Gisaeng - Gisaeng

A general term for Korean women who perform singing and dancing, or geisha. In the past, there were official gisaeng and folk gisaeng, and schools for training gisaeng were established in Seoul and Pyongyang. Girls between the ages of 15 and 20 were admitted to these schools, and in addition to singing and dancing, they were trained in etiquette, poetry, and painting, and were trained to suit the tastes of upper class people, but this system no longer exists. There are two theories about their origin: that they originated from Wonhwa, the predecessor of Hwarang, who became the foundation of Unified Silla, and the women of Yangsu-cheok, a wanderer who pursued water plants, and it is also possible that the two were mixed together. Official gisaeng began as female musicians who performed at the Palgwanhoe and Yeongdonghoe, which were court rituals in the Goryeo dynasty, and later they also took on the roles of female doctors and seamstresses. Many famous gisaeng, such as Hwang Jin-yi and Nongae, came from the government-run gisaeng system. Even after the government-run gisaeng system was abolished, the tradition was passed down, and today there are many entertainers who are designated as intangible cultural assets and are descended from gisaeng.

[Kim Ryoki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

朝鮮の、歌舞を職業とする女性の総称、また芸妓(げいぎ)をいう。古くは官妓と民妓があり、ソウルと平壌(ピョンヤン)に妓生を養成する学校があった。15歳から20歳までの娘を入学させ、歌舞のほかに礼節、詩、詩画などを厳しく仕込み、上流社会の人士の趣向にあうよう養成したが、いまはその制度はない。統一新羅(しらぎ)の礎(いしずえ)となった花郎(ファラン)の前身源花(ウォンファ)と、水草を追う漂泊人の楊水尺(ヤンスチョク)の女たちを発生源とする二つの説があり、両者の混融も考えられる。高麗(こうらい)の宮廷神事である八関会(パルクワンフェ)と燃灯会(ヨンドンフェ)での女楽奉納が官妓の始まりであり、のち女医、縫裁などをも兼務した。官妓から黄真伊(ホアンジンイ)、論介(ノンゲ)など多くの名妓が出た。官妓の制度が廃れたのちもその気風は伝承され、今日、妓生出身の無形文化財に指定された芸能者が多い。

［金　両　基］

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