Arirang
A Korean folk song of unity and sorrow, over 600 years old.
Last updated
Arirang is a Korean folk song believed to be over 600 years old. It exists in roughly 3,600 variations drawn from 60 distinct versions, all of which share a refrain like "arirang, arirang, arariyo." The song appears twice on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list—once submitted by South Korea in 2012 and again by North Korea in 2014. In 2015, South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration also designated it an important intangible cultural asset. Today, Arirang is sung in both Koreas and serves as a symbol of unity between the two countries, which remain divided by the Korean conflict.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Jeongseon, Gangwon Province
- Estimated age
- more than 600 years
- Variations
- about 3,600 variations of 60 versions
- Unesco listing
- 2012 (South Korea), 2014 (North Korea)
- South korean cultural asset
- added in 2015
- First recording
- 1896 by Alice C. Fletcher
Facts from the source article.
Background
It is believed that Arirang originated in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province. The term 'arirang' is ambiguous in meaning; some linguists hypothesize that 'ari' meant 'beautiful' and 'rang' referred to a 'beloved one' or 'bridegroom', together meaning 'my beloved one'. According to legend, the name derives from a story of a bachelor and a maiden who fell in love near the wharf at Auraji. Two versions exist: in one, the bachelor cannot cross Auraji due to high water, and they sing a sorrowful song; in the other, the bachelor drowns while trying to cross and sings after death.
The first mention of the song was found in a 1756 manuscript. Some believe the song spread to Seoul when workers from Gangwon were sent to rebuild Gyeongbok Palace under Prince Regent Heungseon. The South Korean literary scholar Yang Ju-dong theorized that 'arirang' came from 'ari' (meaning 'long') and 'ryeong'. Others trace it to Lady Aryeong, wife of the first king of Silla, or to the Jurchen word 'arin' (meaning 'hometown'), or an Indian god.
Also in the Codexery
More in Songs & Compositions
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Arirang (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced