One of the favorite traditional Korean songs of the older generations is Hoesimgok (회심곡), meaning the “song of remorse.” Hoesim literally means “to turn one’s mind around” and implies that one looks back on one’s life to find mistakes and feel remorse for wrongdoings. The song is written from a spirit’s perspective. As the deceased is about to leave this world and cross over to the other side, its soul remembers how loving and caring its parents had been and advises the living to live a life of no regret and take care of their parents. Music 1: Hoesimgok/ Performed by Ahn Bi-chi Music 2: Hwacheong/ Monk Songam Music 3: Boryeom/ Performed by Kim Su-yeon
When my parents raised me,
Lest I should be cold in the winter and hot in the summer,
They raised me with care, giving all the money they had,
But I was too young to realize their love.
Life is as fleeting as the dew on the grass.
It’s hard to return once the wrong path is mistakenly taken.
When the body that has been healthy yesterday and today suddenly falls ill tonight,
When the body as thin as a thread falls ill with a grave disease,
Mother is whom I call for and water is what I want.
Hoesimgok used to be the song performed during Buddhist memorial services. Buddhist monks would sing a song called “Beompae (범패)” during the ritual, but the song was sung in Chinese or Sanskrit, making it impossible for common people to understand. So, near the end of the ceremony, the monks would sing the song translated in Korean. That song is what is known as “Hwacheong (화청)” or “Hoesimgok.” This song contained moral guidelines for people to observe while living. When the memorial service is for dead parents, numerous references to loving one’s parents often make children weep in deep regret. Folk singers took the melody and lyrics and adapted them for the ordinary people, which eventually became the song “Hoesimgok” we know today. Some people may think that Buddhism is too profound to understand, but when they listen to “Hwacheong” carefully, they would find that Buddhist ideas are not too difficult to grasp.
You are a sail boat crossing the vast sea of life and death.
How can you go without a Buddhist prayer? There is nothing special in a prayer.
A kind heart is a prayer and a gentle heart is a prayer.
Loving your parents is a prayer,
Harmony among your kinfolks is a prayer,
Caring for your wife and children is a prayer,
Affection among your siblings is a prayer,
And ridding of your greed and giving alms is also a prayer.
Let’s listen to “Hwacheong” sung by Monk Songam (송암).
Buddhism had been a national religion until the Goryeo Dynasty, but its status changed dramatically during the Joseon Dynasty. The government cracked down on Buddhism and Buddhist monks could not even enter the city freely. It became very tough for the monks to maintain Buddhist temples. But there were people who went around collecting offerings for Buddhist monks. They were traveling entertainers who belonged to a certain temple. They would go from one village to another and put on performances to make money. They would donate some of their earnings to their temple and make a living with the remainder. They played an instrumental role in preserving Buddhist practices among the Confucian-dominated Joseon society, as their repertoire consisted largely of Buddhist chants and dances. Their performing arts also enriched Korea’s folk music, adding more meaningful songs and dances to the genre. The last song for today is “Boryeom (보렴),” which used to be performed most frequently when the performing troupes of the southern regions traveled around to receive alms. The song wishes that the power of charitable deeds would make the country peaceful and its people prosperous. Today’s song is sung by Kim Su-yeon (김수연).
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