Current Status of the Traditions of Pansori and the Means of Preservation -About Selecting Important Intangible Treasure-

This study is about preserving tradition of Pansori and its means of preservation. Pansori, Since 1964, has been protected by authorities to become a valid tradition of art, and therefore schools of Pansori were found. I seek to study the process of how the traditions grew, how the current situation of preservation is flawed in a way, and how best we can improve it. During the 19th Century, Pansori has gone through the prime of the genre, building up many different schools of art. However, during the Japanese Colonial Era, it almost faced the extinction as an art form of the people.Pansori has been selected as the National Trasure, and thus was protected by the government since 1964, preserving the schools of the art. Also, the schools of Pansori were selected as Local Cultural Treasures as well, widening the tradition in many ways. However, many of them could not really secure their distinct characteristics and only appointed as treasures on whim. There are ideas about how to improve the situation, reflecting on how to represent the distinct aspects of different schools.The schools who were guaranteed its status as Important Intangible Treasure among the traditions of five most important Pansori performances are as following: Kim Sejong-je, Jeong Jeongryul-je, Kim Yeonsoo-je, Kim Sohee-je for \textlessChunhyang-ga\textgreater, Jeong eungmin-je for \textlessSimcheong-ga\textgreater, Park Nokjoo-je and Kang Dogeun-je for \textlessHeungbo-ga\textgreater, Jeong Gwangsoo-je and Park Chowol-je for \textlessSoogung-ga\textgreater, and Park Bongsul-je for \textlessJeokbyuk-ga\textgreater.This study also recommend Park Bongsul-je for \textlessChunhyang-ga\textgreater, Seopyeon-je and Kim Yeonsoo-je for \textlessSimcheong-ga\textgreater, Park Bongsul-je and Park Chowol-je for \textlessHeungbo-ga\textgreater, Jeong Eungmin-je and Im Bangwool-je for \textlessSoogung-ga\textgreater, and Jeong Eungmin-je for \textlessJeokbyuk-ga\textgreater. The choice is based on having enough talented disciples to carry on the tradition, and also having distinct characteristics and structure worth protected by the government.Also, for Pansori masters who have multiple Pansori traditions, it is important that each and every tradition is protected seperately and independently. For example, Park Bongsul-je has \textlessChunhyang-ga\textgreater,\textlessHeung bo-ga\textgreater, \textlessSoogung-ga\textgreater and \textlessJeokbyuk-ga\textgreater, and the only one which is protected now is \textlessJeokbyuk-ga\textgreater. The other traditions all have the old tradition of Dongpyun-je, and it is certainly worth preserving, and all should be chosen.