The Hahoe masks have a massive significance in Koran culture; the original masks have even been designated national treasure No.121. I have already been to many places (other than the Maskdance festival) where you can buy copies of the masks (some better made than others!).

The man who developed the Hahoe masks and the Hahoe maskdance drama is reported to be Ho Doryong (the man in the legend of the masks). It is said Ho Doryong developed the drama in Hahoe around the middle of the Karyo Dynasty (11 century).

Originally there were more masks then remain today although there is some discrepancy as to how many! A leaflet I was given at the festival says there was originally 12 masks, but only lists 11! Where as the Hahoe Mask Museum website says there was 14 masks and lists: two lions (Chuji), a bride (Kaksi), an aristocrat (Yangban), a scholar (Sonbi), a depraved Buddhist monk (Chung), a butcher (Paekchong), a hasty scatter brained medler (Ch’oraengi), an old widow (Halmi), a fool (Imae), a flirtatious young woman (Pune), a bachelor, an outhouse, and a hulk. The outhouse, bachelor and hulk masks were lost a long time ago but no one knows exactly when and why they were not handed down.

At the festival I was given a leaflet about the masks written in both Korean and English. Although there is much more detail written in Korean the leaflet provides some good information about the masks. It says:

The masks represent spiritual characteristics from a religious point of view, but have an artistic aspect as well.

They are the oldest masks in Korea and are made with narrow eyes, a raised-up nose, and a moderate expression in the deeply set eyes. The structure was made technically to have dancing features.

The slightly opened eyes and half-open mouth give the face a muscular but harmonised expression. By bowing the head, the mask takes on a sad and pessimistic expression but by raising the head, the mask appears to change into a gay and smiling expression. The viewer sees the expression in response to his own angle and view and inner feelings. The masks can simultaneously show human feelings of joy, anger, love and pleasure.

The chin piece moves independently, causing various changes in expression. It is remarkable that such a fixed object as a mask can be made to show such a wide range and variety of expressions.

The original masks were made from alder wood that was coated with paper and painted with two or three coats of pigment and lacquer. The various colours also create special effects.

More information on the Hahoe masks can be found here.

There is a legend behind the making of the masks that explain why Imae (the fool) doesn’t have a chin.

According to my leaflet:

Ho Doryong, the maker of the masks, was in love with a beautiful maiden. The two lovers met every night and had promised to marry in the future.

One day Ho Doryong received a revelation from god telling him to make the masks for the Pyolsin Drama. Whilst he was making the masks he put up cords to keep everyone out and did not bathe or go outside until the masks were completed. His lover, the maiden, was waiting for Ho Doryong to meet her but he did not show up. At last, forgetting that she was an unmarried virgin she decided to visit Ho Doryong.

When she arrived at his house she found him working on something in a lit room. With longing in her heart she called out to him from in front of his room, but he would not reply. She tried to open the door but it was closed tightly and he would not open it. She was so eager to see him that she made a hole in the door (it was made of paper) with her finger.

At that moment having completed 13 masks, Ho Dorong was working on the chin of the last mask. But he died vomiting blood for having become impure since he was seen by a virgin.

As a result Imae, is the only of the Hahoe masks not to have a chin.

I have seen this legend retold in many different places, in each place the details differ very slightly. This account gives the most details (and so is probably the least accurate, but you get the picture).

I do find it very odd that after meeting his virgin maiden every night Ho Doryong only became impure from being seen by her whilst he is making the masks?! Maybe it was because of the revelation from god? In another version of the legend it said they had never seen each other before, but that the virgin was ardently in love with him. I also find this odd. How could a virgin maiden be that in love with a man she has never seen?

I’m confused, my head hurts……Oh well, I guess that is what happens when you start comparing versions of legends.

Time to log off. Watch this space for our experiences of watching the Hahoe maskdance drama.

* Posted by j150vsc on 08/11/2006.