Pansori (Sugungga)

Pansori refers to a form in which a single singer, matching the rhythm (jangdan) played by a drummer (gosu), weaves together a long narrative combining song (sori), spoken narration (aniri) and gesture (neoreumsae). From around the reign of King Sunjo (r. 1800–1834), pansori produced a group of celebrated performers known as the Eight Master Singers of Pansori — including Gwon Sam-deuk, Song Heung-rok, Mo Heung-gap, Yeom Gye-dal, Go Su-gwan and Sin Man-yeop — through whom the rhythm and melody of pansori developed into their present form. Pansori also came to be divided by region into Dongpyeonje (the north-eastern Jeolla region), Seopyeonje (the south-western Jeolla region) and Junggoje (Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provinces). When pansori first emerged, each individual piece (madang) was not very long, so there were originally as many as twelve pansori madang. Today, however, only five survive, known as the Five Madang or Five Bating of Pansori: Chunhyangga, Simcheongga, Sugungga, Heungboga and Jeokbyeokga. Sugungga is one of these five madang, also known as Tobyeolga, Tokki Taryeong or Byeoljubu Taryeong. When the Dragon King falls ill, a turtle comes up to the human world and lures a hare down to the undersea palace in order to obtain its liver for medicine. The hare, however, outwits the Dragon King and returns home alive — this is the story woven into pansori.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Sacheon, Gyeongnam

Designation

Provincial Intangible Heritage · 시도무형유산