♪┏(・o・)┛♪ 안동: Our mentor project field trip!
- Lia <3
- May 12, 2022
- 3 min read
ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Paradise - Rude-a
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:43
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
During the NSLI-Y program, we got to work with a university student on a research project covering any topic of our interest for the entire semester! So, for my topic I had to choose something related to musical theater, of course.
^^ Here's a performance of 사랑가, one of the five main 판소리 마당 (Pansori stories)
We researched the traditional performing art of 판소리 and 탈춤 (Pansori and Talchum). But, we didn't just do surface-level online research, we interviewed a real 소리꾼 (Pansori performer), and traveled to 안동 (Andong), the place of origin for 탈춤 we know today.
^^ We rode the KTX train for about 2 hours to get to 안동, we left at around 8 am, so we just slept on the train mostly.
The scenery was so green and beautiful while we rode the train!
Another strange thing I noticed was that nobody checked our tickets upon boarding the train. On both the trip to and from 안동, the train was mostly empty.
Once we got to 안동, we visited the mask museum to learn about the masks used in 탈춤 performances.
^^ this is a lion mask, but I really liked it because it looks like Appa from Avatar: the Last Airbender.
The museum not only showcased masks from Korean history, but also from masks around the world!
We also got to read about the purposes for the masks. Much like 탈춤, a lot of the mask dances were performed to fend off diseases and to bring a good harvest for the year. It was so interesting how completely different cultures on different sides of the globe could hold so much in common!
For lunch, we had 찜닭 (Steamed chicken), 안동's most famous dish!
It was absolutely amazing! One of my favorite parts, however, were the 반잔 served with the meal. The white pinwheel-looking things were actually Lotus root. It was so good! Very crisp, and slightly sweet.
^^ The restaraunt was mostly empty, and really contrasted the upscale, polished cafes of Seoul. At one point, a few birds flew into the restaraunt, too.
The buildings in 하회마을 in 안동 were built during the Joseon dynasty, which is why they have 한옥 architecture. It was absolutely beautiful walking around the village!
^^ Our mentor explained to us that back in the old days, when marriages were arranged, forbidden lovers would often write secret letters to one another by wedging them underneath the shingles on the walls surrounding eachother's homes.
If I were born during the 17th century, I too would stach secret love letters in the walls against my parents' wishes.
Next we went to an ancient Zelkova tree that was said to grant wishes!
I also wrote a wish on the provided pieces of paper and tied it to the ropes surrounding the tree. It seemd like the ropes were exhausted from the weight of everyone's desires, and I felt a slight sting while adding my wish to the load. I realized I was no differnet from everyone else: wanting more in life. Strangely, the tree gave me a chance to reflect on everything I already had in my life, and made me grateful for the opportunities I've been given, the friends and family I have surrounding me, my mental and physical health, and my future. What a wonderful tree.
^^ Next we saw the 탈춤 performance!
We entered the ampitheater and sat on provided cushions to watch the mask dance. Overall, it was really fun! The performers often interacted with the audience and made lots of jokes. I couldn't understand all of it but there were descriptions of the scenes displayed in English on the screen behind the performers, which helped immensly.
A lot of the performances played with social commentart, and although I didn't get it on video, the cow in this bit came out wearing a mask at first to poke fun at the mask mandate in Korea!
I loved watching the 사물놀이 band, especially because we had taken a cultural class about how to play their instuments! During the cultural class, I played the 꽹과리, which is the tiny gold cymbal-looking instrument. This player is the leader of the 사물놀이 band.
Here are a few more pictures of the village. I'm so glad we went in spring, as the scenery was breath-taking.
After the perfomence, we went into town to get dinner at a 빵집 (bakery), which was really fun a absolutely delicious.
Thank you, 안동, for sharing your history, culture, and delicious food with us that day!
Comments