View source for Geomungo

{{Short description|Chordophonic instrument from Korea}}
{{Italic title}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox Korean name/auto
|img=Geomungo 거문고.jpg
|hangul=거문고
|hangul1=현금
|hanja1=玄琴<!-- The South Korean 표준국어대사전 discourages this usage. -->
}}

The '''''geomungo''''',{{Efn|{{Korean|hangul=거문고|mr=kŏmun'go}}; also spelled '''''komungo'''''.}} alternate name '''''hyeongeum''''',{{Efn|{{korean|hangul=현금|mr=hyŏn'gŭm|lit=black zither|labels=no}}; also spelled '''''hyongum'''''.}} is a traditional [[Korean culture|Korean]] plucked [[zither]] with both bridges and [[fret]]s. ''Geomungo'' is a representative [[String instrument|stringed instrument]] made in [[Goguryeo]] before the 5th century.<ref name=":1">{{Citation |last=조 |first=위민 |title=거문고 |work=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]] |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0001820 |access-date=2024-04-26 |publisher=[[Academy of Korean Studies]] |language=ko}}</ref> Scholars believe that the name refers to [[Goguryeo]] and translates to "Goguryeo zither" or that it refers to the [[colour]] and translates to "black crane zither" ({{Korean/auto|hangul=현학금|hanja=玄鶴琴|rr=yes|labels=no}}).

The ''geomungo''<nowiki/>'s place in Korean culture is traditionally that of a scholars' instrument for self-cultivation, much like ancient Chinese had done with the [[guqin|''guqin'']] in [[China]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-07-30|title=Geomungo|url=https://magazineterra.com/korean-instrument-geomungo/|access-date=2019-09-28|website=[[TeRra Magazine]]|language=en-US}}</ref> However, the Koreans never adopted the ''guqin'' as a folk instrument but instead inherited the Confucian and literati ''guqin'' lore wholesale and applied it onto their own ''geomungo'' lore.

==History==
[[Image:Geomungo 11 string.jpg|thumbnail|An 11-stringed modern ''geomungo'']]
The ''geomungo'' originated circa the 4th century (see [[Anak Tomb No.3]] infra) through the 7th century from the kingdom of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]], although the instrument can be traced back to the 4th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.culturecontent.com/content/contentView.do?search_div=CP_THE&search_div_id=CP_THE008&cp_code=cp0225&index_id=cp02250023&content_id=cp022500230001&print=Y |title=거문고 - 문화콘텐츠닷컴 |access-date=2018-04-14 |archive-date=2018-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414233843/https://www.culturecontent.com/content/contentView.do?search_div=CP_THE&search_div_id=CP_THE008&cp_code=cp0225&index_id=cp02250023&content_id=cp022500230001&print=Y |url-status=dead }}</ref>

According to the 1145 historical text ''[[Samguk sagi]]'', the ''geomungo'' was invented in the 6th century by prime minister [[Wang San-ak]] by remodeling the form of the ancient Chinese instrument ''[[guqin]]'' (''gogeum'', also called ''chilhyeongeum'', literally "seven-string zither"). After his death, the instrument was passed down to Ok Bogo, Son Myeong-deuk, Gwi Geum, An Jang, Cheong Jang, and Geuk Jong, while being widely spread over the kingdom. However, [[National Gugak Center]] of Korea raises the possibility that the geomungo originated from a traditional musical instrument of Goguryeo before Guqin was introduced.<ref>{{Cite web
| url=https://www.gugak.go.kr/ency/topic/view/88 
| title=거문고 국립국악원 국악사전
| website=Gugak Dictionary of National Gugak Center
| date= 2022
|language=ko}}</ref> Meanwhile, Japanese scholars claim that the predecessor of geomungo was Wo Konghou (卧箜篌), a fretted bridge zither that was used in China since at least the Western Han Dynasty, and opinion about predecessor of Geomungo is still discussed among East Asian Scholars.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Study of Names of Geomungo in Classical Literatures
| journal=The Studies of Korean Language and Literature | date=2011 | issue=40 | pages=285–326 |url=https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART001553717|language=ko | last1=Jung | first1=Ha Un }}</ref>
Archetype of the instrument is painted in [[Goguryeo]] tombs. They are found in the tomb of Muyongchong and [[Anak Tomb No.3]].<ref name=":0" />

==Construction==
The ''geomungo'' is approximately 162&nbsp;cm long and 23&nbsp;cm wide (63.75 inches long, 9 inches wide), and has movable bridges called ''anjok'' (雁足 "goose feet") and 16 frets called ''gwae'' (棵; numbered 1 to 16 from left to right). It has a hollow body where the front plate of the instrument is made of [[paulownia]] wood and the back plate is made of hard [[chestnut]] wood. Its six strings, which are made of twisted [[silk]] passed through its back plate. The pick is made from bamboo sticks in the size of regular household pencil. Near the bridge is a leather-covered section called ''daemo'' to protect the surface from the striking of the ''suldae'' stick.

The six strings are named (from closest one to the player outward) ''munhyeon'' (文弦 "civil string"), ''yuhyeon'' (遊弦 "roaming string"), ''daehyeon'' (大弦 "big string"), ''gwaesangcheong'' (棵上清 "clarity upon the frets"), ''gwaehacheong'' (棵下清 "clarity below the frets"), and ''muhyeon'' (武弦 "martial string"),<ref name=":1" /> and are numbered 1 to 6 respectively in notation (or 文、方、大、上、中、下 in tablature form).{{Cn|date=April 2024}} Strings 2 to 4 go over fret 1 and are positioned over the frets whilst 1, 5, and 6 are supported by the ''anjok'' bridges. Strings 2 and 3 are used to play stopped notes and the rest are played open or as drones (even string 4 which is above the frets, though it is sometimes played stopped in some pieces). The thickness of the strings are not sequential: usually the thickest string is the ''daehyeon'', followed by the ''munhyeon'' and ''muhyeon''. The ''yuhyeo'' is usually the thinnest string followed by the ''gwaesangcheong'' and ''gwaehacheong'', though some have the ''gwaesangcheong'' as the thinnest followed by the ''yuhyeon''.

Modernized geomungo increases the strings to 11, which are made of nylon. As with the traditional version, three strings are over the frets and the others are all open. But the traditional version of the geomungo has 6 strings, with three over the frets.

Recently, the 6-string ''geomungo'' has been modified quite a lot, with the appearance of electronic geomungo (전자 거문고). The instrument has been played with a ''hwaldae'' bow (활대 거문고), similar to playing the ''[[ajaeng]]''),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djTsMkVDp_c|title='첼로 거문고?'...국악기는 변신 중|access-date=21 April 2021|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20210421110919/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djTsMkVDp_c |archive-date= April 21, 2021|publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref> and some versions have more strings.{{Cn|date=April 2024}} The Chinese wo konghou has 7 strings while the traditional geomungo only has 6 strings.{{Cn|date=April 2024}}

In the development of culture, besides the conservation artists, inheriting the cultural tradition of the nation, there are artists who change and modernize the traditional culture of the nation.

==Playing method==
The ''geomungo'' is generally played while seated on the floor. The strings are plucked with a short [[bamboo]] stick plectrum called {{lang|la|suldae}} (술대/匙), which is held between the index and middle fingers of the right hand, while the left-hand presses on the strings (mostly 2 and 3) by either pulling or pushing to produce various [[Pitch (music)|pitches]] using the thumb and first four fingers. The left-hand ring-finger usually wears a leather thimble (called ''golmu'') to act as support as the strings are high above the frets and are difficult to press down firmly on the frets. The player can use the stick to strike the ''daemo'' leather protector during plucks to create percussive effects.<ref name=":1" />

The most typical [[Musical tuning|tuning]] of the open strings for the playing of traditional Korean court music is (from string closest to the player outwards) Eb, Ab, Db, Bb, Bb, and Bb an [[octave]] lower than the central tone. For sanjo and folk music, the Eb string is raised to F (plus all the strings might be raised a major 2nd up). The instrument is played in traditional Korean court music and the folk styles of [[Sanjo (music)|sanjo]] and [[sinawi]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gugak.go.kr/site/homepage/menu/viewMenu?menuid=001003001001001010004 |title=유동적인 연주방법 &#124; 국악기의 특징 &#124; 개요 &#124; 국악이론 &#124; 교육연구 &#124; 국립국악원 |access-date=2018-04-14 |archive-date=2018-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414172508/http://www.gugak.go.kr/site/homepage/menu/viewMenu?menuid=001003001001001010004 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Due to its characteristically percussive sound and vigorous playing technique it is thought of as a more "masculine" instrument than the 12-string or 24 string [[gayageum]] (another Korean zither); both instruments, however, are played by both male and female performers.

The geomungo has a large range of playable songs and also has a large range of tunes.

The geomungo historically had a notation tablature system similar to that of the [[guqin]] Chinese seven-stringed zither ''jianzipu'' system, but this has been superseded by modern [[staff notation]].

The Korean-born, U.S. resident ''geomungo'' performer and composer [[Jin Hi Kim]] plays a custom-made electric ''geomungo'' in addition to the regular instrument.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediateletipos.net/wp-content/images/2006/06/electric_260x437.jpg|title=Photographic image|format=JPG|website=Mediateletipos.net|access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref>

A geomungo was featured in Korean K-pop group [[Blackpink]]'s music video "[[Pink Venom]]", played by [[Jisoo]] at the start of the video.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQlMMD8auMs |title=BLACKPINK - ‘Pink Venom’ M/V |language=en |access-date=2024-04-29 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Korean music]]
*[[Traditional Korean musical instruments]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.koreasociety.org/dmdocuments/2008-11-05-reinventing.mp3 Korea Society Podcast: Reinventing Traditional Korean Music - Geomungo Performance] {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002030/http://www.koreasociety.org/dmdocuments/2008-11-05-reinventing.mp3|date=March 4, 2016}}

{{Zithers}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Goguryeo]]
[[Category:Korean musical instruments]]
[[Category:Fretted zithers]]
[[Category:Zithers]]
[[Category:National Intangible Cultural Heritage of South Korea]]