There is an old saying in Korea that you should never deal with someone who hasn’t read “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, nor with someone who has read it more than three times. That’s because a person who has never read it is considered too ignorant, while those who have read it more than three times are thought to be too wise. “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” a novel written by Luo Guanzhong, is touted as one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese Literature. The iconic novel shows various ways people respond to a wide range of situations. Some characters stay true until the very end, while some remain conniving and selfish throughout their lives. Many characters wasted their lives and even died during their often futile struggles for power. While reading this story, you can’t help but wonder which character you most resemble. “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” is one of the most widely read literary works in Korea and has been reinvented in various forms such as comic books, traditional opera, and films. One of Korean people’s favorite part in the novel is where sage advisor Zhuge Liang prays for southeasterly winds. That’s the part included in Korea’s western province folk song “Gongmyeongga (공명가),” and we will listen to the version sung by Kim Kwang-sook now.
Music 1: Gongmyeongga/ Sung by Kim Kwang-sook
In reality, Zhuge Liang didn’t play a critical role in defeating Cao Cao’s army. However, in the novel he is described as a man of amazing abilities and deep insight, who was pivotal in securing victory. The scene in which he prays for the southeasterly wind is among his most notable achievements. Cao Cao’s forces and Sun Quan’s troops confront each other across the Yangtze River, just moments away from a big battle. The best way for Sun Quan to secure victory was to set fire to Cao Cao’s fleet, but the wind was not helping at all. The winds were blowing from the northwest, the opposite direction that Sun Quan wanted. That was when Zhuge Liang attempted to change the direction of the wind. He built an altar and prayed for five days. Then amazingly the wind began to blow from the southeast. Realizing that Zhuge Liang is not an ordinary political advisor, Sun Quan’s general Zhou Yu attempted to eliminate the talented Zhuge, fearing that he would become a future threat to his reign. But Zhuge Liang, who was already onto Zhou Yu’s plan, thwarted the assassination attempts, compelling Zhou Yu to cooperate with him in defeating Cao Cao’s army.
Music 2: A passage from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”/ Sung by Han Seung-seok
The passage you just heard was sung by Han Seung-seok and describes how Zhuge Liang escapes from Zhou Yu’s deadly attack. It is one of the most exciting passages in the pansori “Jeokbyeokga (적벽가)” or “The Battle of the Red Cliffs.” The Red Cliffs are located somewhere in the middle of the Yangtze River and that is where Cao Cao’s troops were destroyed by Sun Quan’s fiery attack. The troops in those days probably consisted largely of ordinary folks who had loved ones waiting for them back home. The pansori “Jeokbyeokga” describes the sorrows of those ordinary people whose only wish is to return home safe and sound. Their vengeful souls must be lingering among the red cliffs along the Yangtze River. Later Su Tungpo, a renowned poet and statesman of the Song Dynasty, wrote a poem titled “The Red Cliffs” about the futility of life, as he sailed down the river on his way to exile. In Korea, this poem has been passed down in various forms of song. Today we wrap up Sounds of Korea with one of the Korean versions of Su Tungpo’s poem “The Red Cliffs”, which is sung by Muk Gye-wol and Park Yun-jeong.
Music 3: The Red Cliffs/ Sung by Muk Gye-wol and Park Yun-jeong