Korean Shamanism and Music: An Analysis of Korean Shamanism and Its Musical Influence with Particular Reference to the Komungo
The Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is the oldest Korean surviving historical source of the Three Kingdoms and contains fifty books. Book Thirty-Two of the Samguk Sagi presents the history and development of the musical instruments of ancient Korea with reflections on their shamanistic origins and themes. This paper presents a first translation from Korean to English of Book Thirty-Two of the Samguk Sagi in order to introduce Korean Shamanism and the role of shamanic elements in shaping Korean music and musical instruments, particularly the komungo. Shamanism influenced the formation of court, folk and religious music in Korea and its principles and ideas shaped the thoughts of kings, instrument makers and song writers. Ultimately, shamanistic beliefs influenced the definition of “good music” in Korea.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations