The purpose of this study is to define the formative process of Hyang-ga, songs of Shilla dynasty. It is written based on the formative process of form and subordinate genre of currently remained Hyang-ga.
Before this study, the basis of existence abo...
The purpose of this study is to define the formative process of Hyang-ga, songs of Shilla dynasty. It is written based on the formative process of form and subordinate genre of currently remained Hyang-ga.
Before this study, the basis of existence about Hyang-ga genre, characteristics of the people who created and possessed it, and the musical basis of the creation of Hyang-ga were considered.
To examine closely the basis of the existence of Hyang-ga genre, it is focused on the identity of Hyang-ga and the advent and the record of transcription. 'Hyang-ga' means 'Korean song', or 'song written in korean language'. However, the literature descending from the past indicates that Hyang-ga is Korean poetry sung by ordinary people of Shilla dynasty. Hyang-ga was not royal court music of Shilla dynasty, but Korean poetry sung and enjoyed by ordinary people of Shilla dynasty. So to transcribe korean language right into how it was read, the Hyang-chal system, an archaic writing system of Korea used to mark the Korean language by using both the sound and the meaning of Chinese characters, was used. As a complementary measures, Hyang-ga was transmitted from generation to generation with 'story-poetry' form in the structure of description. There is a possibility Hyang-chal system was originated from Baekje and Kokuryo dynasty.
The features of the record related with Hyang-ga and the writer's opinion in the Samguk-yusa, Remnants of the Three Kingdoms, were analyzed to find out the characteristics of the people who made and enjoyed Hyang-ga. It is impossible to figure out who actually wrote it. It is assumed that Sanoega is written by well educated people, and ordinary citizens mostly enjoyed changing the lyrics of Danhyungga, short-stanza poetry, such as folk songs or children's songs. However, Hyang-ga was enjoyed by everyone; not only by the educated, but also by the uneducated people, so the whole public was able to enjoy the songs. They had local customs, which was based on thinking of the world as a whole. They accommodated the relief and the afterlife of the Buddhism, and also known as having political mind set on the defense and the will of the country.
The origin of Hyang-ga is explained compared with the musics of the ancient times. Like the other forms of arts, It is a ballad dance which also includes song, music, and dance. For example, people used it at rituals celebrated within the beliefs of gods such as Younggo, Dongmang, Mucheon.
It is assumed that Kokuryo's music and Baekje's music had influenced the formation of Hyang-ga. Also, Shilla's music had a big influence on the development and the growth of it.
The reason why the lines of the poetry of Hyang-ga of Samgukyusa and <Bohyeonsiwon-ga> of Gyunyeojeon are different from literature poem lines is that they were not composed by specialized composers, they were related to musical features. Examination of a form of Hyang-ga, Samguyukmyung, was taken place. The singing had to be considered within this particular form.
The formality of Hyang-ga is divided into two forms; free format and fixed format. In the free format, there are two; long and a form that had short forms reiterated. Short forms are basically 2 lines, but there are usually 4 lines. When people were singing the songs, they might have repeated the first and the second line, or the first and the last. The reiteration of the short forms is assumed that it might not have existed long period of time. The long forms are a repetition of the short forms which were mostly had been sung on a special occasion. Fixed forms are mostly set forms, and Sanoega belongs in this category. There are Hugu-sanoega and Chasa-sanoega. It is assumed that the reiteration of the short forms might have had developed into Sanoega. In the fixed form of Sanoega, the 4 lines of the short forms repeat, and is condensed into Chasa or Hugu, and ends in two lines. Sanoega is usually well regulated, has meanings, and is in refined shape. However, this kind of form started with 2 lines and developed has a long form or Sanoega, which means it did not take specific stage of development; it might have occurred in a sudden.
The productions of Hyang-ga that still exist today are divided into several categories; short forms, Incantatory song, Personal lyrical song, Sanoega. Short forms such as folks musics <Pungyo> and children's music <Seodongyo> were just usual folks musics; people changed the lyrics. Incantatory song came from memorial service, menacing form passed through <Gujiga> and passed on to <Haega> and <Cheoyongga>, supposed form is passed on to <Hyesungga> and today's <Pungnyunga>. In Personal lyrical song, there is <Hunhwaga>. Sanoega is divided into praiseful form and optative form. The purpose of <Bohyeonsiwonga> is to propagate, so it is mainly about Buddhism.
Hyang-ga as in Korean literature, there are 6 viewpoints. First, it is the core of Korean poetry. Second, it proves poem is independent from music. Third, It is the original form of Danryeonhyeong siga, especially the fixed form of the poetry. Forth, it is the origin of aria. Fifth, everyone was able to enjoy it. Sixth, it is assumed to be the starting point of the creative music.
Hyang-ga is not just a form of music that dominated over a period of the Shilla Period. It did not disappear as the prosperity of Koryeo Chinese character. After the Korea letters were developed, the way of transcribing into Chinese letters and meanings disappeared. The origin of Hyang-ga is passed on to Koryeo music, Shijo, lyrics and to today's music and poems. It is true that Hyang-ga's folks musics and children's musics are passed on to the modern period. Especially, Sanoega's poetic motive of the way how it expands the expressions in poems, condensing the emotions to the peak, and having them stable again at the end is also used in today's poetries. People usually thought classical poetries and that of modern times had been severed, however, that was not true. Hyang-ga still exists today as another evolved form. The core of the tradition is still passes onto the next generation.