The Korean musical story-telling art of pansori (판소리) has a tale called “Simcheongga(심청가)” which describes how a ship carrying the titular character Simcheong (심청) sails out to the ocean. The loving daughter could not tell her father that she had sold herself for rice, but was forced to tell him the truth on the day of her departure. The father’s heart is completely broken as he believed that Simcheong (심청) was going away to become a foster daughter of a nobleman. Imagine how Simcheong (심청), only 15 years old, must have felt as she left her father and friends behind. The following passage in “Simcheongga” (심청) describes the beautiful scenery she experiences.

Music 1: 심청가 중 범피중류/ 성창순 소리

That was a passage from “Simcheongga” pansori (판소리) sung by Seong Chang-soon. This pansori (판소리) aria is also known as “Sosangpalgyeong (소상팔경),” which refers to eight famous scenic locations in China often featured in old paintings and poems. The sights include a mountain village enveloped in a blue mist, a peal of temple bells heard in the foggy evening, dusk settling on a fishing village, fishing boats returning to harbor after a long day at sea, and more. These descriptions make us want to visit the place and see the sights for ourselves. The sights Simcheong (심청) sees on her way to her death were supposedly as appealing as these eight famous sceneries. But what wouldn’t look memorable if it was the last thing they ever saw? 

Now we’re going to listen to an ancient Chinese poem titled “On the Yellow Crane Tower” adapted into a Korean traditional song. The poem starts as so:

An old man has already gone, riding on a yellow crane,

Leaving only the lone Yellow Crane Tower on earth. 

The yellow crane, once gone, does not return,

Leaving only white clouds floating for a millennium. 

Music 2: Seoginiseung/ Sung by Kim Byeong-oh

That was “Seoginiseung” (석인이승) sung by Kim Byeong-oh. Yellow Crane Tower, located in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, China, is widely considered to be among the beautiful towers in southern China. 

According to legend, there once was a small bar here. One day an old guru showed up and painted a yellow crane on the bar wall. The picture looked so alive that people came from far and wide just to see it. Ten years later, the yellow crane painting came alive, carrying the old man to the heavens. The bar owner then built a monument to remember the old man and the crane. The five-story structure has been renovated several times over the years and is now stationed in Wuhan China.

One more story about the monument: Celebrated Chinese poet Li Taibai once came to the tower to write a poem, but seeing that there already was a great poem about it, he gave up and instead went to Phoenix Tower. The words crafted together there by Li were so powerful that passages from the poem were often used in Korean folk songs. We will now hear three songs featuring parts of this poem sung by Ahn Sook-sun.

Music 3:  Winter/ Gayageum byeongchang by Jang Seo-yoon

“Hwachojang” from pansori “Heungboga”/ Piano byeongchang by Choi Jun