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The Bongsan Mask Dance
Drama is a representative masque dance drama
of Hwanghae Province, presently located
in the North Korea, this was originally
performed in Kyongsudae in Bongsan township.
After around 1915, when the township administration
office was moved to Sariwon, and the Seoul-Shinuiju
Railroad was opened, it was performed at
the foot of Mt. Kyongnam in Sariwon.
In the early 1930's it was decided to establish
the Bongsan Mask Dance Drama Preservation
Society by the masque dance players and
those in the region who sought to preserve
this art. On August 25, 1945, Korea was
liberated from Japan, afterwards divided
into two parts, the South and North Korea.
The Korean War that broke out on June 25,
1950 brought about a resultant stagnation
in the activities of the Society. Fortunate
it was, however. that the majority of the
performers were able to escape to the south,
and in 1958, the Society was once again
rehabilitated with such notable players
as Kim Jin Ok, Lee Keun Sung at the forefront,
and it has been maintained down until present
days.
In 1961, the Bongsan Mask Dance Drama won
the Presidential Prize at the National Folk
Arts Contest, and also has become a winner
of many similar contests thereafter. In
1965, the Cultural Properties Bureau assigned
the various scholars studying in this particular
field to undertake research on the Pongsan
masque dance drama; and in year of 1967,
it was designated as the 17th Important
Intangible Cultural Property of Korea by
the Korean government.
For the Bongsan Mask Dance Drama being properly
inherited, the training for successors began
in 1962, and it is those who, today, play
the leading roles. In 1973, the Ministry
of Culture and Information established the
Inheritage Hall for the future folk arts.
The brief history of the Bongsan's
activities since the year of 1958 till now
as follows;
It is through this link, then, that most
of the members of society have actively
given instruction in the educational fields
throughout the nation.
The Society is presently working on a plan
to construct its own institute in the future.
The films, showing of past masters of this
art, the documents, the materials used in
plays, etc will display on exhibit. The
training of inheritors will also be continued
there, and the institute will be open to
both Koreans and foreigners alike, to whomsoever
wishes to make use of the available facilities
for further their study and research on
the Bongsan Mask Dance Drama.
The creation of such an institute is not
easy work, but with the firm support and
backing up from those who deeply treasure
the Bongsan Mask Dance Drama, the realization
of truly superb institute can be fulfilled
sooner. With the gradual emergence of this
masque dance drama onto the stages of the
world, it is hoped that in the future it
will continue go further in the presentation
of performances to all the peoples of the
world and to all the corners of the earth.
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