한국 탈춤의 전통론과 미학론의 한계는 네 가지 문제를 안고 있다. 하나는 외국이론의 적용, 둘은 외래문화 전래설, 셋은 요소적 해석, 넷은 문헌기록 중심 연구이다. 이러한 한계는 공교롭게도 모두 전파론에 머물러서, 우리 탈춤이 서구의 카니발이나 몽골 또는 중국 탈춤의 영향으로 성립된 것처럼 해석된다. 그 결과 신라시대 이전부터 자생되었던 탈춤의 역사적 전통과 민족문화의 창조력을 부정하는가 하면, 우리 굿문화에서 비롯된 탈춤을 마치 가톨릭문화나 향리문화, 유목문화에서 비롯된 것처럼 왜곡하고 있다. 기존연구의 한계를 극복하기 위해서는 자문화를 보는 주체적인 시각으로 민족문화의 맥락에서 탈춤 관련 자료들을 통시적으로 고찰하고 탈춤이 연행되는 현장상황을 공시적으로 분석하는 작업이 필요하다. 고고학적 발굴자료와 암각화자료, 문헌사료를 두루 검토해 보면, 신석기시대부터 이미 풍농기원의 탈굿이 비롯되어 상고시대의 나라굿, 신라시대의 병굿과 산신굿, 축귀굿 등 오랜 굿문화의 전통 속에서 탈춤이 발생한 사실을 포착할 수 있다. 탈춤의 연행상황에서도, 공동체굿에서 놀이, 춤, 극으로 발전하면서 탈춤이 형성되었다는 사실이 잘 드러난다. 탈춤의 연행과정을 보면, 굿판에서 시작하여 놀이판, 탈춤판(춤대목+극대목)을 이루며 본격적인 탈춤을 즐기다가, 다시 놀이판으로 나와서 굿판으로 마무리를 짓는 것을 알 수 있다. 서낭굿으로 전승하는 공동체탈춤에서는 이러한 연행구조가 모두 살아 있지만, 도시탈춤에서는 굿판이 고사로 변형되었으며, 최근에는 놀이판까지 생략되고 탈춤만 연행하기도 한다. 탈춤에 구경꾼이 자유롭게 개입하여 즉흥적 재창조를 하며 사회체제를 풍자하는 것도 구경꾼이 개입해 온 굿판의 양식과 굿문화의 변혁성에서 비롯된 전통이라 하겠다. 굿의 주술적 구조가 탈춤의 극적 구조로 이어지는 것처럼, 삶의 구조적 모순을 해결하려는 굿의 변혁성이 예술적 양식으로 발전하여 탈춤의 중요한 극적 갈등을 이룬다. 제의적 갈등을 해결하는 굿의 구조가 사회적인 갈등을 해결하는 극적인 갈등구조로 발전한 것이 탈춤의 형상적 아름다움이자 집단적 신명풀이이며, 굿판의 제의적 반란을 사회체제의 변혁적 반란 수준으로 형상화한 양방향 소통의 풍자극 양식이 곧 탈춤 고유의 연극 미학이다. 한국탈춤의 전통과 미학을 보여주는 두 축은 신라 후기부터 전승된 궁중의 처용탈춤과 고려 중기부터 전승된 하회탈춤이다. 처용탈춤이 신라 경주, 고려 개성, 조선 한양에서 전승되며 ‘나례도감극’의 구나(驅儺)의식과 관련되어 정적인 궁중미학을 이룬다면, 마을의 서낭굿에서 비롯된 하회탈춤은 별신굿의 오신(娛神)의식에서 민중의 역동적인 난장(communitas)미학을 보여주고 있다. 그러므로 궁중탈춤이 세련된 아름다움을 보여주는 고급예술의 생산미학이라면, 구경꾼과 더불어 즐기는 민중탈춤의 아름다움은 무규범의 난장미학이자 변혁적 민중미학이며, 상생을 이끌어내는 인간해방의 역동적 신명풀이 수용미학이라 할 수 있다.

There are four problems for the limitation of the theories of tradition and aesthetics of Korean masked dance. First is the application of foreign theory; second being the introduction theory of foreign cultures; third, elemental interpretation and the forth being oriented around documented records. Such limitation coincidentally is remained in propagation theory, being interpreted as if Korean masked dance was embodied by influences from Western carnival, Mongolian or Chinese masked dances. As the result, historical tradition and creativity of ethnic culture of masked dance initiated even before Silla era were denied and distorted as if the masked dance originated from Korean gut (exorcism)culture is arose from Catholic culture, native village culture or nomadic culture. To overcome the limitation of the existing studies, the operations diachronically observing masked dance related data within the context of ethnic culture and publically analysing the field situation of masked dance execution from subjective point of view of seeing own culture are in need. When throughly examining archeological excavated material, rock painting material and documented historical materials, the facts that masked gut praying for harvest prayer already being originated from the Neolithic Age; as well as the fact that masked dance happening from the long tradition of gut culture like national gut of remote ages, as well as guts for sickness, mountain god and dispersing evil spirits of Silla era can be captured. Even in the execution of masked dance, the fact of community gut developing to game, dance, drama and eventually to masked dance is shown. When the process of masked dance performance was observed, it is appears to begin at gut spot, enjoying the full-scale masked dance forming game spot and masked dance spot(dance stage + drama stage), coming back out to game spot and finish off at gut spot. Although community masked dance, transmitted by local god gut, has such overall performance structure, it was changed to gut spot offering sacrifice to spirits for urban masked dance; and even game spot is omitted nowadays, only performing masked dance. It can also be said that free participation of audience spontaneously recreating masked dance and satirizing social system is originated from the tradition initiated from innovation of gut culture and the form of gut spot where audience have been participating. Like incantatory structure of gut connecting to dramatic structure, innovation of gut attempting to solve structural contradiction of life developed to aesthetic form, forming important dramatic conflict of masked dance. Development of the structure of gut solving ceremonial conflict to dramatic conflict structure solving social conflicts is the formal beauty as well as collective Shinmyngpuri; satirical drama form of two-way communication formalizing ceremonial rebellion of gut spot to the innovative revolution level of social system is own drama aesthetics of masked dance. Two pivots showing tradition and aesthetics of Korean masked dance are Cheoyong masked dance of the royal court transmitted from the late Silla era and Hahoe masked dance transmitted from the middle of Goryeo era. While Cheoyong masked dance completes static royal court aesthetics related to Guna ceremony of ‘나례도감극’, by being transmitted from Gyeongju of Silla, Kaesong of Goryeo and to Hanyang of Joseon; Hahoe masked dance driven from local god gut of village shows dynamic communitas aesthetics of the people through Oshin ceremony of byeolshin-gut. Therefore, it can be said that the beauty of popular masked dance enjoyed with audience is communitas aesthetics of non-norm, innovative popular aesthetics as well as dynamic Shinmyngpuri reception aesthetics of human liberation drawing out lives in coexistence.

There are four problems for the limitation of the theories of tradition and aesthetics of Korean masked dance. First is the application of foreign theory; second being the introduction theory of foreign cultures; third, elemental interpretation and the forth being oriented around documented records. Such limitation coincidentally is remained in propagation theory, being interpreted as if Korean masked dance was embodied by influences from Western carnival, Mongolian or Chinese masked dances. As the result, historical tradition and creativity of ethnic culture of masked dance initiated even before Silla era were denied and distorted as if the masked dance originated from Korean gut (exorcism)culture is arose from Catholic culture, native village culture or nomadic culture. To overcome the limitation of the existing studies, the operations diachronically observing masked dance related data within the context of ethnic culture and publically analysing the field situation of masked dance execution from subjective point of view of seeing own culture are in need. When throughly examining archeological excavated material, rock painting material and documented historical materials, the facts that masked gut praying for harvest prayer already being originated from the Neolithic Age; as well as the fact that masked dance happening from the long tradition of gut culture like national gut of remote ages, as well as guts for sickness, mountain god and dispersing evil spirits of Silla era can be captured. Even in the execution of masked dance, the fact of community gut developing to game, dance, drama and eventually to masked dance is shown. When the process of masked dance performance was observed, it is appears to begin at gut spot, enjoying the full-scale masked dance forming game spot and masked dance spot(dance stage + drama stage), coming back out to game spot and finish off at gut spot. Although community masked dance, transmitted by local god gut, has such overall performance structure, it was changed to gut spot offering sacrifice to spirits for urban masked dance; and even game spot is omitted nowadays, only performing masked dance. It can also be said that free participation of audience spontaneously recreating masked dance and satirizing social system is originated from the tradition initiated from innovation of gut culture and the form of gut spot where audience have been participating. Like incantatory structure of gut connecting to dramatic structure, innovation of gut attempting to solve structural contradiction of life developed to aesthetic form, forming important dramatic conflict of masked dance. Development of the structure of gut solving ceremonial conflict to dramatic conflict structure solving social conflicts is the formal beauty as well as collective Shinmyngpuri; satirical drama form of two-way communication formalizing ceremonial rebellion of gut spot to the innovative revolution level of social system is own drama aesthetics of masked dance. Two pivots showing tradition and aesthetics of Korean masked dance are Cheoyong masked dance of the royal court transmitted from the late Silla era and Hahoe masked dance transmitted from the middle of Goryeo era. While Cheoyong masked dance completes static royal court aesthetics related to Guna ceremony of ‘나례도감극’, by being transmitted from Gyeongju of Silla, Kaesong of Goryeo and to Hanyang of Joseon; Hahoe masked dance driven from local god gut of village shows dynamic communitas aesthetics of the people through Oshin ceremony of byeolshin-gut. Therefore, it can be said that the beauty of popular masked dance enjoyed with audience is communitas aesthetics of non-norm, innovative popular aesthetics as well as dynamic Shinmyngpuri reception aesthetics of human liberation drawing out lives in coexistence.

, , , , , ,

gut culture, royal court masked dance, popular masked dance, dramatic conflict structure, communitas aesthetics, Shinmyngpuri, human liberation