page_title: Hahoetal
section_title: Hahoe pyolsin-gut and T'al nori in performance
hierarchical_section_title: Hahoetal / Hahoe pyolsin-gut and T'al nori in performance
caption_attribution_description: Hahoe mask
context_page_description: Hahoetal masks are the traditional Korean masks worn in the Hahoe Pyolshin-gut t'al nori ceremony dating back to the 12th century. They represent the stock characters needed to perform the roles in the ritual dance dramas included in the ceremony. The masks originated in the Hahoe Folk Village and Byeongsan Village, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. They are counted among the treasures of South Korea, and the oldest Hahoe mask is on display in the National Museum of Korea. The Hahoetal masks are considered to be among of the most beautiful and well known images representing Korean culture. The South Korean government named the masks "National Treasure #121" and the dance of the Pyolshin-gut Ta'l nori as "important intangible cultural asset #69." The Hahoe Mask Dance Drama Preservation Society performs the dance drama weekly at the Hahoe folk village for tourists, while Andong City hosts an international mask dance festival every October.
context_section_description: Hahoe pyolsin-gut ceremony functioned to honor local deities and perform the rites of exorcism over evil spirits, therefore bringing prosperity to the village. Beyond the original shamanistic functions, the plays offered a chance for the oppressed lower classes to gather and mock the Yangban ruling class. The humor was base and sexually taboo, especially for the ethics of the Yangban, offering a carnivalesque entertainment for the masses. T'al nori generally dealt with three themes from village to village: the hypocrisy and greed of the ruling class, the lecherous behavior or the monks and the servants complaining of the dim-wittiness of their masters.
  The t'al nori start with a dance followed by a ceremony honoring the hosting deity who protected that village. Once the ceremony is performed, the plays are performed. Dances also ended the celebration, framing the plays which could be performed in any order. Acrobats were often showcased between chapters of the play cycle as well. Most performances of t'al nori included a Yangban episode, an old woman episode and a monk episode, but otherwise varied greatly from village to village. Performances did not need a formal stage, but could be performed anywhere with the space to allow for a band, a changing area for the actors, room for the performance and a place to put the audience. Performances were most often held in village courtyards in front of the altar to the local deity who protected that village, called a songangdae. In larger towns, performances were often staged at the bottom of hills to allow the audience raked viewing, and some of the largest towns built temporary formal stages for the performances.
  A small band would accompany performances, providing the varying rhythms and melodies needed to perform the dances within the plays. Percussion is traditionally provided by the janggo, which is a drum in the shape of an hourglass, and various versions of a buk, which is a Korean wooden drum skinned to play at both ends. A kkwaenggwari, or small, hand-held flat gong, is also used throughout the performance. Melody is traditionally provided by the daegum, which is a large bamboo flute and the piri, which is a large double reed oboe also made from bamboo. The haegeum, which is a double-stringed "fiddle" rounds out the band. The rhythms and tempo of the band match the status or actions of the characters as well as providing the base for the formalized dances. For example, slow rhythms and melodies would show and accompany elegance, while fast music would underscore comedic antics or excitement.
caption: Yangban and Punae/Bune[11]
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