KJCKorea
Journal Central

This study analyzed the meanings and the titles of <Sokak/俗樂> from the 『Goryeosa』 「Akji」, which concludes that <Sokak> were made to praise Goryeo kings and to honor their authority. The most important feature of <Sokak> is that 3/4 of them has region titles or regional backgrounds, including <Samguk Sokak(Sokak of the three kingdoms>. It is quite different from Joseon <Akjang/樂章>, which has no regional titles. <Samguk Sokak(Sokak of the three kingdoms)> consisted of 14 songs, of which regions were chosen for the view of Goryeo. 5 of Goryeo <Sokak> were related to the Capital city of Gaegyeong(開京), 4 of <Sokak> were related to the supplementary capital cities(Byeolgyeong/別京), such as Seogyeong(西京), Nangyeong(南京) and Jangdan(長湍). 2 of <Sokak> were related to the sacred places of Saseon(四仙, four immortals, the famous four Hwa’rangs in the Silla dynasty), whose successors had great roles in Palgwanhoe(八關會). The editers of 『Goryeosa』 didn’t delete or distort the songs for the Confucian ideological reason. However, they made the context of the <Sokak> incomprehensible and ambiguous by editing the meanings: such as by contraction, selective exaggeration, and ambiguous explanation. In some cases, they reduced the meaning of the songs by changing the titles. Ak/樂(royal music) was supposed to eulogize the present political power, so it had to be replaced by new one in the new dynasty. This was a universal aspect of the politics of royal music.

Gaegyeong, Byeolgyeong, Seogyeong, Nangyeong, Jangdan, Saseon.