Toegyewon Sandaenori

Sandaenori is a mask dance that developed in Hanyang and the mid metropolitan region. From a nationwide perspective, Talchum originated in Haeseoh, Yaryu and Ogwangdae in Yeongnam and Sandarenori in the middle

regions. Although they are called by different terms, they are common in that they convey dramatic conflicts that encompass the public mentality using masks.

The Sandaedogam was installed during the reign of Gwanghaegun of the Joseon Dynasty. 'Sandae' means 'a stage as high as a mountain' and was a leisure event that was held nationally whenever the royal family held various events such as receiving foreign messengers or memorial services. It was abolished during the late Joseon Dynasty, however, and the performers began to make a living by performing in the markets outside the four city gates including Songpa and Aeogae. It is a dance that spread among the public and became localized. This was how Toegywon Sandaenori originated.

Toegyewon, Namyangju, directly led travellers from Gangwon-do and Hamgyeong-do during to Dongdaemun (East Gate) of Hanyang in the Joseon era. Supplies of charcoal, firewood, construction materials, grains, vegetables and tobacco were transported to Hanyang through this route. Toegyewon became the commercial base for merchants, and about a hundred stores including inns, restaurants and the butchers' filled the area around the Wangsukcheon Stream, and the cattle market flourished. Furthermore, its residents were mainly tobacco processors and sellers of firewood, and provided supplies of tobacco and firewood to Seoul. Toegyewon was a strategic point of importance in terms of traffic, and a flourished market for merchandise. These are the common characteristics that places where the mask dance such as the Sandaenori was born.

However, after records regarding the arrest of the Sandaenori performance during Daewongun's restoration of the Kyoungbok Palace, the Toegyewon Sandaenori rapidly declined in the 1920s under the Japanese rule. Imperialist Japan had prohibited crowds to gather under a commercial abolishment policy that prohibited people from trading in tobacco, and under the purpose of eradicating superstition. Also, it implemented policies to get rid of Joseon's traditional culture. In the year of liberation from Japan, it was performed for the last time during Chuseok(thanksgiving) but most of the performers had died and only a few remained. It is relayed that performers of Yangjubyeolsandaenori came to perform together.

Meanwhile, among the 16 Toegyewon Sandaenori masks that are stored in the Gyujanggak at Seoul National University, the Mokjung mask has the writing 'For Sandodaegam in Toegyewonri, Yangjugun' inscribed at the back. It not only helps further understanding of the important features of Sandaenori, but also, it is valuable evidence that reveals the essence of Toegyewon Sandaenori. According to reporters of historical investigation, Hwang-Bong Baek (bn. 1911) and Sa-Yoon Choi(bn. 1912), the Toegyewon Sandaenori was mainly performed at the Moraemadang (in front of the military base today) of the Wangsukcheon Stream on the 15th of the Lunar new year, the anniversary of the birth of Buddha (the eighth of April of the lunar calendar), the Dano festival(on the fifth of the fifth month of the year according to the lunar calendar), the Buddhist All soul's Day (July 15 of the lunar month), during the CChuseok holiday and the slack season on the farm in spring. The performers and Pungmul (instrumental farm music) performers would tour round the village to promote their performance, offer a sacrifice to the spirits at eonangdang, and gather on the performing stage at the stream.

During the spring agricultural off-season and Buddha's birthday, merchants of tobacco and restaurants would pay to invited Sori performers such as Chun-Jae Park, Man-Gap Song and Dong-Baek Lee, and held wrestling contests with calves as prizes during the Buddhist All soul's Day and CChuseok. They are said to have stayed up all night enjoying Sandaenori, tight rope walking and Namsadangnori. Wrestling and Sandaenori were held on the Moraemadang (amusement park) in front of today's military base, and tight rope walking and amsadangnori were held on the stage in front of the station. Recently, people with the common purpose of restoring regional traditional culture composed the 'Toegyewon Sandaenori Preservation Society' and are actively restoring the traditional performances. The Toegyewon Sandaenori, similar to general mask dances, is composed of three acts : beginning ('Apnori'), main ('Bonnori') and end (‘Dwitnori'). The beginning (gilnori) is similar to Daedongnori and simultaneously, it is proposing and very much like Shinmyoungnori. This informs all members of the village that a performance will soon be held, and induces emotional participation and response from the audience. Daedongnori and Shinmyoungnori are characterized by gilnori.

After the gilnori and before the main act, a Confucianist offering to spirits is held, and this shows that it is strictly founded upon the proposing characteristic of the mask dance. Also, the proposing characteristic of the beginning act mutually corresponds with the shaman's exorcism performance that comforts the revengeful spirit of Mial Halmi of the last act. The shaman's exorcism performance reflects the true conditions of Shinmyoungpuri and Hanpuri (revenging oneself).

The main performance 'Bonnori' is composed of 12 episodes, and has three main themes. The first is an xaggeration that satirically shows the degradation of young buddhist monks. First it shows the state of impassivity and the daring defeat of the old monk by a young monk with unparalled strength. The second episode satirically shows the problems surrounding social classes through a contest between the nobility and their servant. In particular, as the Swetoogi called 'Euimaksaryoung', joins in, the satire in the act is maximized. The third episode seriously challenges patriarchal power through the conflict between Shinharabi and Mialhalmi. These facts prove that the Sandaenori is a play that expresses the public mentality.

The last act 'Dwitnori' is also called 'Dwitpuri', and it is a feast where the performers and audience unite to dance merrily, and harmonize. Composed of apnroi, bonnori and dwitnori, the Toegyewon Sandaenori is a standard mask dance. It has common subjects with the mask dance 'Talnroi' of Sandodaegam. Together with oral culture, they expose the reality of their days through fallen monks, ruined nobility, shamans, ancestral shrines, and the roles of servants and both young and old good people. Through them, they relay satire, lewdness, laughter and lamentation. The themes can largely be divided into Pagaeseungnori and Yangbannori. Both are gamyeonnori(mask dances) of the people that express and comfort the joys and sorrows of the common people through plays.

The Toegyewon Sandaenori was restored in the late 1990s, in about 60 years. It is invited to perform all over the nation including at the Dasan Cultural Festival of Namyangju and the Dano Regular Performance. It holds seven or eight performances every year, and according to the order of restoration, the 12 episodes are as follows.

Gilnori (Georigoot(Street exorcism)) - Seomakgosa (Opening offering)

1. 1. Sangjwa dance
2. 2. Omjung and Sangjwanori
3. 3. Mokjungnori
4. 4. Lotus leaf and Noonkumjeoknori
5. 5. Chimnori
6. 6. Aesadangnori
7. 7. Palmokjung and Nojang(old people)nori
8. 8. Shinjangsunori
9. 9. Chuibarinori
10. 10. Euimaksaryoungnori(Cheongjigi; Maltooknori)
11. 11. Podobujangnori
12. 12. Shinharabi and Miyalhalminori

Dwitnori