Jeokbyeokga
Encyclopedia
Jeokbyeokga is one of the five surviving stories of the Korean pansori
storytelling tradition. The other stories are Simcheongga
, Heungbuga
, Chunhyangga
and Sugungga
.
This story is a retelling of the Chinese historical legend of the Battle of Red Cliffs
.
Jeokbyeokga is a heroic story. Therefore the expressions are grand, sublime, and strong. Accordingly, female singers rarely sing the Jeokbyeokga. Jeokbyeokga has many scenes depicting conflict between the king, feudal lords and a commander, so the singer must have the capability of making grand vocalizations. A singer with an intense voice is aptly suited for Jeokbyeokga. Jeokbyeokga is considered to be the most difficult pansori, even though it is short.
The basic plot of Jeokbyeokga is from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms
. The Jeokbyeokga starts from the part of the story when characters Liu Pei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei take an oath by blood to become brothers at Dowon. The last part is Liu Pei and Guan Yu's episode of Red Cliff
.
The highlights of Jeokbyeokga include 'the Sorrow of the Military,' 'Fire of Red Cliff,' 'Bird Song,' and 'Jangseung Song' which don't exist in the original version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Those come from deoneum
which have been slowly made over a long period of time by the singers of pansori.
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the military is only used to redound the glory of main admiral character and hero; however, in Jeokbyeokga, the military part stands out. They are leading characters in Jeokbyeokga. Especially the version of Sin-jaehyo's Jeokbyeokga made this part more prominent.
Pansori
is a performance in which a soloist leads a long story. In order to keep audience's interest, the singer should make proper humorous expressions. The humorous aspects of military are found in Jeokbyeokga, which are not shown in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Jeokbyeokga altered the consistent grand and sublime atmosphere, adding the humorous expressions.
Pansori
Pansori is a genre of Korean traditional music. It is a vocal and percussional music performed by one sorikkun and one gosu . The term pansori is derived from pan , and sori .- Overview :...
storytelling tradition. The other stories are Simcheongga
Simcheongga
Simcheongga is one of the five surviving stories of the Korean pansori storytelling tradition. The other stories are Chunhyangga, Heungbuga, Jeokbyeokga, and Sugungga.History=...
, Heungbuga
Heungbuga
Heungbuga is one of the five surviving stories of the Korean pansori storytelling tradition. It is also called Baktaryeong . The other stories are Simcheongga, Chunhyangga, Jeokbyeokga and Sugungga. It is about a story of Heungbu who was a poor but good man with many children.Heungbuga depicted...
, Chunhyangga
Chunhyangga
The Chunhyangga is the most famous Pansori in Korea. The Chunhyangga has delighted all Korean for a century. The Chunhyangga is the best Pansori as musically, literary, and a well-made play....
and Sugungga
Sugungga
Sugungga is one of the five surviving stories of the Korean pansori storytelling tradition. The other stories are Simcheongga, Heungbuga, Jeokbyeokga, and Chunhyangga....
.
This story is a retelling of the Chinese historical legend of the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
.
Jeokbyeokga is a heroic story. Therefore the expressions are grand, sublime, and strong. Accordingly, female singers rarely sing the Jeokbyeokga. Jeokbyeokga has many scenes depicting conflict between the king, feudal lords and a commander, so the singer must have the capability of making grand vocalizations. A singer with an intense voice is aptly suited for Jeokbyeokga. Jeokbyeokga is considered to be the most difficult pansori, even though it is short.
Plot
The Jeokbyeokga showcases the creativity of the master singers of pansoris.The basic plot of Jeokbyeokga is from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
. The Jeokbyeokga starts from the part of the story when characters Liu Pei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei take an oath by blood to become brothers at Dowon. The last part is Liu Pei and Guan Yu's episode of Red Cliff
Red Cliff
Red Cliff or Red Cliffs may refer to:* Battle of Red Cliffs , battle at the end of the Han Dynasty in China* Open Hall-Red Cliffe, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
.
The highlights of Jeokbyeokga include 'the Sorrow of the Military,' 'Fire of Red Cliff,' 'Bird Song,' and 'Jangseung Song' which don't exist in the original version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Those come from deoneum
Deoneum
Deoneum is a new, revised section of a pansori song, made by a master pansori singer.Following years of training, master singers sometimes change or add new parts to a pansori song, inputting aspects of their own individuality...
which have been slowly made over a long period of time by the singers of pansori.
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the military is only used to redound the glory of main admiral character and hero; however, in Jeokbyeokga, the military part stands out. They are leading characters in Jeokbyeokga. Especially the version of Sin-jaehyo's Jeokbyeokga made this part more prominent.
Pansori
Pansori
Pansori is a genre of Korean traditional music. It is a vocal and percussional music performed by one sorikkun and one gosu . The term pansori is derived from pan , and sori .- Overview :...
is a performance in which a soloist leads a long story. In order to keep audience's interest, the singer should make proper humorous expressions. The humorous aspects of military are found in Jeokbyeokga, which are not shown in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Jeokbyeokga altered the consistent grand and sublime atmosphere, adding the humorous expressions.