Yangju byeolsandae nori is Korea's traditional mask playing which is selected as the second Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea next to Jongmyo jerye. It has played primarily in April (chopail) , May (danoh) , July (Basin) and August (Thanksgiving) and also sometimes in the ceremony which prays for rain . The origin og its name was from the place where mask-playing started,Yang-ju province in Korea. It was the first designated Important Intangible Cultural Property among mask plays.

History

According to Korean official culture information service, Yangju byeolsandae nori was started by the government officials who were serving for Yangju province. In Yangju, a group of entertainers called Ttakttakyipae from Hanyang came to show their performance every April and May. But they frequently broke their promise for the show. As a result the officials in Yangju started to make their own mask and had performance. Lee eul-chuk was the main contributor for their show and he was the first mask maker in Yangju. At that time, Yangju was a big town and the hurb of trasportation and also the city for Officials. So the Yangju byeolsandae nori become the special playing that could only succeeded by the people who lived near the Yangju office. Sandae nori is also called Sandi nori or sanji nori, sandu nori and was originated in sandae gabhee, which was the welcom ceremony for the Chinese diplomats. It was spread mainly from Seoul, Gyeonggi province and it was also present in Aeohgae (now ahhyeondong), manrijae, gameundol (now heukseokdong), nokbeon, sajikgol, Gupabal, nodes is (now Noryangjin), Toegyewon, Uijeongbu but it does not handed anymore. Byeolsandae nori named on this byeolsandae aeohgae, sajikgol, which in places nokbeon sandaenolyi words and it is not same because Byeolsandae is a improved style from the origin one.

Procedures

Before the playng, it prays for the good performance by preparing food like jora, ddeok, fruits organizin three colors, head of beef, leg of pork anf have a ceremony. Usually rich people and merchants in town paied the cost of show and the performer was unpaied as a rule. The performance was made at Sagikgol, which is the north of Bulgok mountain in the town. There had been a shaman house and requirements were placed in there. It was not regulated about the time of performance but it almost starts evening and ends at dawn of the following day. Occasionally, it was shortened 3 to 4 hours. The main instruments used in the performance were two piri(flute), one Jeotdae , one haegeum,one janggu, one buk, which are all traditional Korean instruments, but Kkwaenggari was added as needed and sometimes players dance with only piri and janggu. They used the rhythm of taryong or gutgurigok and dance style was divided into geodeureumsik and kkaekkisik. Yangju byeolsandae nori is organized with mainly dance under the music like other talchum, and it is divided in dance performance, mime thing and play, which has the line. Inisde the characters, Sangjwa, lotus and nunkkeumjjeokyi, waejangnyeo, aesadang, Somu, veteran, monkeys, haesanmo, podo Director, miyal grandma role does nor have any line so only dancing and gesture but other roles do line, dancem gesture as well. As the line in bongsantalchum is kind of a poem, Yangju byeolsandae nori line is kind of normal conversation.

Character

It is organized with 32 characters. but as some masks are used in two or three ways, actuaaly 22 masks are used in the performance. 22 characters are like this; two Sangjwa, scabies, four mokjung, yeonip, nunkkeumjjeokyi, wanbo, sinjubu, waejangnyeo, nojang, two Somu, maltuki, monkeys, Chwibari, one sanim, podo Director, sinhalahbi, miyal grandma.