieces that derive from the dances and music of the cowboys and the pioneer settlers. This blend of traditions from around the world was particularly appropriate at the time of the Olym- Âˇ pies and contributed to the mood of harmony and mutual understanding which swept Korea at that time. The folklore festival, as with the more elaborate Olympic Arts Festival, was a resounding success. While another international folklore festival is not planned to be held in Korea in the near future, the world can look forward to Korean groups bringing their distinctive contributions to many international festivals and events over the coming years. +

SPOTLIGHT

By Paul Mooney

ednesday 28 and Thursday 29 September saw the performance of a quite remarkable presentation at the Main Hall of the National Theater in Seoul. This was not some major international troupe or qrchestra come to perform as part of the Seoul Olympic Arts Festival but a purely Korean production, drawn from a Korean theme and presenting us with a program of music and dance that showed great promise for the. potential of Korean dance and Korean .performing arts in general. The title of this production was White Blood and the performance was given by the National Dance Company with music by the Chung-ang Traditional Orchestra and various different musical resources including two Buddhist choirs and notable vocalists. The piece was further set off by excellent costumes and sets with stage and lighting effects to match; leaving the viewer with the impression that as in sports and industry, Korean hard work and determination is producing great results. The story of White Blood revolves

around the coming of Buddhism into Korea and its struggles with the indigenous shamanistic beliefs. The setting is the Shilla court at the time of King Pophung (514-540) and the story deals directly with the martyrdom of the noble Yi Ch'a-don, whose death was instrumental in bringing about the official recogni, tion of Buddhism near the end of Âˇ Pophung's reign, around the year 535. Even though Buddhism had been propagated among the populace for about a hundred years, it was only its royal acceptance that assured its eventual place as the national religion in the Shilla Kingdom. This acceptance of Buddhism was to lead to the flowering of a high culture. It was permeated with Buddhist concepts expressed in all its different aspects, not only in religion but in art, music and architecture as well. The dance drama is divided into two acts and presents the theme of confrontation throughout the whole movement of the piece until the end when the whole nation accepts the teachings of the Buddha after the death of Yi Ch'a-don. Before this

final moment of harmony is realized we see this mood of confrontation expressed in the relationships between different characters and in the inner lives of the characters themselves. The drama opens with a scene depicting the }oyful celebration of the autumn full-moon harvest festival. Much of the background of the whole drama is presented here; we have shamanistic rites of celebration and we are also introduced to the two main.female characters Princess P'yongyang, the daughter of King Pophung, and Dal-aki, a court lady and lover of Yi Ch'a-don. Then the two main male figures come onto the stage, Yi Ch'a-don and his friend Koch'ilmaro who secretly desires Princess P'yongyang. With all the main characters introduced to the audience, the stage is set for the first major turn of events. Yi Ch'a-don and his fri end Koch'ilmaro take part in an archery competition as part of the festivities for this occasion. Yi Ch'a-don wins the competition and King Pophung, who has presided over the competition with his wife and daughter beside him, offers his daughter's hand in marriage to the winner. Yi is confused by such an offer but as a man of integrity he cannot accept and declares his love for the lady Dal-aki and his intention to marry her. The entangled and conflicting relationships of the main protagonists are then portrayed in dance with Princess P'yongyang expressing feelings of both love and hatred to Yi Cha-don. Koch'ilmaro expresses his love for the distraught princess but is rebuffed and Yi Ch'a-don and Dalaki furiously dance their doomed love for each other. Coming to the end of the first act, the king then appears and orders the expulsion of Yi Ch'a-don who meets with the great monk Mubong and becomes a devout Buddhist. This movement of festivity, contest, dissent a.n d confrontation culminating in expulsion marks the first act. Each of the scenes was acted with great movement and finesse on the part of the dancers and the music accompanied the movement of the dance and the drama perfectly. This set the scene for the opening of the second act where we are confronted with a particularly striking scene

depicting the loneliness, distress and disillusionment of Yi Ch'a-don after his expulsion and hav ing received a threat to his life. However, Koch'ilmaro had started a campaign against Buddhism and a confrontation between the two former friends and rivals was inevitable. But before the drama reaches its climax, our hero has yet to free himself from the ghosts of his former life which still haunt him and deprive him of the courage and detachment he needs to wage the upcoming fight . It is only when he beats the Buddhist drum with a bamboo stick that the ev il images disappear and our hero atta ins enlightenment. In this state of complete freedom from any physical or mental attachments that may entrap him, Yi Ch'a-don is equipped for the task that lays ahead of him. When he returns to the land of Shilla and enters into the royal court, the King orders his execution and as a final blow orders Koch'ilmaro to kill him. With only a little reluctance, Koch'ilmaro accepts the task that has been given him. But when the prisoner's head is severed from his body, his blood is a blinding white, the color of the blood of a martyr who has truly attained enlightenment. With the death of the martyr and the realization of the superiority of his faith, the crowd begins to pay homage to the deceased exile. Ultimately, even the king joins in this movement and all who were formerly protagonists in the struggle between Buddhism and shamanism are now depicted as unified in humility. The last scene of this dance drama confronts us with the picture of a nation come together in a state of harmony, benevolence and worship of the Buddha. The universal religious truth that the blood of martyrs is the most effective means of propagation of a religiori is again confirmed. Yi Cha-don may have died but his integrity, his courage and his faith insured that the Shilla Kingdom which was to be the last to accept Buddhism in Korea would become its strongest defender. In some ways 1 found this dance drama similar to the play "A Man For All Seasons;' the tale of the English Catholic martyr Thomas More. Both were nobles, men of

integrity and men of faith who ultimately faced the prevailing currents of their day and were condemned to death . But the medium of a dance drama is vastly different from that of a conventional play. Dance, music and movement take the place of fine speeches and the interplay of words; the choreographer of this production and dance master of the National Dance Company Mr. Kuk Su-ho has a lot to be proud of in the way that his dancers performed their roles, communicating as effectively as if they had been speaking the most deftly constructed prose. Great praise is also due to the orchestra and its conductor Park Bom-hun whose music, which he specially composed for this piece, showed the

On beating the Buddhist drum with a bamboo stick, Yi Ch'a-don attains enlightenment and the ghosts of his former life which had haunted him and entrapped him in fear were finally banished forever.

possibilities for modern Korean music that reaches back into its traditional roots to express the rhythm of the Korean soul. There were, of course, some flaws in this piece, it is very obviously a partisan work and does not try to hide its one-sided assessment of the Buddhist faith, particularly at the finale. Also, the first act was a bit drawn out and while each scene was a quite good in itself, the sum total of all the scenes was a little overbearing. But these are only minor . complaints and seen through the perspective of a non-Korean. This should not detract from the essential strength of the work and the excellence of its production. It was very refreshing to view a piece of Korean

The dance scene between Yi Ch'a-don and Princess P'yiingyang alternated between affection and rejection.

dance that was thoroughly contemporary and Korean in all aspects from story and music through sets and costumes. It was also pleasant to see a historical piece that was not drawn from the Chason Period (1392-1910) but reached back into other periods of Korea's long and varied past. This production truly deserved its place along with the big name international contributions to the Seoul International Dance Festival and the wider Seoul Olympic Arts Festival. Kuk Su-ho and Sohn Byung-wu who alternated in the role of the martyr Yi Ch'a-don both gave memorable performances as did all the other main players. Both Yi Mi-mi and Ch'oi Jong-im gave powerful performances as the Princess P'yongyang whose mixture of love and hurt demanded special talents from the performers. Beside the dancing, the music of the two choirs, the Bulkwang-sa Temple Choir and the Dongguk University Choir, added a surprising depth to the performances as did the haunting sutra chant rendered by Rev. Sang-hoon of Sanggyesa Temple and vocals by Kim Kyungsuk of the National Ch'angguk Company. Hopefully, White Blood will be only the first in a series of such productions that seek to express the meaning of the Korean experience through the professional and rigorous use of the performing arts. Such productions in dance, drama and even in cinema would allow for the full expression of the obvious talent that exists in Korea today. White Blood in itself rates as a very rewarding production, but in its role as a pointer to future possibilities it could rate as a stepping stone to a whole new future in Korean artistic expression. +

The writer is an free-lancer based in Seoul.

National Foundation Day Festival in Mt. Songnisan "The Old Record notes that in olden times Hwanin's stepson, Hwanung, wished to descend from heaven and live in the world of man." Guessing his son's desire, Hwanin surveyed the three highest mountains and found Mt. T'aebaek the most suitable place for his son to settle to help mankind. Therefore he gave Hwanung three heavenly seals and allowed him to rule over the people. Hwanung descended with three thousand followers to a spot under a sandalwood tree atop Mt. T'aebaek, and he called this place 't he City of God. He was the Heavenly King Hwanung, leading the Earl of Wind, the Master of Rain, and the Master of Clouds, he took charge of some three hundred and sixty areas of responsibility, including agriculture, allotted lifespans, illness, punishment, and good and evil, and he brought culture to his people. At that time a bear and a tiger who were living in the same cave prayed to Hwanung to transform them into human beings. The king gave them a bundle of sacred mugwort and twenty cloves of garlic and said, "If you eat these and shun the sunlight for one hundred days, you will assume human forms." Both anima\s ate the herbs and avoided the sur{. After twenty-one days the bear became a woman, but the tiger, unable to observe the taboo, remained a tiger. Unable to find a husband, the bear-woman prayed under the sandalwood tree for a child. "Hwanung metamorphosed 80

Every year the Songnisan Folk Art Seminars held on National Foundation Day attract friends of Korean culture from home and abroad.

himself, lay with her, and begot a son called Tangun Wanggom." Tangun, the legendary founder of Korea, the land of Bright Morning, was the son of a heavenly god and she-bear. He is said to have ascended the throne in 2333 B.C., and the modern Korean calender begins from that year. For the last four years on October 3 a diverse group of Koreans and foreigners from every occupation and outlook have met at Mt. Songnisan. Their purpose in gathering is to celebrate National Foundation Day or Tangun's ascension. The choice of location is of special significance. Long ago Mt. Songni-

san was known as Kubongsan, the mountain with nine peaks. But the name Songni means "to leave the early world" and the highly spiritual feeling conveyed in such a name is appropriate to the nature of the gathering held there. Dr. Zo Zayong, an architect with a Ph.D. from Harvard University, is the host and driving force behind the ceremonies, seminars and cultural events held here. He is the director of the Emilie Museum which houses a private collection of folk paintings and other important examples of Korean folk art. Dr. Zo has also taken his expertise in architecture and recreated a number of traditional style Korean homes and shrines in the local area. In inviting those with an interest in the roots of Korean culture to his newest shrine Dr. Zo asks without prejudice that every person reflect on the meaning of Korea's foundation myths. Because there is a fundamental relationship between music, dance and the fine arts people must come prepared to play, eat, drink and be merry, also. This year approximately 1,000 people attended the celebration. The participants spent two days and three days eating sleeping, and talking together. Being an Olympic year, foreign reporters visiting Korea observed and participated in Korea's local customs, danced and sampled some authentic Korean dishes. Everyone who attended came away with a fresh understanding of Korea's essence.

ART NEWS

The 16th Pan Music Festival Panoramic. This year's 16th Pan Music Festival (October 14-21, 1988) increased not only in scope but in philosophy - as well as offering Seoulites the chance to hear superb contemporary music. While once the Goethe-Institute had a virtual monopoly as mainstay of the festival, this year for the first time the French Cultural Center, the British Council, the Seoul Arts Center, the International Cultural Society of Korea and the International Society of Contemporary Music Korea joined forces with artistic director Kang Suk-hi. The basic tenet of the festival has always been to present the widest selection of contemporary music and forums for discussion and workshops. This year included in addition audio visual exhibitions, poetry and music compositions and "meet the composer" sessions. Those with an interest in the current state and possibilities of contemporary music were faced with an ample selection from which to choose. The festival was divided into several mini-festivals which at times ran con currently with the other programmed events and at times were operated independently. One was the "Word and Voice" portion. This included an Audio Visual Exhibition (slides, videos, films and tapes) held at the Goethe Institute from October 14-18, the Trio EXVOCO Freiburg (EXpanded VOice Company) with Hanna Aurbacher (mezzosopran), Theophil Maier (tenor), Dieter Mack (elektronik), and Ewald Liska (bass, arrangement, direktion) performing "Poetry-Music-Dada" on October 16th and "Sound Racket FuturaPieces" on October 17th and Arnold Schonberg in concert with Pierrot Lunaire Helrun Gardow and the KBS-Ensemble. The next portion of the festival concentrated on the works of Greek composer Iannis Xenakis. Held at the Kunst Disco (a multi media event structure constructed for the Olympic Arts Festival) in Yoido's Ankara Square. October 18th's opening included exhibition scores, films,

videos, and the introduction of I..;UIP Psappha by Xenakis for Percussion. The next afternoon the composer met with interested students and discussed his music. On October 20th more compositions by Xenakis, "Syrmos" for 18 string players were performed with Claude Heiffer on piano. Finally, this year's organizers were interested as always in the place and prospects of contemporary music in the world. In the "International Presentations" portion, workshop concerts for young Korean composers, an Intermedia Concert with Swedish and Korean composers, a concert with compositions by Tessier, Chin, Paik and others featuring Helen Jahren on oboe and flute were held. A concert with flute and piano by Masunaga Hiroaki, The Arditti Quartet, the work of Siegfried Palm (Cello) and Zygmunt Krauze (Piano) with compositions by Scelsi, Niekrug, Krauze, Ligeti, and Kagel and an Orchestra Concert composed by Chang, Yi, Jeney, Krauze and others rounded out the program at the Seoul Arts Center's

Main Hall Although the festival has at times suffered from a lack of interest on the part of music lovers, organizers insist that the festival has played on important part in introducing the latest trends in modern Western music as well as new works by living Korean composers.

Tilting the Jar, Spilling the Moon

lation. The faithful and yet poetic rendition of the Korean original gives readers of English a chance to appreciate something of the charm of Korean verse so often lost in lesser translations. The book which was both edited and translated by Dr. O'Rourke is published by the Universal Publishing Company in Seoul and cannot be too highly recommended to readers who want to savor something of the richness of Korea's poetic tradition of lyricism and awareness of the transcendent. O'Rourke, who is also an avid reader of contemporary Korean fiction, has translated the prize winning ~hort novel Our Twisted Hero by Yi Mun-yol. This simple story can be read on many different levels and will not only entertain the foreign reader but gives good insight into the formative experiences of the Korean school system which does so much to mould the Korean character.

The title of this book of Korean poems translated by Prof. Kevin O'Rourke of Kyunghee University is derived from a poem by Yi Kyu-Bo (1168-1241), a Koryo period poet featured in this anthology of six Korean poets with a selection of anonymous sijo poems. While Yi Kyu-bo is noted for his hansi poems written in Chinese characters, three of the other poets featured in this anthology, Chong Ch'ol, Yun Son-do and Kim Su-jang are masters of the sijo art. O'Rourke's choice of So Chong-ju as a distinctive representative of contemporary Korean poetry, seems to be influenced both by the poet's undoubted stature and the influence of classical styles and motifs in his poetry. This translation is excellent and reflects Prof. O'Rourkes great experience in the field of Korean literature and Korea~-English trans-

Exhibition of Metal Ornaments Craft Park, Korea's first special gallery of metal craft, held an exhibition of metal ornaments by twelve Korean artists working in that medium from October 18 to November 18. The exhibition, to commemorate the opening of the new gallery showed the high level of sophistication and skill that has already been attained in this art form in Korea. Particularly interesting was the design and combination of materials in the pieces on display which were thoroughly contemporary in their conception as well as being very attractive artworks in themselv~s.

ART NEWS

Exhibition of Chinese Farmers Paintings An exhibition of Chi~ese farmers' paintings are on exhibit in the Gana Gallery in Seoul from December 2 through 10. Forty works are on display marking a rare opportunity for Korean art lovers to view pieces from mainland China, now so familiar in the West. The pieces on display are distinctive in that they are all by farmers who paint as a hobby and not by professional artists. Their works realistically depict their ordinary lives without abstraction or romanticism. However, there is no denying the distinctly Chinese quality to these works. Most of the painters are from the Fushan Province in China where over 1,000 amature painters are engaged in this type of painting.+

"Dancers: Now and Here'' On November Âˇ14, a three-day performance by seven Korean dancers in their thirties began at the Changmu Dance Theater in Seoul. The seven different dancers displayed a wide variety in their styles and genres, but they all feel united in their commitment to regional balance in Korean dance and to this end they plan to take their performances outside Seoul to regional cities as well. Also, all these dancers are dedicated to make their art form meaningful for their audiences and so many of their works revolve around different aspects of the human condition including man's consciousness, thought patterns and emotions. On the first day, Lee Hyesoon presented "Thunder," portraying the harmony of the iim and yang. On the same day, Chong Sook-kyong staged a piece-entitled "White Moon." The second day featured pieces by dancers Paek Hyon-soon, Kim So-ra and Han Sang-gun. While on the third day Choi Teresa and Lee Ji-young performed their respective works, "A Play for Three" and "Passion." Only one of the members of the group, Han Sang-gun, is a male, he is principal dancer of the

Mr. Kim Seong-jin (center), president of the International Cultural Society of Korea and other dignitaries participate in the tape cutting ceremony to open the exhibition of modern Chinese painting and calligraphy at the Seoul Municipal Art Museum. The exhibition held from November 11 to 24 , presented works by fifty Chinese artists and was sponsored by the International Cultural Society of Korea in cooperation with the Chinese Painting Research Foundation and the Beijing Chinese Painting Research Association.

Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company. Four of the other members teach at universities or colleges in or out of Seoul.+

The Universal Ballet Performs the Nutcracker for Christmas During the Christmas period from December 16 to 28, the Universal Ballet will present a total of 20 performances of Tchaikovski's Nutcracker in Seoul at the Little Angels

Performing Arts Center. Altogether 60 dancers from the Universal Ballet are included in the cast along with Ross Stretton, premier dancer with the American Ballet. Choreography is by Adrienne Dallas and Roy Tobias is art director for this production which demands special attention in its sets and visual effects. The ballet is in two acts with three scenes and its wonderful music combined with the flamboyant dancing and colorful sets all transpire to take the viewers into the fantasy world depicted on the stage. The ballet is sponsored by the Korean Cultural Foundation,lnc. +

LJ\..AJ\Jr'lU ,

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