Origin of 'Pansori'

It seems that 'pansori' originates from 'mujoga' in Jeollabuk-do included in sinawi area of the south of Han River. Nowadays, there are some similarities with 'pansori' in stanza forms, beats, and pitches of a seosamuga sung by dangols in the area of sinawi. So, 'pansori', as a kind of new folk art, seems to be created by idealistic unification of realistic dissatisfaction and new needs of abruptly growing common people and the dancers dreaming a position, for they wanted to change into upper class from the lowest class in the course of Imjin Japanese Invasion and Byeongja Ching Invasion in 17C.
There is no knowing in detail when, how, and by whom 'sori' began to be sung. Let this author presume them through a lot of factors constructing 'pansori'. 'Pansori' is 'a singing style of long songs.' That is, there should be a story, as a basis of 'pansori', the needs to sing and persons to sing so that 'pansori' can be composed.
A story as a basis of' pansori' is called a root folk story, which has descended from the inside of our race since the ancient age. The root folk story of [sugungga] is said to be 'The Hare & The Tortoise' written in {Three Nations' History}. Sun Do Hae, subject of Goguryo, told Kim Chun Chu this story in a prison, for he was sentenced to death, when KimChun Chu went to Goguryo to ask soldiers, but he was mistaken to be a spy.
Some people say that the root folk story of {Simcheong Song} is 'A Filial Jieun' written in {A History of Three Nations}. As discussed, a root story of 'pansory' is transmitted from generation to generation in the inside of our race from the ancient time. A famous root folk story of {Chunhyangga} is presented in Songnam Miscellany written by Jo Jae Sam(a literal scholar in King Sunjo. Lee Doryeong, chief of Namwon-bu, went to Seoul, after he loved a young service girl, Chunyang. But she died of stroke by new sato, Tak Jong Rip, because she didn't accept his sex proposal. After days went by, composers grieved over and admired her love to dissolve her resentment, composing a song. Sometimes 'A Legend of Bakseok Pass' is mentioned as a root folk story of [Chunhyangga]. Chunhyang, almost ugly woman in the world and a daughter of Wolmae who was a public serving woman, loved Lee Do Ryeong one-sidedly and got sick. Wolmae devised a scheme and made them have a sex relation a night, but Lee Do Ryeong went to Seoul as if he didn't have any relation with Chunhyang. After all, Chunhyang killed herself. Chunhyang's vindictive spirit killed satoes on the date when they proceeded to their posts, and Lee Do Ryeong, who passed the public official selecting examination, went down, composed Chunhyang's biography, performed a sacrificial rite, and made gwangdae perform the composition.
But, pansori, as a work, is composed of many folk stories, not only one. It is why manystories are mixed and became long and complicated ones. But, the root folk stories of [Chunhyangga] presented above gives an important hint in relation with generation of 'pansori'. First of all, 'pansori' is performed by a gwangdae. It means that it started from gut to dissolve Chunhyang's vindictive spirit. Then, it would need to perform a long song, and somebody perform the song. That is, shamans performed the song to console vindictive spirit in misfortune. It is why the gut is performed by a shaman.
Like this, 'pansori' would begin from gut by a gwandae and develop into 'pansori'. In addition, Chunhyang who died resentfully would change into Chunhyang who almost died. In addition, the almost ugly appearance would change into a beautiful appearance.
'Pansori' roots in our race's life and culture deeply and transmits from generation to generation, changing for a long time, and the origin must go back to the historical root of our race. So some scholars including Jeong No Sik go back to Hwarang music in Shilla Dynasty, when they grope for its origin. But, 'pansori' seems to have changed and developed into the style we can recognize before so long. The period is not clear.
The first time the existence of 'pansori' can be recognized through literatures is around King Yeongjo. The oldest record on 'pansori' which can be known through literature is [200 pieces of gasa Chunhyangs in {Manhwajip} written by Manhwajae and Yu Jin Han in King Yeongjo. The writer, Yu Jin Han, was a sixth grandson of Yu Mong In, writer of {Eouyadam} and scholar known at the center of the area of Cheonan in King Yeonjo. A composition written by Geum, his son, says that Yu Jin Han was born in 38th year from King Sukjong(1711) and died in 15th year from King Jeongjo(1791). One of Geum's compositions, [A Record on Homes Centering on Hearing & Listening] says, "My father went around Honam Region to the south in gyeyunyeon(1753), and composed a piece of Chunhyangga, after he returned to the house in spring next year, but many scholars rebuked him at that time. So it means that Yu Jin Han composed [Chunhyangga] in 1754.
At the end of [Chunhyangga], there is a sentence, "This old poet composes song words of taryeong." So, [Manhwa version Chunhyangga] written by Yu Jin Han would be composed by transferring gasa of taryeong([Chunhyangga]) into hansi which he listened to in Honam. This poem makes it possible to suspect that [Chunhyangga] would be composed already in Honam Region and recited as a song, and in addition, it would be so polished that a Chungcheong-do scholar could translate it into hansi. Especially, he composed 'pansori', after he went around Honam Region, so there would be no 'pansori' in Chungcheong-do Region, or if any, it would not be distributed so widely.
The content of [Manhwa version Chunhyangga] is similar to that of modern [Chunhyangga] very much. Long stories are reversed into short hansies, but detailed contents are not known now. However, the summarized story and characters are in accordance with those of modern one. So the period when [Chunhyangga] originated really will go back before long. The sori entertainers in this period will be Ha Han Dam(or Eun Dam), Choi Seon Dal, and U Chun Dae etc. U Chun Dae appears in a poem named Gwan U Hi written by Song Man Jae, which seems to be written in around 1810.

All of the persons in Hanyang talk about U Chun Dae
, But nowadays, who can succeed his sori well?
Whenever he finishes a piece of sori,
one thousand pills of silk are stocked in front of wine trunk.
But, Gwon Sam Deuk and Mo Hong Gap are famous as boys.

This poem says that U Chun Dae was a cerebrated singer, his name was known widely in 1810s, and a successor was a big concernment. So it seems that U Chun Dae began to perform at the end of 18C. There is no knowing about U Chun Dae, and Ha Han Dam and Choi Seon Dal were known to be daebang and dosanju of Jeonju sincheong. 'Sincheong' is an organization constructed by men shamans (men belonging to shaman family), and at that time, they engaged in many entertainments. Daebang is a chief of sincheong in each 'do'(province), and dosanju is a position which takes a role of assisting daebang. There were two persons. Some say that Choi Seon Dal is from Gyeolseong, Chungcheong-do. But, Ha Han Dam's name appears on the composition about public offices' dealing against gwangdae group complaints, gapsinwanmun, and he was almost surely a daebang of Jeonju sincheong. This fact makes it possible to suspect that the neighboring regions of Jeonju will take decisive roles at the early period of 'pansori' history.
There is another point valuable to give an attention to [Gwanuhi]. Song Man Jae said, "I write this poem because in our country we invite gwangdae and jaein and to watch and listen to songs and gifts. But I cannot open a field of play because I am not so rich, though my son passed the examination in this spring. This paragraph makes it possible to know that 'pansori' performers were invited to a cerebration festival at the beginning, when somebody pass the public official selecting examination. Though pansori existed as a gut at the beginning, it existed as a festival for cerebrating important chance in life. But, 'pansori' would be simpler and poorer in musical property or facility at the beginning than now. The 'pansori' with high artistic property like that of this time was accomplished by gwangdaes who were born at much more future generation. As discussed above, 'pansori' began to be performed by gwangdae, especially men shamans. So the beat or vocalization of pansori is almost the same as that of shamans. Pansori performers, in most cases, were from shaman family living in the namdo regions So, a theory that 'pansori originates from shamans is 'A Theory of Origin from Shamans." 'Pansori' is similar to [yukjabaegi], namdominyo in the aspect of musical property. Of course, Music included in 'pansori' is not the same as that included in [Yukjabaegi] in all cases. Gyemyeonjo , sad melody, in 'pansori' is the same as [yukjabaegi]. The theory that 'pansori' is from yukjabaegi, namdo folk song, is ' Theory of the Origin of Yukjabaegi Tori'. 'Tori' is a regional property in folk music melody. Recently, some assert that 'pansori is from Gwangdae sori of Changu group, one of gambler group, prevalent in Josum Dynasty. Changu Group, in the course of gambling, is a group which have special skills in singing. But, ' A Theory of Origin from Shamans', ' Theory of the Origin of Yukjabaegi Tori', and A Theory of Origin from Gambling'are not different from each other in the fundamental meaning.
It is why namdo shaman songs are composed of yukjabaegitori, and changu group have close relations with shaman family such as gwangdaes performing 'pansori'. So, 'pansori' almost surely was created, having a deep relation with shaman songs of namdo regions. As 'pansori' popular in the stream of history wins popularity, a lot of books where pansori song words were written were published. They are the kinds of pansory novel such as [Chunhyangjeon] and [Simcheongjeon]. Of course, 'pasnori' words were not transferred into novels as they were. Pansori is a song, and novel is a material for reading. Of course, it changes into a material convenient to read in the course of transference.
Some of 'pansori' disappear in the course of performance. In addition, 'pansori' is not performed from the beginning to the end, but performed partly in most cases. So, its beginning part and end part have not to be coincident without fail. But, books demand coincidence, and they were given amendment in the aspects in some degree.
Going through the courses, a large-scale pansori literature was established. But, 'pansori' literature and 'pansori' are different from each other, and you should not be confused.