The First Stanza - 관습도감 (Royal Stanza)
NOTE: AN ENGLISH-KOREAN GLOSSARY HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR REFERENCE AT THE END OF THE ENTRY, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL READING.
-PROLOGUE-
The Choson Empire, circa 1425.
The state is enjoying an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity under the wise and sovereign rule of King Sejong. There are massive advancements in the fields of literature, natural sciences, and medicine.
But one crucial aspect of culture disappoints him: the lack of government support for music. The halls of the Palace are empty and bare; there is only silence. There are no more Royal Musicians; ever since his grandfather, Emperor Taejo, overthrew the weak and ineffective Koryo Dynasty to create Choson, the finer arts had been abandoned to focus on scientific progress.
To grant aspiring musicians a chance to have their voices heard, he creates the 관습도감: a school and training ground to nurture young musicians and teach them everything that is known, in order to train them in the ways of the Royal Musician, and perhaps, become one themselves.
관습도감 opens its doors in 1428, and soon gains a reputation for being a groundswell of fine arts and culture; in particular, a place where the talents of musicians are nurtured and grown.
But there is also cutthroat competition; the purpose of the 관습도감, after all, is to select the next Royal Musician, a position that assures lifelong comfort and recognition. Training is fierce. Exhibitions are fiercer, with instruments sometimes turning into weapons.
Twenty-five trainees are selected every year to undergo the harsh training required to even have a glimmer of hope at the coveted position. Young musicians, with nothing but their instruments on their backs, and voices from their throats, assemble from all over the country. Some from the mountains, some from the coasts, some from the cities, but they all have one thing in common: a passionate love of music.
-THE FIRST STANZA-
The newly re-named capital city of Seoul, 1432 (by Western reckoning).
Ever since the Second King of Choson, King Jeongjong, had moved the seat of government to Gaeseong and renamed it back to its original name of Seoul, it had steadily grown and now sits comfortably as the center of commerce, culture, and business in the Choson Peninsula. Ambassadors from the Chinese north routinely visit to share news and haggle over deals and treaties. Trading boats fill the Han River. The largest open-air market in the city covers over 25 dan.
Our story begins in a small - but not that small - village a few li away from the city center, nestled in the mountains…
---
“Hyun!”
The voice of a frustrated mother rang about the inner courtyard, shattering the peaceful morning air. The bluejays that made their homes in the branches of the decorative bonsai trees flapped their feathers in surprise.
She called again, her hands on the hips of her jeogori, her usually kind visage furrowed with a frown.
“Hyun!”
Silence.
She looked about the inner courtyard. It was a peaceful spot, inlaid with celadon bricks and broken up by patches of well-trimmed gardens with miniature bonsai trees and water lily ponds. It was surrounded on all four sides by the house, which was a grand affair, with a large sprawling floorplan, lacquered sliding doors, oak flooring, and ondol.
There was only one thing missing: the daughter.
“Hyun!”
She sighed in frustration and slipped into her gomusin, to look for her daughter herself. Muttering under her breath, she creaked the front doors open and stepped outside.
Nineteen years old and still without a suitor, she thought. That girl is going to be the shame of the family.
---
“Hey! Kim Taeyeon, wait for - ahhh!”
Losing her balance on a particularly mossy rock, Seo Hyun fell into the water with a splash.
Taeyeon snickered from the middle of the spruce-surrounded lake, standing waist-deep and wading towards her fallen friend. “Why, Madam Seo, you seem to have lost your balance.”
Pushing her wet hair out of her face, Hyun groaned. “My braid’s loose.”
Taeyeon started tying it back up. “It’s okay, I’ll do it for you.”
“My mother will kill me.”
“She won’t know.” Taeyeon consoled her.
“She does. Always.” Hyun adjusted her jeogori, which was slipping. “God, does this thing ever not slip?”
“If you hadn’t fallen into the water, maybe.”
“I want to wear men’s clothes. At least they don’t slip.”
Taeyeon pulled on her completed braid. “That’s crazy talk.”
Hyun patted her finished hair. “Well, for you, of course. You’re the eligible bachelorette, remember?”
Taeyeon grimaced. “If they knew what I get up to when I’m not pretending to be a lady, I wouldn’t be anymore…just like you.”
Hyun’s face fell. “Don’t bring it up. Mother’s already bringing it up ten times a day.” She imitated her expression. “You’re the shame of the family, a woman like you should be happily married, stop running around and learn how to be a good and obedient wife - ”
Taeyeon tutted. “At least your hanja skills are better than mine.” She consoled. “And you’re the only girl in greater Seoul who can perform a midair spin in a game of neulttwigi.”
“Neulttwigi isn’t going to get me married, unnie.”
Seeing her downcast look, Taeyeon tried to cheer her up. “Well, that’s a good thing. You don’t want to get married, do you?”
“Better than being an outcast, an old ahjumma.”
“You’ll find someone.” Taeyeon hoisted herself out of the water onto the rocks, where she had spread an extra set of clothes.
“Yeah…” Hyun said, still mired in worry.
From the distance, they could make out sounds coming from the village square.
“What’s going on?” Hyun asked.
Taeyeon cocked her ears. “Sounds like a crowd.”
Hyun squeezed the water out of her braid. Her heart sunk as a sudden thought entered her mind. “Maybe it’s an amhaeng-eosa?” She squealed.
“He came last month, remember?” Taeyeon rolled her eyes. “And it turned out he was already betrothed.”
“Oh, yeah…” Hyun let out a whine, and shuddered. “Good thing he was, otherwise my mother would’ve tried to - ”
“Come on.” Taeyeon pulled her out of the water. “Let’s go see what’s happening.”
“I can’t let my mother see me.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep a lookout.” She beckoned with her fingers. “Let’s go.”
---
In the village center, the normally peaceful square was filled with curious passerby.
“Gather ‘round, ladies and gentlemen!” A young man stood on an overturned crate. Next to him, another man was sitting down with a buk between his legs. He used two oversized drumsticks to create booming sounds that reverberated through the town center.
The standing man waited until the buk had finished vibrating, then announced: “Your once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear the music of the Gods!” He clapped his hands together.
The crowd gathered, a collection of ahjummas and schoolchildren on their way to school.
Taeyeon and Hyun made their way through the gaggle.
“Excuse me…I apologize…” Hyun kept her head down as they weaved their way through the gathering.
Taeyeon gasped. “They’re sorrikkun!”
Hyun craned her neck. “I don’t hear any music.”
“Shhh.” Taeyeon whispered. “Wow, there haven’t been any sorrikkun in our village in forever.”
The man onstage cleared his throat. The crowd fell silent.
Hyun noticed he had long, flowing brown hair that reached down to his chin. She grimaced. “He should really cut that or something.”
“His type travel all over the country, I don’t think they have much time to cut their hair.” Taeyeon mused.
“Well, he could at least - ”
Hyun’s sharp retort was cut short by a single, smooth, harmonic voice that washed over the crowd.
The man was singing. Quite beautifully.
Taeyeon gasped. “He’s singing Arirang.”
Around them, the crowd whispered among themselves. The Arirang? The song notorious for its high notes, nearly impossible to get right? The song that even the most seasoned sorrikkun ran away from?
Common knowledge would say that this young sorrikkun, wearing straw sandals, a plain white jeogori, and of about twenty years of age, would hardly be the expected frontrunner to completely nail one of the hardest songs in existence.
And yet, the man standing on the overturned crate was blowing their impressions out of the water.
Hyun closed her eyes and let the melody waft over her ears. “Mmmm…”
Beside her, Taeyeon was swaying gently to the music, ladylike appearances be damned.
The weaving stanzas interspersed nicely with the rolling beats of gently emanating thunder from the buk. The drummer, she noticed, looked to be a few years younger than the sorrikkun, and had an innocent look that looked like it would be easy to get used to.
The singer finished to enthusiastic applause to which Hyun gladly joined. He bowed deeply.
Taeyeon turned to her excitedly. “He’s eligible.”
Hyun grimaced. “Look at him.”
She turned and looked at the singer, now stepping down from the makeshift stage and leaping up on his cart. “He’s good-looking enough.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, you know. Just look at what he’s wearing.” She shuddered.
“Ahh…” Taeyeon sighed. “Yeah, you’re right.” Her eyes ran down his coarse white jacket, down to his straw sandals. “Shame. If he had been born to the right family, he could’ve become a court musician or something.”
Hyun flapped her hands around in front of her face. “I smell fleas.”
Taeyeon rolled her eyes, then gasped as she spotted someone a distance away. “It’s your mother!” She hissed.
Hyun paled and hid herself behind her friend. “What? Where?”
Taeyeon pointed. “There…”
She peeked from behind her shoulder. “Oh, that’s just perfect.” She groaned.
“I’ll cover for you. Run.”
“Thanks.”
---
“I think we should stay here for a few days.” The singer told the drummer, as they started up the oxen cart.
“Huh?”
“Are you listening to me, Kang Minhyuk?”
“Sorry, Yonghwa hyung. Busy with the reins.”
“Right. Anyways…maybe we should stay here for a while.”
“Why?” The drummer asked.
“The people are wealthy enough, and we got some good money today. Might not be so bad to build our reputation for a few days.” He shrugged.
Frowning, Minhyuk tossed his drumsticks behind the seat into the bale of hay behind them. “I don’t - ”
“Ow!”
The two of the simultaneously turned.
“What was that?”
The bale of hay rustled.
Minyuk halted the oxen. “Okay, whoever you are. Come on out.”
A hand peeked out from underneath the hay and motioned at them. “Go a bit farther.” It was a female voice.
Yonghwa and Minhyuk exchanged glances. “It would be an honor if we knew who exactly we were irreverently transporting.” Yonghwa spoke politely to the bale of hay.
“I said, farther, sorrikkun.” The hand flapped once more before retreating back into the straw.
Minhyuk sniffed. “Listen, miss - ”
Yonghwa placed an arm on his shoulder. “Just go.”
“But - ”
Yonghwa shot him a warning look and gestured in front of them.
A legion of young men, dressed in the finest garb, was riding down the lane on their cantering horses. They shot the pair dirty looks as they went past.
Yonghwa glared. “They’re from the 관습도감. Stupid, rich, spoiled kids…”
Minhyuk glanced hurriedly behind him, to make sure they weren’t listening. “Shut up. They could’ve heard, and then you would’ve been - ” He moved his finger horizontally across his throat.
“I don’t care about a bunch of glorified music students.” He muttered.
“Oh, come on.” Minhyuk snapped at the reins. “You’re not saying you don’t want to go there if you could.”
Yonghwa crossed his arms. “Never.”
---
“Madam Seo!” Taeyeon waved at the dumpy figure from underneath the oak tree. She bowed deeply as she approached.
“Mistress Taeyeon.” She acknowledged her bow with a nod of the head. “Have you eaten?”
“Yes, I ate well.” She straightened from her bow. “How is the family?” She inquired politely, knowing full well what was coming next.
“My daughter is giving me trouble again.” She sighed. “Even today, she disappeared! She’s probably down at the river playing with her idiot friends.”
Taeyeon raised an eyebrow. “With due respect, madam, Hyun is a diligent student.”
“What good is being a student when she doesn’t even know how to cook?” She muttered. “That girl is going to be the death of me.” She eyed Taeyeon keenly. “You haven’t seen her around, have you?”
“No, madam.”
“Hmm…”
Taeyeon flinched under the gaze. “Has your daughter found a suitor yet?”
The woman sighed. “No, she has not. I envy your mother sometimes. She is well?”
“Yes, she is. She told me she was fond of the suitor who came yesterday.”
“Oh, really? Well, aren’t you the proper lady. I certainly - ”
As Taeyeon tuned herself out of her prattling, she chanced a quick glance at the square. The cart was gone, along with Hyun.
She sighed in relief. With any luck, Hyun would get off at the first opportunity and hightail it back to her house before her mother got there.
Although, knowing her, she would probably get into even more trouble.
---
“Someone’s coming.” Minhyuk pointed ahead.
Yonghwa frowned. “It’s a royal carriage. Pull over.”
Minhyuk obediently maneuvered the oxen to the side and stopped.
The procession went by, starting with the flag-bearers.
Minhyuk whistled. “Must be someone important.”
The main carriage, the size of a small room and supported by more than four dozen carriers, went by slowly.
At that exact moment, one of the oxen sneezed, its mucus splattering over the front of the carriage.
Yonghwa winced.
“Halt.” A deep voice boomed from the inside.
Minhyuk sighed.
The wooden window slid open, revealing a man with wrinkly eyebrows, a bushy mustache, and a giant celadon tiara on his head.
Minhyuk and Yonghwa hastily bowed. “We offer our humblest apologies on the behalf of our worthless oxen.”
“Do you realize how expensive the lacquer is on this carriage?” He growled.
“Sir, we are but humble sorrikkun, and the knowledge of lacquer lies beyond our feeble minds.”
“Hmph.” He snorted. “Wipe it off.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Minhyuk glanced at Yonghwa, and grimaced. He started to slowly get off the carriage.
“Just what are you doing?” A female voice said from behind them.
All three of them turned to see the newcomer.
Hyun stood glaring at Minhyuk, her head held high.
“Excuse…me?” Minhyuk said, with one foot on the ground.
“My servants shall not bow to anyone’s wishes.”
The man raised his eyebrow, surprised. “They are your…servants?”
Hyun shot him a glare. “They are my most loyal servants. They do not do the work of other nobles, save for my own.” She straightened her back and tried to look regal.
“But…they said…” The man was now confused. Underneath him, the carriers grunted as the carriage started to sag. “They said they were sorrikkun.”
“They are my personal sorrikkun. Do you have a problem with that?” Hyun asked, haughtily.
The man started to bow, then caught himself. “No…of course not. On your way, then.” He closed the window with a sneer.
They watched as the procession marched forward.
---
“That was interesting.” Park Yun leaned back in his sedan chair. “A noble and her two sorrikkun servants…”
He cleared his throat and tried to meditate, but it was no use. There was something…off.
Behind him, his daughter spoke up quietly. “Father, is something troubling you?”
“No, Shinhye. Nothing’s wrong.”
“I see…” His twenty-year-old daughter sank back in her chair and started fiddling with her comb, brushing it through her long dark brown hair.
The brown-haired one was cute, she thought to herself. I wonder who he was?
Shaking off her thoughts, she reminded herself that she was the daughter of the administrator of the 관습도감, the only royally-owned music school in the nation.
She returned to studying her Confucian texts as the carriage trundled on. The dark-haired man was soon pushed out of her mind.
---
Hyun leaned against the cart and folded her arms. “What are you looking at?”
Minhyuk hurriedly averted his eyes and bowed, but Yonghwa maintained his level look. Hyun cleared her throat. “Excuse me, sorrikkun. I said - ”
“I heard what you said.” Yonghwa said bluntly. “I seem to be looking at someone who shouldn’t be here.”
Hyun’s face flushed. “Mind your manners, commoner.”
Yonghwa raised his eyebrows. “If I recall correctly, it was you that was buried in the mound of hay, not us.”
“I had my own reasons.”
“Which is?”
“Which is none of your business, so keep your dirty hands off it.”
Minhyuk straightened from his bow. “Just who are you, anyway?”
Hyun drew herself up. “My name is Hyun, of the House of Seo.”
Yonghwa leaned forward. “Well, Hyun of the House of Seo, seeing as you were the one joyriding on our conveyance, I’d say that we deserve an explanation.”
“I rescued you from having to wipe slime off the carriage, remember?”
“Hardly. We do that all the time. We owe you nothing.”
Hyun closed her eyes for a split second and breathed through her nose. “Just take me home.”
“Home?” Yonghwa laughed. “Well, I would if I could, seeing as you’re not really contributing to the atmosphere around these parts, but…it’s dark.”
Hyun looked around. It was indeed dark. “So?”
“Oxen can’t see in the dark.” Minhyuk stated matter-of-factly.
“Well, how am I supposed to get home?” Her voice became a notch higher.
Yonghwa shrugged. “You should’ve figured that out before you decided to take a joyride.”
Hyun stamped her feet on the ground. “Take me home. Now. And for the record, it was not a joyride.”
“We’re not going anywhere, Mistress.” Minhyuk pointed to a small shack just off the road. “We’re staying there tonight. You can walk home, if you want.”
“Walk…?” Hyun paled at the thought. “I’m the first and only daughter of the noble House of Seo, and I demand to be taken home, right now!”
Yonghwa gave a sidelong glance at Minhyuk. “Our stowaway has quite the temper, doesn’t she?”
Minhyuk pulled him aside. “Hyung, she’s a noble. If her parents find out about this, then we’ll be chased out of the village and - ”
“Relax.” Yonghwa smirked. “She won’t tell.”
“How do you know?” Minhyuk watched Yonghwa’s retreating back as he headed towards the shack.
“She’s not the type.”
Hyun leaned against the cart, the strength suddenly gone from her legs. Reaching up, she let down her hair and adjusted her jeogori.
She shivered as the cold night air blew through her thin silk threads.
Mother’s going to kill me.
---
Glossary
관습도감: A government institution founded in the waning days of the Koryeo Dynasty and re-established by King Sejong, which focused on the musical arts. It supplied all music for royal use, including Royal Musicians, royal concerts, and parties, and trained its own in-house musicians, for which the competition was fierce.
Ahjumma: a derogatory term for middle-aged Korean women, often single.
Amhaeng-oesa: a “secret royal inspector” sent by the government to inspect local politics. He would travel incognito, posing as a commoner, then would reveal themselves in a dramatic fashion by revealing their mapae (the modern equivalent of an ID card). Throughout history, they have been portrayed as fearless and fighting for justice.
Buk: a drum that is set vertically on the ground, with the drummer sitting with it between his legs and beating on both sides of the drum with heavy drumsticks.
Dan: a measure of space. 1 dan is approximately 991.74 meters squared.
Gomusin: a shoe made of waxed rubber, worn by the elite.
Hanja: Chinese characters.
Jeogori: a traditional blouse worn by Korean women, as a part of hanbok.
Li: a measure of distance. 1 li is half a kilometer.
Neolttwigi: a traditional game enjoyed by Korean women, where two people would stand on the opposite end of a seesaw and jump into the air, propelling the person on the other side into the sky. The game would go on until someone missed landing on the seesaw.
Ondol: a flooring made of various heat-conducting stones. A fire would be built underneath it, warming the stones and creating a heated surface to sleep on. Today, most ondols are electrified.
Sorrikkun: wandering minstrels, who would travel around the country performing Korean music and ballads. They were often very poor and subsisted on what they were able to make through their music.
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Related Readings
The Arirang
Listen to a rendition of the Arirang