Korean traditional dance, Gang-gang-suol-lae, 한국 전통 춤 '강강술래'

Korean Thanksgiving Day, Chuseok is Korea's biggest holiday. It is on August 15 on the lunar calendar, so every year, the date of Chuseok changes. Many people go home for the holidays, so the roads are crowded with cars and buses. Fortunately, my husband's house is not far from my house. It takes about 15 minutes by car, so I don't have to worry about getting stuck in a traffic jam. During holidays, there are various events throughout the country. One of them is a Korean traditional dance, gang-gang-suol-lae. This dance has an interesting origin. During the Japanese Invasion of Korea(1592-1598), when admiral Yi Sun-shin was appointed again in his post as the naval forces controller in August 1597, he had only 13 fleets. But he was not disappointed and asked for women to make a big circle and go round to pretend to be many soldiers. He then completely defeated 133 Japanese enemy ships. The 'gang-gang' means 'a circle', the 'suol-lae' means both 'a thief is coming' and 'cathing the thief'. After the war, women of old times held this festival to sing and dance on Chuseok. Until now, The gang-gang-suol-lae has been held to celebrate Chuseok in many areas. **** 추석은 한국 최대 명절이에요. 음력으로 8월 15일인데, 매년 추석 날짜는 달라져요. 특히 명절동안 많은 도로가 차와 버스로 붐비는데, 많은 사람들이 고향으로 가기 때문이에요. 다행히 저는 시댁이 집에서 멀지 않은 곳에 있어요. 차로 15분 정도 걸려요. 그래서 저는 교통체증을 걱정할 필요가 없어요. 추석동안 전국에서 많은 행사들이 있어요. 그중의 하나는 전통춤인 '강강술래'예요. 이 춤의 유례는 흥미진진해요. 임진왜란(1592-1598) 당시 1597년 8월, 이순신 장군이 다시 수군통제사로 부임했을 때 오직 13척의 배만 있었어요. 그러나 장군은 실망하지 않고 부녀자들에게 병사들이 많이 있음을 가장하기 위해서 원을 만들어 빙글빙글 돌라고 부탁했어요. 이후 장군은 일본의 133척의 배를 격파했어요. '강강'은 '원'을 뜻하고, '술래'는 '도둑이 들어온다'와 '도둑을 잡는다'는 의미예요. 전쟁이 끝나고, 옛날 여성들은 추석 때 노래하고 춤추려고 축제를 열었어요. 지금까지도 강강술래는 추석을 축하하려고 많은 지역에서 개최되고 있어요.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Korean Mask, Tal , '한국 탈!'

Image
There are various kinds of masks in Korea. Have you ever heard ‘탈’? “탈” means 'mask' in Korean. Let me introduce the Hahoe Tal in Andong city. The Hahoe Tal is the only set of masks designated as a national treasure (No.121). It is highly regarded highly as a masterpiece in the area of mask art as well as a Korean cultural asset. There were 14 masks in the Hahoe Tal : Two Jusi Tal, Gaksi Tal, Yangban Tal, Seonbi Tal, Jung Tal, Baekjeong Tal, Choraengi Tal, Halmi Tal, Imae Tal, Bune Tal, Chonggak Tal, Byeochae Tal and Ddeodari Tal. But Byeochae Tal, Ddeodari Tal and Chonggak Tal were lost and not handed down. Some of Hahoe Tal, Yangban Tal, Seonbi Tal, Jung Tal and Baekjeong Tal have a special function: they have movable lower jaws, while other masks don't For example, if a performer, wearing a mask, bends his head back, his mouth will open wide so that he looks like he is smiling. If he bends his head forward, his mouth will close so he looks angry. ................. 한국에는...
Read more

How to make Meju, '메주 만드는 법'

Image
Have you ever had Korean food? I think that most countries have their own special sauces to cook with. Korea also has special and traditional sauces like soy sauce (ganjang, 간장), soybean paste (doenjang, 된장), and red pepper paste (gochujang, 고추장). To make doenjang, gochujang, and ganjang, we have to make the blocks of fermented soybeans (Meju, 메주). When I was a child, I often saw my mom making them. But now I am used to buying the sauces, instead of making them! *How to make Meju, '메주'* ---------------- 1. Prepare yellow soybeans and keep them soaked in water for about 8 hours. 2. Boil yellow soybeans for about 6 hours. 3. Mash boiled yellow soybeans. 4. Put them into a box to make the block shape and press it well. 5. Put the Meju to in a room to dry for a few days. 6. Hang them for about a month under the eaves, or an airy place, to dry well
Read more

Even brushing past a person is one's karma. '옷깃만 스쳐도 인연'

There's an old saying that says even brushing past a person is one's karma. Buddhism says that it's very difficult to meet again in this life time if there isn't a special connection in a previous life. Haven't you ever come across a person by chance without making promises on the earth living billions of people? The unit of brushing past a person is 'Gup' this means the time from the beginning of the world to next beginning of the world. It takes 500gup to brush past a person. You and I must have had a special relationship and have taken at least 500gup to meet here........ 옛말에 ‘옷깃만 스쳐도 인연’이란 말이 있어요. 불가에서는 전생에 특별한 연이 없으면 현생에서 만나기 힘들다고 말해요. 수십억명이 살고 있는 이 지구상에 여러분은 약속을 하지 않았는데도 아주 우연히 마주친 사람은 없었나요? 옷깃이 스치는 인연은 ‘겁’이라는 단위로 설명하여 겁은 천지가 한번 개백하고 다음 개백이 시작할 때까지의 시간을 뜻해요. 옷깃이 한 번 스치는데 500겁의 시간이 걸려요. 부부는 7000겁, 부모 자식 간은 8000겁, 스승과 제자는 10,000겁. 저와 여러분의 관계도 적어도 500겁 이상의 인연이 쌓여 여기서 만났음이 틀림없네요..... * Husband and Wife - 7,000gup * Parents and Child - 8,000gup * Teac...
Read more