Hyangga
Encyclopedia
Hyangga were poems written in the native writing system, composed in the Three Kingdoms
, Unified Silla
and early Goryeo
periods of Korean history. Only a few have survived. The total number of extant hyangga ranges between 25 and 27, depending on whether certain hyangga are regarded as authentic or not.
s in a system known as hyangchal
. They are believed to have been first written down in the Goryeo
period, as the style was already beginning to fade. 14 hyangga are recorded in the Samguk Yusa
, and 11 in the Gyunyeojeon. Wihong, the husband of Queen Jinseong of Silla
, and the monk Taegu-Hwasang compiled a book about hyanggas.
The name hyangga is formed from the character for "back-country" or "rural village" (used by Silla people in describing their nation) and the character for "song." These poems are accordingly also sometimes known as "Silla songs."
Hyangga are characterized by a number of formal rules. The poems may consist of four, eight or ten lines. The ten-line poems are the most developed, structured into three sections with four, four, and two lines respectively. Many of the ten-line poems were written by Buddhist monks, thus Buddhist themes predominate the poems.
Another dominant theme was "death". Many of the poems are eulogies
to monks, to warriors, and to family members -- in one case, a sister. The Silla period, especially before unification
in 668
was a time of warfare and the hyangga capture the sorrow of mourning for the dead while Buddhism provided answers about where the dead go and the afterlife.
(or Amitabha
- the Buddha of the Western paradise). The poem's authorship is somewhat unclear; it was either written by a monk named Gwangdeok (hangul
:광덕 hanja
:廣德) or, one source says, the monk's wife.
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
, Unified Silla
Unified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
and early Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
periods of Korean history. Only a few have survived. The total number of extant hyangga ranges between 25 and 27, depending on whether certain hyangga are regarded as authentic or not.
Features
The hyangga were written in using Chinese characterChinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
s in a system known as hyangchal
Hyangchal
Hyangchal is an archaic writing system of Korea and was used to transcribe the Korean language in hanja. Under the hyangchal system, Chinese characters were given a Korean reading based on the syllable associated with the character. The hyangchal writing system is often classified as a...
. They are believed to have been first written down in the Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
period, as the style was already beginning to fade. 14 hyangga are recorded in the Samguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period.The text was written in Classical Chinese, which was...
, and 11 in the Gyunyeojeon. Wihong, the husband of Queen Jinseong of Silla
Jinseong of Silla
Queen Jinseong of Silla was the fifty-first to ruler of the Korean kingdom, Silla. She was also Silla's third and final reigning queen . Her reign saw the end of Unified Silla and the beginning of the Later Three Kingdoms period.Jinseong was the daughter of King Gyeongmun...
, and the monk Taegu-Hwasang compiled a book about hyanggas.
The name hyangga is formed from the character for "back-country" or "rural village" (used by Silla people in describing their nation) and the character for "song." These poems are accordingly also sometimes known as "Silla songs."
Hyangga are characterized by a number of formal rules. The poems may consist of four, eight or ten lines. The ten-line poems are the most developed, structured into three sections with four, four, and two lines respectively. Many of the ten-line poems were written by Buddhist monks, thus Buddhist themes predominate the poems.
Another dominant theme was "death". Many of the poems are eulogies
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
to monks, to warriors, and to family members -- in one case, a sister. The Silla period, especially before unification
Unified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
in 668
668
Year 668 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 668 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Childeric II succeeds Clotaire III as King...
was a time of warfare and the hyangga capture the sorrow of mourning for the dead while Buddhism provided answers about where the dead go and the afterlife.
Example
A typical hyangga is "the Ode for Life Eternal", or perhaps, "the Ode for Nirvana". The poem is a song that calls upon the moon to convey the supplicant's prayer to the Western paradise, the home of AmitaAmita
Amita is a female Indian given name. The name means "infinite" in Sanskrit and is a wordstem of Amitabha. It can refer to:* Amita Bhushan, Indian politician* Amita Dhiri, English actress* Amita Kanekar, Indian writer* Amita Malik, Indian film critic...
(or Amitabha
Amitabha
Amitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
- the Buddha of the Western paradise). The poem's authorship is somewhat unclear; it was either written by a monk named Gwangdeok (hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
:광덕 hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
:廣德) or, one source says, the monk's wife.
| Idu | Medieval Korean | Modern Korean | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 願往生歌 | 원왕생가 | 왕생을 기원하는 노래 | Ode to Eternal Life (translation by Mark Peterson, 2006) |
| 月下伊低赤 | 달하 이제 | 달이여 이제 | Oh Moon! |
| 西方念丁去賜里遣 | 서방까정 가시리고 | 서방(西方) 넘어 가시려는고 | As you go to the west this night, |
| 無量壽佛前乃 | 무량수불전에 | 무량수불전(無量壽佛前)에 | I pray thee, go before the eternal Buddha, |
| 惱叱古音多可支白遣賜立 | 닛곰다가 살ㅂ고사서 | 일러서 사뢰옵소서 | And tell him that there is one here |
| 誓音深史隱尊衣希仰支 | 다짐 깊으샨 존에 울워러 | 다짐 깊으신 아미타불을 우러러 | Who adores Him of the deep oaths, |
| 兩手集刀花乎白良 | 두손 모도호살바 | 두 손을 모두어 | And chants daily with hands together, saying |
| 願往生願往生 | 원왕 생 원왕 생 | 왕생(往生)을 원하며 | Oh grant me eternal life, |
| 慕人有如白遣賜立 | 그럴 사람 있다 살ㅂ고사서 | 그리워하는 사람 있다 사뢰소서 | Oh grant me eternal life, |
| 阿耶 此身遣也置古 | 아으 이몸 기쳐두고 | 아아 이 몸을 남겨 놓고 | But alas, can any of the 48 vows be kept |
| 四十八大願成遣賜去 | 사십팔대원 일고살까 | 사십 팔 대원(大願) 이루실까 | While still trapped in this mortal frame? |