Aak is the Korean form of Confucian court and ritual music, historically imported from Chinese yayue and naturalized in the Goryeo court before being codified in the Joseon dynasty.
It is performed at solemn state rites—especially the Confucian shrine ceremony (Munmyo jerye) and the royal ancestral shrine ceremony (Jongmyo jerye)—and combines music, dance (ilmu), and ritual choreography.
The sound-world is stately, measured, and controlled: instruments such as pyeonjong (bronze chime-bells) and pyeongyeong (stone chimes) articulate pitch frameworks, while wood and percussion signals (bak clapper, chuk wooden box, eo tiger-scraper) govern beginnings, sections, and cadences. Wind timbres (saenghwang mouth-organ, hun ocarina, ji end-blown flute, piri) and ancient zithers (geum/guqin, se) provide sustained, largely unison textures at very slow tempi.
Today, aak survives as a living ceremonial tradition in South Korea, preserved and presented by state and shrine ensembles.
Aak entered Korea in the Goryeo period, most notably in 1116, when instruments, scores, and ritual procedures of Chinese yayue were imported from Song China. The genre was adopted for courtly and Confucian state rites, alongside other court repertories such as hyangak (native) and dangak (Tang-derived entertainment music).
Under the early Joseon dynasty, aak was reorganized as an official ritual music. King Sejong’s court standardized pitch, tempo, and ensemble layout and introduced the jeongganbo square notation system. Scholar-officials and court musicians (notably Park Yeon) systematized repertoire, instruments, and ritual choreography. The comprehensive manual Akhak Gwebeom (1493) documented theory, instruments (aligned to the “eight materials”), procession order, and dance formations (civil dance munmu, military dance mumu).
Over time, the active repertory narrowed as performance contexts shrank to core state rites. By late Joseon, only a limited set of aak pieces remained in regular use for ceremonies at Munmyo (Confucian shrine) and Jongmyo (royal ancestral shrine), but the tradition retained its ceremonial prestige and strict performance practice.
After the fall of the monarchy, aak continued in ritual contexts and was revitalized by research and reconstruction at the National Gugak Center. Jongmyo Jerye and its music were inscribed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (2001), spotlighting aak’s ritual legacy. Today, shrine ceremonies and concert reconstructions maintain the genre, with institutional training ensuring continuity of instruments, tuning, and choreography.
Use the classic Confucian ritual orchestra based on the “eight materials” principle:
• Metal and stone: pyeonjong (bronze chime-bells), pyeongyeong (stone chimes), banghyang (bronze metallophone). • Wood and signaling: bak (clapper), chuk (wood box struck to begin sections), eo (tiger-scraper for section endings). • Winds: saenghwang (mouth organ), hun (ceramic ocarina), ji (end-blown bamboo flute), piri (double-reed). • Strings: geum/guqin (seven-string zither), se (25-string zither).Favor pentatonic pitch collections with stable, sustained tones. Keep texture largely in strict unison or near-unison doubling at very slow tempi, avoiding vibrato and overt ornamentation. Let pyeonjong/pyeongyeong articulate structural tones and cadences.
Maintain a measured, processional pace with clear sectional markers. Use the bak to cue entries, the chuk to mark beginnings, and the eo to close phrases or sections. Structure the piece in balanced, repetitive cycles suitable for ritual pacing and accompanying ilmu (dance) formations.
Compose stepwise, dignified lines with long note-values and minimal melodic range per phrase. Emphasize breath-based phrasing for winds and a steady, even attack for strings and chimes. Cadences should be signaled explicitly by the metal/stone choir.
If writing for ritual context, pair musical sections with ilmu patterns (civil munmu and military mumu), aligning phrase lengths to dance figures and processional movements. Keep dynamic contrast subtle; the affect is solemn and reverential.
Document parts clearly (modern staff or reconstructed jeongganbo) with explicit cues for signal instruments. Rehearse ensemble balance so that signal instruments are audible and the bell/stone intonation is stable against winds and strings.
