Geom-mu: The Korean Sword Dance

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Geom-mu or sword dance is the art of dance as practiced in Korea Geom-mu has been developed as one of the unique Korean traditional dances with special costume, dance motions, and music. With the fact that lots of parts of Geom-mu has been lost by the time, Korea has made a law to preserve traditional arts by 1962. This law is the intangible cultural properties. Geom-mu was also assigned for the 12th intangible cultural properties by law in 1967. Geom-Mu which comes down in Jin-Ju province has been assigned as the 12th cultural asset in 1967 in Korea.

Contents 1 Background 2 History of the Korean sword dance 3 The origin of Hwangchang-mu 4 History of Geom-mu 5 A Geom-mu costume 6 4 kinds of Korean rhythmic patterns 7 Korean traditional music in Geom-mu

[edit] Background

The sword dance is a folk dance, with swords or two- handled blades, expressing themes such as defense against evil, human and animal sacrifice for fertility and victory in a battle (Britannica). There are various traditions of battle sword dances from throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

[edit] History of the Korean sword dance

The Korean sword dance has a history of about 1,500 years. There are two ways to call the Korean sword dance. One of them is “Geom-mu”. In Korean, Geom-mu is compounded word of the word Geom that means a sword and the word Mu that means a dance. Another name is “Hwangchang-mu”.

[edit] The origin of Hwangchang-mu

The origin of Hwangchang-mu goes back to the era of the Three Kingdoms from the 4th century through the 7th century. At that time, Korea was divided into the three kingdoms, Shilla, Baekje, and Goguryo, and the beginnings of its name especially related to Shilla and Backjae. Here is some legend about Hwangchang-mu. A boy of Shilla who was called Hwangchang had an unusual talent for sword dance so that he became famous, even in the enemy kingdom, Backjae. One day, a king of Baekjae invited him to appreciate his excellent performance but it was the king’s fault because Hwangchang killed the king during his performance. Finally, Hwangchang was also died by military of Baekje. People in Shilla expressed their respect and sorrow at Hwangchang’s death. To propitiate his loyal dead for Shilla, they started dancing in the imitation of Hwangchang’s dance with a mask that was similar to his face. Thereafter, people named this dance “Hwangchang-mu”. Some of specialists of the Korean sword dance think that Geom-mu or Hwangchang-mu originated from this legend.

[edit] History of Geom-mu

Geom-mu was considerably changed since the Joseon Dynasty period from 1392 through 1910. At the Joseon Dynasty period, Geom-mu was rearranged by the Royal Court, especially by the “Gyobangcheong”. In details about the Gyobangcheong, it was a royal institution to learn music and dance. The institution consisted of all female and they had same role as Geisha playing music and performing dance for royal officials and visitors of other country in the Court. However, unfortunately, Gyobangcheong does not exist in contrast with Japanese Geisha since after the Korean War. After rearrangement of Geom-mu, female performers stopped putting on the mask while dancing and playing music so that the dance is not called as a mask dance. Geom-mu has not only determined one of the Court dances but has also become female dance since the Joseon Dynasty. There was one more change in the shape of Geom, a sword. Geom started using a fake sword while performing to prevent a chance to assassinate royal officials and foreign envoys like the legend.

[edit] A Geom-mu costume

Before the Geom-mu start, performers prepare in special costume. Dancers of Geom-mu wear Hanbok, Kwaeja, Jeon-Dae, and Jeon-Rip and use Kal. Hanbok is the traditional Korean dress that consists of Chima and Jeogori. Chima means a skirt and Jeogori means a jacket. Some people just know Chima-Jeogori as the Korean traditional clothing but it is wrong information. Korean never calls the traditional cloth Chima-Jeogori. Kwaeja is a kind of overcoat, Jeon-Dae is a belt, and Jeon-Rip is a military cap. Lastly, Kal means a sword but, as I mentioned earlier, it is not a real sword. Between the blade and the handle of a Kal, there are three rings called Kukhwa. These three rings have different sizes each and these make sounds when performers dance the Geom-mu. Consequently, this costume was modified form the military uniform of the Joseon Dynasty period. The costume usually has color of blue, red, yellow, green and black but there are no meanings because different regions have different costumes. For example, Jinju where is located in South Gyeongsang province, South Korea, has a blue Chima and a jade green Jeogori as the costume of Geom-mu. On the other hand, Gwangju where is located in South Jeolla province has a red Chima and a light green Jeogori. 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. Ipchum-sawi is to dance making two rows and standing face to face. Anjeon-sawi is to dance kneeling down and keeping two rows. The last motion, Yeonpungdae, is to dance making circle and turning round and round. In Geom-mu, special rhythmic cycles called Changdan appear. Changdan is usually made by Changgu, a double-headed hourglass drum and Puk, a barrel drum. In Korea, there are many Changdan and its name designates 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).

[edit] 4 kinds of Korean rhythmic patterns

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

[edit] 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 Shilla period from 654 to 780. However, after that, the significance of Samhyeon had disappeared and just remained the import of Nyukgak. Nowadays, Samhyeonnyukgak merely indicates the wind instrumental music. It is used to accompany a 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.

References

• Kim, Mal-bok. Korean Dance. Korea: Univ of Ehwa Women. July, 2005.
• Weatherhill, Korean Intangible Cultural Properties. Weatherhill. December, 2001.
• Provine., ed. Garland Encyclopedia of World Music-East Asia : China, Japan, and Korea. Volume7. Routledge. December, 2001.

See also

• Korean traditional dance
• Korean traditional dance and Music
• Korean traditional clothing
• Information of Korean Music