Namsadang
Encyclopedia
The namsadang is a Korea
n itinerant troupe which consists of male performers who present various performing arts
such as acrobatics, singing
, dancing and playing like a circus
.
It is said that namsadang was spontaneously formed before 1900 during the Joseon Dynasty
and used to wander about marketplaces and villages. The troupe was considered the lowest class in society along with cheonmin
(vulgar commoners) or baekjeong
(butchers), so that very few historical documents remain on them. However, since a record that a puppet show
was performed during the Silla period (57 BCE – 935 CE) has been found, it is assumed that similar types of itinerant companies appeared in Korean history a long time ago.
During the late Joseon Dynasty, there were several namsadang, but the one whose base was set in Cheongryongsa temple (청룡사) in Anseong
, Gyeonggi Province was the most famous. They became called namsadang because the troupe were composed of only men and "nam" (남) means a male in Korean
. Later, a few female members were accepted to join in the group though.
The six performances which the troupe performs are collectively called Namsadang nori (남사당놀이), literally meaning nori (놀이) performed by namsadng. Nori refers to play, game or performance in Korean. The namsadang nori includes pungmul nori (풍물, Korean spinning hat dance), beona nori (버나놀이, spinning hoop
s and dishes), salpan (살판, tumbling), eoreum (어름, tightrope dancing), deotboegi (덧뵈기, mask dance
drama), and deolmi (덜미, puppet play
). All six nori are associated with each other and integrate various activities such as music, feat
, acrobatics
, stunt
, play, dance, and mask dance. Originally there were ten performances on Namsadang-nori but only six have been brought down until now.
On December 7, 1964, the South Korean government designated deolmi (puppet play) as the third Important Intangible Cultural Property. Later, on August 1, 1988, all six performances of Namsadang nori were included as Important Intangible Cultural Properties as well.
The troupe was well-organized and strictly disciplined by rules. Because entertainers like singers or actors were often despised in that age, the troupe recruited its members among the orphans, poor farmers` children and sometimes even through kidnapping. They were not well-paid. Very often they were offered only meals and beds and a small amount of money. They had tough lives.
The troupe may have functioned as a homosexual community, with each member taking the role of Sutdongmo, "butch", or Yodongmo, "queen".
Pungmul nori (풍물놀이) is the first performance of namsadang nori, combined with music, dance, sangmo nori (상모놀이, spinning streamer hat performance) and various other activities. Pungmul instruments comprise four percussion instrument
s such as jing
(gong
), kkwaenggwari
(another kind of gong), buk
(drum), janggu
(double-headed drum) and several sogo
(tabors
) and nallari/Taepyeongso
(double-reed), which make unique melodies and rhythms. The music played by the four instruments of pungmul (i.e. jing, kkwaenggwari, buk, janggu) is called samul nori
(four piece playing).
, or a sieve frame. Performers spin and toss the beona into the air by using a tobacco
pipe or a long wooden stick while exchanging witty talks with a clown called maehossi (매호씨) or sorikkun (소리꾼).
Eoreum (어름) or jultagi (줄타기) is tightrope dancing. It is called "eoreum" because the nori is as hard and cautious as walking on thin ice (eoreum means "thin ice" in Korean). The performer or eoreum-sani dances, sings songs, and does aerial stunts on the rope which is tightly fastened 3 meters off the ground. The performer also exchanges witty talks with a maehossi on the ground and all his performance is accompanied with special rhythm made by a drum.
or the noble class of Joseon Dynasty.
Deolmi (덜미) or puppet play is played last. It is also known as "kkokdu kagsi noleum" (꼭두각시놀음), which comprises the three words: kkokdu (puppet), gaksi (maiden) and noleum (nori, performance). In addition, the puppetry is called "parkcheomji noleum" (박첨지놀음) and "Hongdongji nori" (홍동지놀이), all of which are named after the main characters in the play. In Korea, puppet plays appeared first in the early age of the Silla Dynasty (BC 57 - 935AD). All the other puppet plays disappeared later on, but deolmi survives and has been brought down through generations. Its main story is about the resistance against the dominant aristocratic class and satirizes corrupt Buddhist priests. So the play appealed to the commoners and the poor public, which perhaps explains its popularity, and ultimately why it has survived so many years. It was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property before the other parts of the namsadang nori.
Generally performers use about 40 puppets and around 10 hand props.
headband button. At that time, only high rank officials could possess and her fame spread nationwide ever since. This is regarded as the beginning of Korean entertainment business as well as Baudeogi is appraised as the first popular entertainer of Korea. The local festival of Anseong is called "Baudeogi Festival" in the honor of her. It is held in Anseong
in October every year.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n itinerant troupe which consists of male performers who present various performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
such as acrobatics, singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, dancing and playing like a circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
.
It is said that namsadang was spontaneously formed before 1900 during the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
and used to wander about marketplaces and villages. The troupe was considered the lowest class in society along with cheonmin
Cheonmin
Cheonmin, or "vulgar commoners," were the lowest caste of commoners in dynastical Korea. They abounded during the Goryeo and Joseon periods of Korea's agrarian bureaucracy. Like the caste system in India, this social class was largely hereditary and based on certain professions considered...
(vulgar commoners) or baekjeong
Baekjeong
The baekjeong were an “untouchable” outcaste group of Korea, often compared with the burakumin of Japan and the dalits of India and Nepal.-Social history:...
(butchers), so that very few historical documents remain on them. However, since a record that a puppet show
Puppetry
Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance which involves the manipulation of puppets. It is very ancient, and is believed to have originated 30,000 years BC. Puppetry takes many forms but they all share the process of animating inanimate performing objects...
was performed during the Silla period (57 BCE – 935 CE) has been found, it is assumed that similar types of itinerant companies appeared in Korean history a long time ago.
During the late Joseon Dynasty, there were several namsadang, but the one whose base was set in Cheongryongsa temple (청룡사) in Anseong
Anseong
Anseong is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, 80 km south of Seoul. Its geographical location is .Anseong promotes itself as "The City of Masters". It is known for producing brassware and arts and crafts. From late Spring to Fall, Anseong is holds its own Namsadang Neuri Festival...
, Gyeonggi Province was the most famous. They became called namsadang because the troupe were composed of only men and "nam" (남) means a male in Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
. Later, a few female members were accepted to join in the group though.
The six performances which the troupe performs are collectively called Namsadang nori (남사당놀이), literally meaning nori (놀이) performed by namsadng. Nori refers to play, game or performance in Korean. The namsadang nori includes pungmul nori (풍물, Korean spinning hat dance), beona nori (버나놀이, spinning hoop
Hooping
Hooping generally refers to artistic movement and dancing with a hoop used as a prop or dance partner. Hoops can be made of metal, wood or plastic. Hooping combines technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing, and is typically accompanied by music...
s and dishes), salpan (살판, tumbling), eoreum (어름, tightrope dancing), deotboegi (덧뵈기, mask dance
Korean mask
Korean masks have a long tradition with use in a variety of contexts. They were used in war, on both soldiers and their horses; ceremonially, for burial rites in jade and bronze and for shamanistic ceremonies to drive away evil spirits; to remember the faces of great historical figures in death...
drama), and deolmi (덜미, puppet play
Puppetry
Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance which involves the manipulation of puppets. It is very ancient, and is believed to have originated 30,000 years BC. Puppetry takes many forms but they all share the process of animating inanimate performing objects...
). All six nori are associated with each other and integrate various activities such as music, feat
Feat
A feat is a rare or difficult act or accomplishment.Feat may also refer to:*An abbreviation for 'featuring' used in credit lists to indicate a guest appearance .*Far Eastern Air Transport - initialism FEAT...
, acrobatics
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
, stunt
Stunt
A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...
, play, dance, and mask dance. Originally there were ten performances on Namsadang-nori but only six have been brought down until now.
On December 7, 1964, the South Korean government designated deolmi (puppet play) as the third Important Intangible Cultural Property. Later, on August 1, 1988, all six performances of Namsadang nori were included as Important Intangible Cultural Properties as well.
Troupe organization
Namsadang usually consisted of 40 ~ 50 members of all ages. The head of the group is called kkokdusoe (꼭두쇠, k͈okt͈usø) and the second-in-command is called golbaengisoe (골뱅이쇠 [kolbɛŋiːsø]). Underneath there were tteunsoe (뜬쇠 [t͈ɯːnsø]), gayeol (가열 [kajʌl]), ppiri (삐리 [p͈iɾi]), jeoseungpae (저승패 [tɕʌsɯŋpʰɛ]), and deungjimkkun (등짐꾼 [tɯŋdʑimk͈un]). Tteunsoe is the head of the each performance or senior performer and gayeol is a performer. Ppiri is an apprentice. In addition, jeoseungpae refers to elderly members and deungjimkkun is porters.The troupe was well-organized and strictly disciplined by rules. Because entertainers like singers or actors were often despised in that age, the troupe recruited its members among the orphans, poor farmers` children and sometimes even through kidnapping. They were not well-paid. Very often they were offered only meals and beds and a small amount of money. They had tough lives.
The troupe may have functioned as a homosexual community, with each member taking the role of Sutdongmo, "butch", or Yodongmo, "queen".
Namsadang nori
Namsadang's yeonhui (연희, 演戱) or performances were held on the ground instead of theaters. When namsadang found a village, they had to get a permission from the leader of the village in order to present their talents. Members of namsadang performed the six nori in the biggest yard of the village. The sequence of six nori is as follows.Pungmul nori
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
s such as jing
Jing (instrument)
The jing is a large gong used in traditional Korean music, particularly in samul nori, pungmul, and daechwita. Usually made from brass, it is struck by a hammer that is layered with soft cloth to smoothen the texture of the sound produced. It is typically played at the onset of ceremonies and...
(gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
), kkwaenggwari
Kkwaenggwari
The kkwaenggwari is a small flat gong used primarily in folk music of Korea. It is made of brass and is played with a hard stick. It produces a distinctively high-pitched, metallic tone that breaks into a cymbal-like crashing timbre when struck forcefully.It is particularly important in samul...
(another kind of gong), buk
Buk (drum)
The buk is a traditional Korean drum. While the term buk is a native Korean word used as a generic term meaning "drum" , it is most often used to refer to a shallow barrel-shaped drum, with a round wooden body that is covered on both ends with animal skin...
(drum), janggu
Janggu
The janggu or sometimes called seyogo is the most widely used drum used in the traditional music of Korea. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from animal skin...
(double-headed drum) and several sogo
Sogo
Sogo Co., Ltd. is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. It once owned stores in locations as diverse as Beijing in China, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, Jakarta, Medan, Bandung & Surabaya in Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore,...
(tabors
Tabor (instrument)
Tabor, or tabret, refers to a portable snare drum played with one hand. The word "tabor" is simply an English variant of a Latin-derived word meaning "drum" - cf. tambour , tamburo...
) and nallari/Taepyeongso
Taepyeongso
The taepyeongso is a Korean double reed wind instrument in the shawm or oboe family, probably descended from the Persian zurna and closely related to the Chinese suona...
(double-reed), which make unique melodies and rhythms. The music played by the four instruments of pungmul (i.e. jing, kkwaenggwari, buk, janggu) is called samul nori
Samul nori
Samul nori is a genre of traditional percussion music originating in Korea. The word samul means "four objects" and nori means "play"; samul nori is performed with four traditional Korean musical instruments:* Kkwaenggwari...
(four piece playing).
Beona-nori
Beaona nori (버나놀이) is a performance with beona. This can be a dish, a basinBasin
Basin may refer to:* Basin , a poem about Charlemagne's childhood* basin , the area of a drydock which can be flooded and drained* basin of attraction , an area of a nonlinear system with an attractor...
, or a sieve frame. Performers spin and toss the beona into the air by using a tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
pipe or a long wooden stick while exchanging witty talks with a clown called maehossi (매호씨) or sorikkun (소리꾼).
Salpan
The word salpan (살판) comes from the saying that "if you do well, you will be alive (salpan), and if you don't, you will be dead" (jookeulpan). It is also called ttangjaeju (땅재주), literally meaning talents held on the ground. The performer executes various acrobatic feats called "gondu" (곤두) while exchanging humorous banter with a maehossi (clown).Eoreum
Deotboegi
Deotboegi (덧뵈기) means "See with the mask on". Generally, this performance has good humor and tendency to tickle the fancy of the public. Deotboegi gains high popularity among audience. However it also contains keen satire on the society and yangbanYangban
The yangban were part of the traditional ruling class or nobles of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The yangban were either landed or unlanded aristocracy who comprised the Korean Confucian idea of a "scholarly official." In reality, they were basically administrators and bureaucrats who...
or the noble class of Joseon Dynasty.
Deolmi
Generally performers use about 40 puppets and around 10 hand props.
Baudeogi
Probably the most famous and eminent person ever in the history of namsadang is Baudeogi Her real name is Kim Amdeok (김암덕). She was born as the daughter of a poor peasant farmer and joined the troupe at the age of 5 in 1853. She had the great makings of the six performances, and with her amazing skills and artistic talent, became a big star among the public. When Baudeogi was 15, she was unanimously elected as kkokdusoe (leader of the troupe) by the troupe members. That was quite unusual because at that time only male could be a leader and she was so young. This might prove her talents and high popularity. In 1865, Heungseon Daewongun, the regency called in her troupe to court and had them cheer workers who engaged in constructing a new palace. They made a great success in their job, and the regency gave her a jadeJade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
headband button. At that time, only high rank officials could possess and her fame spread nationwide ever since. This is regarded as the beginning of Korean entertainment business as well as Baudeogi is appraised as the first popular entertainer of Korea. The local festival of Anseong is called "Baudeogi Festival" in the honor of her. It is held in Anseong
Anseong
Anseong is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, 80 km south of Seoul. Its geographical location is .Anseong promotes itself as "The City of Masters". It is known for producing brassware and arts and crafts. From late Spring to Fall, Anseong is holds its own Namsadang Neuri Festival...
in October every year.
Cultural significance
The significance of namsadang nori can be found in its common touch. This came into existence spontaneously and performed for the poor farmers, folks, traders, and other middle-class and low-class people. It functioned as consolation for the public and gained high popularity among the general populace. And though it is not so refined as other Korean musical styles (i.e. Dodeuri) and dances (i.e. Kommu (reflist 18) (Sword Dance) for the noble class, it may be seen as performance meant to convey and have most powerful appeal to emotion.Restoration
The troupe was re-established in Anseong, which is the birthplace of the old namsadang, to preserve its cultural heritage. The new troupe has its regular performances on every Saturday and also provides overseas performances from time to time.See also
- Samul noriSamul noriSamul nori is a genre of traditional percussion music originating in Korea. The word samul means "four objects" and nori means "play"; samul nori is performed with four traditional Korean musical instruments:* Kkwaenggwari...
- The King and the ClownThe King and the ClownThe King and the Clown is a 2005 South Korean film, adapted from the 2000 Korean play titled Yi about Yeonsangun of Joseon, a Joseon dynasty king who falls in love with a court clown who mocks him. The movie is based on a small passage from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty that briefly mentions...
- Traditional Korean musical instrumentsTraditional Korean musical instrumentsTraditional Korean musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments.-String:Korean string instruments include those that are plucked, bowed, and struck...
- Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea
- Music of Korea
- Dance of Korea