Samsindang, the Village's Spiritual Pillar

You will see Samsindang as soon as you make a sharp turn at the end of the narrow alley. It is the place which village commoners visited to call upon a higher being.

Do you see that very old tree? It is a zelkova tree planted by Ryu Gong-hye, one of the village's pioneer residents. The tree is now over six hundred years old.

Just as the Greeks believed that nymphs lived within oak trees, the people of Hahoe Village thought that their guardian deity lived in this zelkova tree. Two times a year the villagers would get together under the tree and hold a ceremony representing their hopes for the village's wellbeing and a bountiful harvest.

According to old tales, in years when the ceremony was not performed as fervently as in other years, tigers would appear in the forests around town. The ceremony is still performed to this day after hundreds of years. Indeed, it is one of the oldest village traditions to have survived to the present day.

The Samsindang Tree was also a shelter for the villagers. They would often be seen assembled under its cool shade either talking amongst themselves or making a wish. It is said that the women came to the tree to pray for childbirth and prosperity.

Still, people write down their wish on small paper notes and hang them on this tree. If there is something your truly heart desires, why not take this moment to make a wish?


The Legend of Hahoe Masks

[Narration]
Each year, Hahoe Village performs a communal shamanistic rite which originated from a ceremony performed to entertain the village deity. This traditional mask dance has been designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea.

A hahoetal, or Hahoe Mask, was traditionally used for this mask dance. These masks were made in different types of shapes and sizes, including one that does not cover the chin. There is an interesting legend that explains how this mask acquired the form it has today.

According to the legend, there was a young man named Heo, who was living in Hahoe Village.

[Heo]
“The village is in grave danger. What should I do?”

[Narration]
That night he went to sleep after many hours of tossing and turning in his bed. Then, the village's guardian deity appeared in his dream.

[Village Guardian]
“You love and care for your village. I will help you solve this problem. Make twelve masks and use them in a shamanistic rite. Then all the plagues will be gone. But remember, if anyone sees you making these masks, you will die.”

[Narration]
From that day on he locked his doors and devoted all his energy to making the masks. But alas, a village girl who secretly admired him came sneaking into his home one day and caught a glimpse of him putting the finishing touches to his last mask. As the guardian deity had warned, both souls were taken at that very moment. That is why one mask is missing its chin.


Mask Dance as Social Commentary

In Korea, traditional mask dance performances were popular throughout the nation, and Hahoe Village’s mask dance is one of the oldest one that passes on to this day. It was usually performed from the lunar New Year's Day to the fifteenth day of lunar January. In particular, the dance was basically a ceremony dedicated to the gods but it also functioned as an outlet for criticism for the common people.

Traditional Korea was a strict hierarchical society, and the common people were oppressed by the ruling class. In all ages, any society that lacks healthy criticism and communication is bound to negative side effects. So, this mask dance was a faucet for commoners to make fun of nobles and society's shortcomings. Any oppressed desires could be released through the performances.

The performers would wear a mask, harassing and mocking the nobles. Laughter would ripple through the audience. The satire did not end there. Fallen monks and other social classes were on the platter just the same. Observe the masks and you will find that each character is filled with humor.

Currently, the Andong International Mask Dance Festival is held in Hahoe Village and downtown Andong every October, so visitors can watch all sorts of mask plays and dances from all around the world.