Glorious Heritage of South Korea by Srimal Fernando

Glorious Heritage of  South Korea 

http://www.dailymirror.lk/ 
( ref Page C 2 Life )
Monday, 05 March 2012 07:35

By Srimal Fernando

South Korea  needs little introduction to many visitors to the country .A country   with its magnificent heritage, glorious culture with its rich royal past is  one of the most scenic extremely popular tourist destination in whole of Asia. This picturesque 99,392 square kilometers landscape is diverse, with mountains, gorgeous lakes, beautiful country side with more than three thousand islands, fantastic  beaches and coastline occupies the southern portion of the mountainous Korean Peninsula. It is bordered by North Korea to the north,  China to the west, Japan to the east and the East China Sea  to the south. South Koreans have undergone tremendous transformation following the changes in the economy. .

South Korea is a country on the move. Here, people strongly believe in respecting each other’s culture and religion. The family is considered the centre of the social structure. South Korea is synonymous with big cities like Seoul, Pusan, Ulsan Inch’on, Taegu, Taejon, and Kwangju. Surrounded by cliffs and rugged mountains the capital city Seoul is one of the best loved cities in the world. The city  is one destination for which praising words seems inadequate . Seoul has  been a thriving metropolis with , cloud-tickling  skyscrapers, numerous specialty shops with  ultra-modern one-stop shopping complexes with  subways that symbolizes unhesitatingly  leaping  into the future.The city has previously hosted 1986 Asian Games, 1988 summer Olympics and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The country   is home to many art galleries and museums. Situated in the heart of the city the National Museum of Korea displays a collection of 150,000 artifacts. Among its highest-esteemed attractions in the capital are the   iconic Hwaseong Fortress, Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty and the Seoul Race Course.

It will take hours of roaming around to see everything in the city.South Korea is rich in its traditions and cultures. Ceremonies play the symbolic role of every tradition. For centuries religious socio-cultural ceremonies hold great importance among the Countries people. Festive occasions of South Korea are numerous. Prominent and widely celebrated festivals are Daegwallyeong and Seorak Snow Flower Festival. The country is famous for its delicious food, distinctive culinary traditions, snacks and savories. South Korean people have unique dress preferences. The traditional Korean dress is “Hanbok”. The country is known all over the world for its skill in architectural splendors and for the knack of painting, especially among older generation of Koreans. The Taekwondo martial art is quite popular among the Koreans. Korean cinema, dramas and animation has captured the interest of the entire world. The   music and dances of the country is an undividable part of the culture of South Korea.

Throughout their long history, South Koreans had an outstanding love for music and dance. The richness of the South Korean culture also reflects in the music of the Country. The countries traditional music can be divided into two major types: chong-ak for the noble class and sogak for the common people. Chong-ak consists of music performed at court and tended to be slow and solemn with elaborate melodic lines.  Sogak included shaman and Buddhist music, folk songs and dramatic songs are usually more colorful and lively, appealing to the emotions. Pop music and other forms of European and American music have become extremely influential. Top pop singers have great followings in person and on television. The country crooning contemporary music, often blaring out of karaoke machines, is very much a part of Korean life. South Korea has number of theatres alongside music venues, art galleries, and a range of other places where the arts can be appreciated. Use of drum is an important part of South Korean dance and musical performance. As the singer complete the invocation song, host of drummers and musicians starts beating  drums.

Dance is a way of expression of joy and serves as a means of communication transcending all barriers of culture. Dances and music are traditionally part of the lives of people. Traditional Korean dance may be divided into court dance, folk dance, ritual dance and the dance of professional entertainers. In the distant past, villagers gathered to sing and dance to celebrate planting and harvesting, which were probably the origin of folk music and dance. Korean traditional music can be divided into two major types: chong-ak for the noble class and sogak for the common people. Four other folk dance forms are Court dance, Mask dance, Ritual dance and Confucian Dances. A popular traditional Korean dance known as Bucheachum Dance or “Fan Dance” is a special type of folk dance that is very popular among people of  the country . Another dance known as  Suwon Dance is a traditional Korean dance that was performed during planting and harvesting seasons. Another well-liked dance genera known as    “Great Peace Dance” is one of the most important traditional kinds of folk dance of Korea.

The cultural diversity of South Korea does not stop with music and Dance .Its heritage has variations in its art and folktales .The cultural aspect of South Korea  is one that comes with a great story with its ancient history, cosmopolitanism, strong traditions, modern political and intellectual history.