Tongyeong Gwonbeon’s dance and activities during the Japanese colonial period

The purpose of this study is to examine the records of Tongyeong Gyobang, the dances of Tongyeong-Gwonbeon, and the activities of Tongyeong-Gisaengs during the Japanese colonial period after the dissolution of Tongjeyeong in 1896. During the Joseon Dynasty, there was an organisation which governed music and art performed by Gisaengs, called Gyobang or Gisaengcheong. Tongyeongji revealed that this organisation was also in Tongyeong. Records of the types of dances performed in Tongyeong-Gyobang can be inferred from Nam Il-won’s poetry, ‘Tonghaebaekpalsa’ and Oh Hoeng-muk’s ‘Record of the visit to Tongjeyeong’ During the Japanese colonial period, the Joseon government’s official Gisaengs formed the Gisaeng Association and worked independently after the dissolution of Gyobang. Like other Gyobangs, Tongyeong-Gyobang was disbanded with the closure of Tongjeyeong, but it maintained its existence through the establishment of the Gisaeng Association. In addition to their regular jobs, Gisaengs in Tongyeong not only contributed to social events for organisations through performances, but they also participated in various social movements, such as making donations to various social projects to establish themselves as members of society. Furthermore, during the Independence Movement Day (samil-undong), Gisaengs took the lead in the independence movement to regain national sovereignty that had been taken away. Suwon, Tongyeong, and Jinju were the representative places. By 1921, the Gisaeng union of Tongyeong-Gyobang and the musicians union of Chwigosucheong merged. Gwonbeon’s Gisaengs performed the sword dance, drum dance, standing dance, seungmu, towel dance, and gutgeori dance that were originally performed at the Gyobangcheong and Chwigosucheong. The traditional music, song and dance were performed through the Gisaeng Association. Among these the Tongyeong Drum Dance in 1968 and the Tongyeong Sword Dance in 1987 were designated as important intangible cultural assets (current national intangible heritage) under the name of ‘Seungjeonmu’ and are being preserved and passed down.