The Mystery Behind The Mask Koreans Used Thousands Of Years Ago

Koreans love the masks because they allow them anonymity to criticize and sarcasm on social bad habits.
The mystery behind the mask Koreans used thousands of years ago
In Korean, "tal" means "mask". For ancient Koreans, tal was a sacred symbol of gods and often appeared in many cultural activities from entertainment to wedding ceremonies. Photo: Pinterest.
According to legend, during the Cao Ly period in Korea, the gods ordered craftsman Huh Chongkak, the villager of Hahoe, to create 12 different wooden masks

. They asked Chongkak not to meet anyone until his work was completed. By the time this craftsman finished the top half of the last mask named Imae - the Fool, a girl secretly in love with him peeked. Chongkak immediately bleed and died, leaving the last mask with no lower jaw Photo: Antique Alive.




The Hahoe village masks and the dancing of the people wearing them are traditional Korean culture. Today, 9 out of 12 of the above masks are in the list of "Korean Cultural Treasures", the remaining 3 have been lost. There are 12 characters in the Hahoe mask. The three missing characters are Chongkak (bachelor), Byulchae (tax collector) and Toktari (old man). The nine masks that still exist are: Yangban (noble), Kaksi (young woman or bride), Chung (Buddhist monk), Choraengi (Yangban's servant), Sonpi (scholar), Imae ( Sonpi's fool and useless servant), Bune (concubine), Baekjung (murderer), and Halmi (old woman). Photo: antiquealive.
The Hahoe Village masks are just one of dozens of Korean mask styles with dance related dances Different regions create their own art form.



The masks range from real to bizarre. Some of the masks are round, oval, others are triangular with a long, pointed chin. Photo: antiquealive.
The best masks are made of pistachio, some places use old gourd fruit, cardboard or straw. Traditional Korean masks are usually attached to a black cloth, both to fix the position and to conceal the wearer's hair. In the photo is the character of the monk Nojang, often associated with satire aimed at corruption in former Korean society. Photo: MaskMuseum.
Masks in Korean culture in the past helped anonymous people freely express criticism of local dignitaries, aristocracy .



.. Some performances also directed criticism to lower classes. In society, the drunk people, the people who like to flirt, or gossip ... Photo: antiquealive.
According to the researchers, the first performances with masks (Korean: talchum) may have appeared from 18 BC to 935.



This period is the period of the Silla kingdom, with the presence of of the "kommu" sword dance, in which the dancers wear masks. Photo: littlenomadid.
Kommu became popular during the Cao Ly period, which lasted until 1932. By the end of this era, talchum - dances with masks appeared in folk. Huh Chongkak invented the Hahoe mask style from the Andong region. At the same time other artisans across the Korean peninsula also created living masks serving this kind of satire. Pictured is the character Chwibari, staring at her bride behind Bongsan's mask. Photo: antiquealive.




Actors wearing masks often wear silk hanbok or colorful traditional clothing. The long, white sleeves make the actors' movements more vivid, especially when they wear masks with fixed jaw that hide facial expressions. Photo: antiquealive.
For a dance, there must be music. Each area's talchum has its own musical instruments attached. Basically, however, an orchestra usually has "haegum" - the type of Korean erhu, a variety of transverse flutes, gongs and drums. The character in the photo is Kaksi, the bride. Photo: antiquealive.




The dance with the masks in Korea revolves around 4 main themes. The first was to mock the general confusion, stupidity, and misfortune of the aristocracy. The second is the love triangle between husband, wife and concubine. The third subject is the corrupt and corrupt monk, like Choegwari. In the end is a more universal story, about the good having to live with the bad, and the good winning in the end. Photo: antiquealive.
There are at least 13 different forms of performance of talchum still preserved in Korea today. Photo: antiquealive.




According to Kieu Duong / Vnexpress
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