Toraj - Toraj

This is the title of a Korean folk song. It is more accurately called "Doraji Taryeong" and is a relatively new song, but is now widely known as one of Korea's representative folk songs along with "Arirang." It is composed in a pentatonic scale (Heichou) and features a clear three-beat rhythm. "Doraji" means bellflower, and the song sings of a man digging up the roots of the white doraji, which is used for food and medicine, and of the pure feelings of a mountain village girl dreaming of love. There are songs with the same name in the Unri region of Hwanghae Province and in Gyeonggi Province, but they are unrelated, and one of the "Gangwon-do Arirang," which has many similarities, is thought to be the source of this song.

[Tetsuo Shimura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

朝鮮民謡の曲名。正確には『トラジ打令(タリヨン)』といい、比較的新しいものであるが、現在では『アリラン』とともに朝鮮を代表する民謡として広く知られている。五音音階（平調(へいちょう)）で構成され、明確な三拍子のリズムが特徴的である。トラジとは桔梗(ききょう)のことで、食用および薬にもなる白いトラジの根を掘る姿や恋愛を夢みる山里の少女の純情を歌う。黄海道の殷栗地方や京畿(けいき)道にも同名の曲があるが関係はなく、類似点の多い『江原道アリラン』の一つがこの曲の源流と考えられる。

［志村哲男］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例