Koreans like to enjoy nature as it is, not landscaped or sculpted in an artificial manner. Consequently, small gazebos or bigger pavilions were commonly built at scenic spots around the country for people to take in beautiful sights. It was common recreation for Confucian scholars of Joseon called seonbi선비 to drink tea, write poems, draw paintings, or listen to music at such places. Famed gazebos and pavilions with breathtaking views were also used to provide inspiration to writers and artists. The first piece for this week’s Sounds of Korea is “Twelve Handrails” which sings about Gyeongpodae Pavilion in the city of Gangneung강능, Gangwon-do Province. It is a poem set to a tune about Gyeongpodae Pavilion in the springtime. It allegorizes the calm Gyeongpoho경포호 Lake as a mirror that reflects a flock of seagulls flying above it. It also describes how a seonbi enjoys wine and the scenery as he sits at Gyeongpodae Pavilion. Here’s Jo Il-ha singing “Twelve Handrails.” 

Music 1: Twelve Handrails/ Sung by Jo Il-ha

Gyeongpodae Pavilion is cited as the best among the eight most scenic spots in the East Coast. The structure is beautiful as it stands in harmony with its natural surroundings, but its true aesthetic value can be appreciated when one looks out from inside. The pavilion was built at a high spot that provides a panoramic view of Gyeongpoho Lake. Moreover, a step was placed on the side that looks over the lake to give a higher, wider view. Back in the Joseon period, people would enjoy the trees turning green and the lake growing blue up at Gyeongpodae Pavilion while feeling the soft, balmy spring breeze. 

In pansori Chunhyangga춘향가, Gwanghanru광한루 Pavilion is featured as an important location in the story. It is where the male lead character, Lee Mong-ryong이몽룡, spots Chunhyang on a swing and falls in love with her at first sight. That pavilion was built when the esteemed politician Hwang Hui황희 of the early Joseon Dynasty was banished to Namwon. It was burned down during the Japanese invasion of 1597 and rebuilt in 1638 when a small pond and a bridge called Ojakgyo오작교 Bridge were added. The bridge was featured in the myth of Gyeonwu견우 and Jiknyeo직녀, who are reunited once every year on July 7^th by the lunar calendar on the bridge composed of crows and magpies. The 16-year-old Lee Mong-ryong must have looked out toward Ojakgyo Bridge and wondered if he would meet someone like Jiknyeo. In pansori Chunhyangga the song “Jeokseongga” is sung when Lee Mong-ryong is up on Gwanghanru Pavilion to take in the scenery. Here’s pansori diva Ahn Sook-sun to sing “Jeokseongga” today.

Music 2: Jeokseongga/ Sung by Ahn Sook-sun

The “Jeokseong” in “Jeokseongga” is the name of a mountain in the town of Sunchang순창 near Namwon. The mountain is composed of red boulders and resemble a low-lying fortress, hence the name “red fortress.” The last song for today is about Bonghwangdae봉황대 Tower in Nanjing, China. Bonghwangdae Tower, which means the phoenix tower, is one of the four tallest towers in China. The others include the Yellow Crane Tower, Pavilion of Prince Teng, and Yueyang Tower. Acclaimed Chinese poet Li Bai once went to Yellow Crane Tower to write a poem only to be discouraged by a much better one written by another poet. So, Li Bai went to Phoenix Tower to write a poem that satisfied him so much that he even told people to compare it to the one written for Yellow Crane Tower. There is a passage in Li’s poem about how the mountain is seen from Phoenix Tower. Half-hidden by the clouds, it appeared to be hanging halfway in the sky and it looked like two rivers flowed around an island. This passage is also featured often in Korean songs. Here’s a folk song from the southern region titled “Samsan Mountain is Half-fallen” sung by Jo Sun-ae, Park Song-hee, Seong Chang-sun and Oh Gap-sun.

Music 3: Samsan Mountain is Half-fallen/ Sung by by Jo Sun-ae, Park Song-hee, Seong Chang-sun and Oh Gap-sun