About two thousand years ago, during the reign of King Yuri of Shilla, the king selected two ladies of the court to compete in a weaving contest. Then the ladies would each form a team of maidens who would help them weave. Weaving fabric from hemp or ramie threads was an important task for women of the time. The competition started on July 16th of the lunar calendar and continued for a month, until August 15th, when the results of the two teams were compared to see who had produced more fabric. The losing team would provide food and drinks for a party, which would be enjoyed by both the losing and winning sides. One member of the losing team would sing and dance, which many believe became the origin of the full moon celebration on August 15th. Koreans refer to August 15th of the lunar year as “Hangawi.” “Han” means large and “gawi” means the middle or the center. So the name “Hangawi” means the biggest festivity in the middle of autumn. Even today, when most traditional holidays are not celebrated widely among Koreans, Hangawi, better known as Chuseok, is considered one of the two most important holidays in Korea, along with Seol, or the Lunar New Year’s Day.

Ganggangsullae / Sung by the students of Namwon Traditional Arts H.S.

That was Ganggangsullae강강술래 performed by the students of Namwon Traditional Arts High School. Ganggangsullae is a play that represents Hangawi. It is different from other forms of recreational activity in that the participants are mostly women. When the full moon of August rises, women gather at a village plaza or on a beach and start going around in circles, hand in hand. The round moon in the sky and the round circle of women on the ground seem to be linked by the sound of the song. There were other games as well, such as “tie the herring with straws” or “catch the tail,” which were recreations derived from real life activities. In Gyeongsang Province there is a recreational activity called “wolwori cheongcheong월워리청청.” It is similar to ganggangsullae in that women go around in circles while singing various songs. There is an anecdote about Ganggangsullae supposedly playing an instrumental part during the 1592 Japanese invasion. When Admiral Yi Sun-shin, with only 12 ships under his command, was fighting against some 350 Japanese vessels, hundreds of women from Jeolla Province danced ganggangsullae to make it appear to the Japanese Navy that there were tens of thousands of Joseon soldiers moving about. Although the story may have been exaggerated or made up, it hints at the pivotal roles women played during the war.

Wolwori cheongcheong / By Park Bun-nyeo and fellow singers

That was Wolwori Cheongcheong from Yeongdeok영덕 region of North Gyeongsang Province, sung by Park Bun-nyeo and her fellow singers. Hangawi occupies a special place in Korean tradition, as it is the day when Koreans give thanks to their ancestors for a bountiful harvest. It is the day when Koreans who toiled all summer long, under the hot sun and drenched in sweat, take a day off to put on fancy clothes and eat to their hearts’ content. But for some people such a holiday is just another day reminding them of their misfortune and suffering. For such unfortunate souls, this piece from “The Song of Heungbo흥보” would offer some solace. This is the part where the kind-hearted Heungbo opens the gourds filled with money and gold on the Chuseok day. We are going to wrap up this week’s Sounds of Korea, wishing you the joy and abundance of Hangawi.

Some parts from The Song of Heungbo / Sori Ahn Sook-sun