P’ungmul

P'ungmul

P’ungmul, outdoor group percussion of drums, dances, and acrobatics with regional variations, energized the communal village life throughout Korean history. Its venues included religious ceremonies, labor, leisure, and various other celebratory occasions. Its intricate rhythmic variation, symbolic primary colors worn over farmer’s white costumes, flags on poles brandishing such inspiring messages as “Farmers are the primary foundation under heaven!”, and the piercing barbarian trumpets, draw excitement and high spirits from the audience. The percussion instruments played are symbols of nature: the piercing sound of the kkwaenggari (a small gong) is lightning and thunder; the gentle reverberation of the ching (a large gong) is wind; the artful beatings on the changgo (an hourglass drum) are the pitter-patters of rain; the tubular acoustics of the puk (a barrel shaped drum) resemble the gentle abundance of cumulus clouds. A blessing for the entire community, p’ungmul was produced with donations from each and every household. The highlight of p’ungmul performance is p’ankut, designated as Korean Intangible Cultural Asset No. 11, where talented players showcase the best of their regional rhythmic variation and choreography.