Geom-mu: The Korean Sword Dance
Geom-mu refers to a traditional sword dance practiced in Korea. Korean folk dancers perform Geom-mu with special costumes, dance motions, and music. The dance has earned a reputation of beauty and grace in performance. The dancers place special emphasis on the movement of the costumes, notably the sleeves, in harmony with the dance movements. The symbolic use of the Kal, a replica sword, keeps to the militaristic origins of the dance. Geom-mu has become a dance of great beauty, awarded the distinction as Intangible Cultural Treasure number 12 by the Republic of Korea.
The Origins
Geom-mu originated during the later portion of the Three Kingdoms of Korea with estimates placing it near 660 C.E. At that time, Korea divided into the three kingdoms, Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo. The legend of Geommu portrays a young boy in Silla named Hwangchang with a exceptional talent for sword dance. His talent brought him great fame, even in the enemy kingdom, Baekje. One day, a king of Baekje invited him to his court to perform his great skill. The boy performed but in an act of great defiance killed the king before the royal assembly. The Baekje military executed Hwangchang. People in Silla expressed their respect and sorrow at Hwangchang’s death by dancing in imitation of Hwangchang’s abilities, adorning a mask which resembled face. Thereafter, people named this dance “Hwangchang-mu.”
Variations
Geom-mu (劍舞) compounds two Chinese characters: "Geom," (劍) meaning sword, and "Mu," (舞) meaning dance. That name applies to the basic forms of the dance. "Hwangchang-mu" refers to the story of the origin of the sword dance. "Jinju-Geommu" refers to the royal court version of the dance.
History
Surviving as a folk dance and cultural asset, Geom-mu was considerably changed during the Joseon Dynasty period from 1392 through 1910. At that point Geom-mu was rearranged by the Royal Court and recreated by the Kisaeng. The Kisaeng learned the formalized dance through the Gwonbeon, a pre-Korean War performance institution comparable to the Geisha tradition of Japan. One major change was the Kisaeng performers discontinued wearing the traditional mask while dancing Geom-mu. Geom-mu has remained a Court dance in the form of Jinju-Geomu but has also retained its status as a primarily female dance. Geom-mu was also modified to use a replica sword while performing to prevent accidental injuries to the performer and audience.
Costume
Dancers of Geom-mu wear Hanbok, Kwaeja (overcoat), Jeon-Dae (belt), and Jeon-Rip (military style cap). Hanbok is the traditional Korean dress that consists of Chima (a skirt) and Jeogori (a jacket). These elements combine to form a stylized version of the Joseon Dynasty military uniform. The costume traditionally has the colors of blue, red, yellow, green and black but many regional variations exist. The Jinju region has a blue Chima and a jade green Jeogori. Gwangju in the Jeolla province has a red Chima and a light green Jeogori.
The Kal is the replica sword used in Geom-mu. Between the blade and the handle of a Kal are three rings called Kukhwa. These three rings have varying sizes and make sounds when performers dance the Geom-mu.
Performing
Geom-mu is a group dancing activity performed by 6 to 8 performers. It has two unique characters which are “Chum-sawi,” a dance motion, and “Changdan,” rhythmic cycle or ‘long and short’. There are three typical motions, Ipchum-sawi, Anjeon-sawi, and Yeonpungdae. In Ipchum-sawi the dancers form two rows and stand face to face. Anjeon-sawi is to dance kneeling down while maintaining the two rows of Ipchum-sawi. The last motion, Yeonpungdae, the dancers form a circle and rotate in pattern.
Geom-mu and Changdan rhythmic patterns
In Geom-mu, special rhythmic cycles called Changdan appear. Changdan is usually made by Janggu, a double-headed hourglass drum and Buk, a barrel drum. In Korea there are many variations of Changdan with each name designating a certain type of meter, tempo, and beat. Basic nature of Korean rhythmic patterns may be described as having these four main characteristics (Garland encyclopedia of world: East Asia- China, Japan, Korea, p. 901).
- A length of time, short enough to be held easily in memory and quickly recognized.
- A sense of speed (not tempo, which is related to beat)
- A typical meter, which fills the length of time
- Characteristic events the rhythmic pattern
Types of Korean traditional music in Geom-mu
Korean traditional music of Geom-mu is “Samhyeon-Nyukgak.” Originally, Samhyeon designated three chordophones, Geomungo, Gayageum, and Hyangbipa and Nyukgak designated Buk, Janggu, Haegeum, and Piri at the Unified Silla period from 654 to 780. The significance of Samhyeon had disappeared and remained the import of Nyukgak. Nowadays Samhyeonnyukgak indicates the wind instrumental music. It is used to accompany marching and dancing with 6 instruments, Haegeum, Janggu, Buk, Daegeum, and two Piri. Haegeum is a string instrument, resembling a violin. [Jangu] and [buk] are drums. Changgu is made from a hollow wooden body and two leather skins. The two sides produce sounds of different pitch and tone. Puk is a barrel-shaped with a round wooden body covered on both ends with animal skin. It is played with both an open hand and a wooden stick in the other hand. Daegeum and Piri are aerophones. Daegeum is a large bamboo transverse flute and Piri is a double reed instrument made of bamboo. Its large reed and cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than that of many other types of oboe.
Preservation of Geom-mu
Many parts of Geom-mu have been lost over time. The Republic of Korea established a law in 1962 named the Cultural Properties Protection Act in order to protect Geom-mu and other intangible cultural properties. Geom-mu was named as the 12th intangible cultural property by law in 1967. Geom-Mu is actively preserved and practiced primarily in the Jinju province of South Korea.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Malborg, Kim, and Lee Jean Young. 2005. Korean dance. Uri munhwa ŭi ppuri rŭl chʻajasŏ, 8. Seoul Korea: Ewha Womans University Press. ISBN 9788973006267
- Korea (South). 2000. Korean intangible cultural properties. Elizabeth, NJ: Hollym International Corp. ISBN 9781565911505
- Provine, Robert C., Yoshihiko Tokumaru, and J. Lawrence Witzleben. 2002. The Garland encyclopedia of world music. Volume 7, East Asia: China, Japan, and Korea. Garland encyclopedia of world music, v. 7. New York: Routledge. ISBN 9780824060411
- Van Zile, Judy. 2001. Perspectives on Korean dance. Middletown, Conn: Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 9780819564948
External Links
- Tour 2 Korea: Korean traditional dance. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Korean traditional dance and Music. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Korean traditional clothing. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Information of Korean Music. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Life in Korea: Geommu. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Traditional Korean Sword Dance: Geommu (YouTube). Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Dance of the Orient: Geom-mu(劍舞): The Korean sword dance
- Research of Intangible Cultural Heritage: Division of Folklore and Folklife. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- Korean Sword Review. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
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