Development of 'Pansori'

The oldest material on pansori discovered till now is 200 pieces of hansi saseol of Chunhyangga in [Manhwa Book] written by Manhwa Yu Jin Han in King Yeongjo 30(1754). Then, there was a custom that when a person passed a public official selecting examination, he invited gwangdae or jaein, had a festival for three days, and performed ceremony. But, Song Jae Man, a poor scholar in King Jeongjo, couldn't open a festival, and wrote a composition. Song Man Jae introduced 12 pieces of 'pansori' such as Simcheongga, Chunhyangga, Heungboga,Sugungga, Jeokbyeokka, Byeongangsoega, Baebijangtaryeong, Jangkkitaryeong, Onggojip, Waljataryeong (Musugitaryeong), Gangreungmaehwajeon, Gajjasinseontaryeong(Sugyeongnangjajeon) in [Gwan U Hi]. This day, five pieces such as Chunhyangga, Heungboga, Sugungga, Jeokbyeokka, and Simcheongga remain. Their subjects are samgang oryun(three principles and five ethics).

There were cerebrated singers such as U Chun Dae, Ha Eun Dam, and Choi Seon Dal ion King Yeongjo. There were cerebrated singers such as Gwon Sam Deuk, Song Heung Gap, Yeom Gye Dal, Go SuGwan, Kim Je Cheol, Ju Deok Ki Hwang Hae Cheon, Park Yu Cheon, and Song Gwang Rok around King Sunjo, of whom eight artists are called 'prior period 8 cerebrated singers'. Then musical level got promoted greatly, and Gwon Sam Deuk's Seolleongje, Mo Heung Gap's Gangsanje(Donggangsanje), Yeomgyedal. Go Su Gwan's Gyeongdereum and Chucheonmok, Kim Je Cheol. Sin Man Cheol's Seok Hwa Je appeared with peculiarity in music. In addition, Song Heung Rok called King of Song, completed jinyang beat.
Song Heung Rok, born in Unbong, Namwon, is an origin of dongpyeonje, Park Yu Jeon, born in Sunchang and growing up in Boseong, is an origin of seopyeonje, and Yeom Ge Dal, born in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do, is an origin of Junggoje. Park Yu Jeon lived in Gangsan, Boseong for a long time, and his rules on sori is called gangsanje, especially seogangsanje, which is discriminated from donggangsanje. The classification of dongpyeon and seopyeon is based on mountains versus field, or Seomjin Riv.
Because of geographical property, dongpyeonje is fast, magnificent, and high, but seopyeonje is slow, sad, and skillful.
Park Man Sun, Lee Nal Chi, Song U Ryung, Kim Seo Jong, Jang Ja Baek, Jeong Chun Pung, Lim Chan Eop, Kim Jeong Geun, Han Song Hak performed around King Cheoljong, of whom selected eight persons are called prior 8 cerebrated singers. At the prior period, 'pansori' was classified into dongpyeonje, seopyeonje, and junggoje, and at the latter period, the group peculiarities and musical peculiarities got fixed and deep more. At the latter period, eight cerebrated singers succeeded the 'pansori groups; Park Man Sun, Song U Ryong, Kim Se Jong, Jang Ja Baek, Kim Chan Eop succeeded dongpyeonje, Lee Nal Chi succeeded seopyeonje, and Kim Jeong Geun, Han Song Hak succeeded junggoje.
The latter period of King Gojong and 1930s when our country was governed by Japan are five cerebrated singers' age. Five persons of Kim Chang Wan, Song Man Gap, Lee Dong Baek, Kim Chang Ryeong, Jeong Jeong Ryeol, Park Ki Hong, Ryu Seong Jun, Kim Chae Man, Jeon Do Seong are called five cerebrated singers. Generally, Song Man Gap, Lee Dong Baek, Kim Chang Wan, Kim Chang Ryong, and Jeong Jeong Ryeol are said to be five cerebrated singers. After 1940, Kim Jeong Mun, Jeong Eung Min, Gong Chang Sik, Jang Pan Gae, Jo Mong Sil, Im Bang Ul, Kim Yeon Su, Park Dong Sil, Jeong Gwang Sil, and Seong Won Mok, men cerebrated singers, and ihwajungseon, Park Nok Ju, Kim Yeo Ran, Park Cho Wol, Kim So Hi, women cerebrated singers, performed.
'Pansori' had a confirmable position as an independent artistic genre in 18C. Till the time, general citizens' agreement was an absolute support. Afterwards, pansori changed into the contents appropriate to the upper class, loved and concerned by them gradually. The upper class had a big concernment on reversion and correction of song words. At the latter of 19C, Sin Jae Hyo(1882~1884) arranged six pieces of 'pansori on the transference through vocal by himself. He, public officer belonging to middle class, cultivated and supported many trainees at the basis of abundant fund. The first woman singer, Jin Chae Seon, was his trainee.