▲ Hosangnori

Sanyeosori and Hosangnori

Sanyeosori is a song sung when the deceased are carried to the grave, an eternal resting place. Sanyeosori’s rhythm varies from region to region. Hosang implies a funeral for the deceased who were blessed with rich lives and longevity with many descendants.

Hosangnori is one of the valuable traditional folk arts. It serves as a kind of requiem sung by a parade leader (Sunsorikun) pallbearers as they carry the deceased’s bier. Some Nori (play) features have been added to create a new form of folk art. 

 

Sanyeosori Recreated Chosun’s Traditional Funeral Rites

Hosangnori of Seosan Wungsoseong-ri implies “Sangyeosori (requiem)” with the form of front and rear singing. Sunsorikun (the leader of the funeral procession) sings first and the rest of pallbearers sing next.

The Wungsoseong-ri village people who demonstrated the very unique and solemn funeral rites, Hosangnori, carried the dead in the Sangyeo (a funeral bier) just 10 years before.

The village name of “Wungsoseong-ri” derives from Wungsoseong which is a mud fortress located at the end of South of Haemi-myeon, Seosan-si. Haemi-myeon was the central region for military administration under the Chungcheong.byeong.ma.jeol.do.sa.young(Army Central Command of Chungcheong in the Chosun Dynasty).

The characteristics of Wungsoseong-ri Hosangnori inherited from Chosun without modification are unique to reflect the dead’s remorseful feelings by using the Sunsorikun’s front parts which signify sorrow and a longing for one’s youth.

In the middle part, the song illustrates the process of treating illness and repeated failures, so the song also suggests not regretting after the death but cultivating virtues during one’s life. The ending part is praying for blessings by building a tomb in a propitious site.

 

Transforming the Chungnam’s Tradition to the Beauty of Art

Various works of art can be created from folklore. Moreover, the more the regional characteristics there are to reflect, the better arts can be created. This generalization was proven by the case of Chungnam delegation’s being awarded the Presidential Prize in the 55th Korean Folk Art Festival.

Chungnam’s unique customs were sublimated as an art. This occasion marks the first victory for Chungnam in 19 years since Danjabkinori was awarded in 1995.

Meanwhile, the Korean Folk Art Festival, which aimed to locate and preserving 140 kinds of traditional arts such as the Ganggansule and the Namsadangnori will also continue to discover excellent local intangible heritages.

Through the festival, “Eunsan Byeolsinje” in Buyeo, “Gyolseongnongyo” in Hongseong, and “Yeonsan Baekjungnori” in Nonsan of Chungnam were designated as the intangible heritage of Chungcheongnam-do.