Alilang
01 · Historical Records
Arirang Taryeong is a representative work of the lyrical folk song of the Korean ethnic group of China and enjoys enormous influence among Chinese Koreans. The content of the Arirang song family includes the sincere love for the “Arirang” man who has crossed the “Arirang hill”, the resentment felt towards the “Arirang” man who left his wife behind to cross the “Arirang hill”, and the longing and aspiration for the fine future and the happy life that follow the crossing of the “Arirang hill”; it vividly expresses the inner world of Chinese Koreans. The lyrics and the melody of Arirang Taryeong fully embody the traditional customs of the Korean nation; for a long time it has been handed down among the people by oral singing, and it has been processed, developed and altered in transmission down to the present day. Whether in its lyrics or in its music, what Arirang Taryeong expresses is not only easy to understand but also extremely colloquial; anywhere in China, as soon as Arirang Taryeong is sung, everyone knows that it is the most representative folk song of the Korean ethnic group of China.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The song family is characterised by a clear and bright melody that is beautiful to the ear, and by a plaintive feeling. Arirang Taryeong can be sung both by singers with a high degree of musical attainment and by ordinary members of the public, who can also master it. Judging from the content of the words and the development of the melody of Arirang Taryeong, it reflects strong traditional emotion while at the same time containing devices similar to those of modern music.
Arirang Taryeong
A representative work of the lyrical folk song of the Korean ethnic group of China; whether in its lyrics or in its music the content is not only easy to understand but extremely colloquial, and it enjoys enormous influence among Chinese Koreans.
Arirang song family
Its content includes the sincere love for the “Arirang” man who has crossed the “Arirang hill”, the resentment felt towards the “Arirang” man who left his wife behind, and the longing and aspiration for the fine future and the happy life that follow the crossing of the hill; it vividly expresses the inner world of Chinese Koreans.
Rhythmic-pattern variants
The song family is characterised by a clear and bright melody that is beautiful to the ear and by a plaintive feeling; in the various localities of Yanbian it has given rise to a number of singing manners through variation in the changsu, that is, in the rhythm patterns, and it has long been handed down among the people by oral singing.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Arirang Taryeong is widely distributed in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Jilin Province and in the Korean settlements of north-east China; it can be sung both by singers with a high degree of musical attainment and mastered by ordinary members of the public. In the various localities of Yanbian it has given rise to a number of singing manners through variation in the changsu, that is, in the rhythm patterns; it suits solo, antiphonal and unison singing alike, and is often the closing item at festivals, weddings and mass singing gatherings. Korean settlements still keep the legend of a hillock named “Arirang” and the folk activities connected with it, and the repertoire of the song family keeps expanding as the production and life of the Korean people develop.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
In different periods of composition Arirang Taryeong showed different styles and forms, and it is of important research value in historical and academic respects. In different periods of composition Arirang Taryeong showed different styles and forms and gave rise to a number of reworded and adapted versions, which have been widely used in films, in opera and in concert performance; it is of important research value in historical and academic respects.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript; it mirrors the bilingual dossier. 阅读中文版，或返回 英文名录。