 The
¡®Tanoje¡¯ (the Tano festival on the fifth day of the fifth
lunar month) in Kangrung area, which was designated as
important intangible cultural property no. 13, had contained
the mask drama of ¡®Kwanno¡¯ (a kind of slaves in government
employ) as a part. This mask drama had been enacted in
¡®Sonangdang¡¯ (tutelary deity the shrine). The problem
that when did the mask play begin to perform is still
obscure. But a few records reveal that it was performed
in relation with cultivating ceremony in the past.
According to the Koryosa (The History of Koryo, A.D. 918-1392),
Owang Sun-shik , a resident of Kangrung area, offered
ritual in Daegwanyong during the reign of King Owang Gon(A.D.918-943),
the founder of the Koryo dynasty. Ch¡¯ugangjp (Ch¡¯ugang
Story Book) by Nam Hyo-on (A.D.1454-1493) in the Choson
dynasty said that the people of Yongdong area offered
ritual to the mountain divinity during certain auspicious
days of April to May and then delightful festival with
drink and dance for four days. And the collection of works
of Ho Gyun , who is the author of ¡®Hong Kil-don Jon¡¯,
also tells about combined play (the festival including
mask dance) performed in May, A.D. 1603 in honor of the
deity. According to the Imyongji (the chronicle of Kangrung
area), shamanic ritual and music playe had been continuously
performed. These descriptions let us suppose the long
history of the Kwonno mask play.
Though this mask play was over in 1901, it was designated
as one of the important intangible cultural properties
on 16th, Jan. 1967 based on the investigation of Kim dong-ha,
Ch¡¯a Hyong-won and so on. After that, it has been handed
down in Kangrung Women High School, Kangrung University
of Education, and Kwandong University. Since 1985, the
residents of Yuch¡¯ondong, Kangrung has played the mask
play up to now. Kwon Yong-ha was chosen as traditional
performing artist of the mask play on 2nd, Aug. 1993 and
also Kim Jong-gun was designated as traditional performing
artist on 22nd, Jul. 2000. Besides, Cho Gyu-don was designated
as a ritual specialist in Kangnung Tano Festival, and
Bin Sun-ae was recognized as performing artist in shamanic
ritual.
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