Hyangga
| Hyangga | |
| Hangul | 향가 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | hyangga |
| McCune–Reischauer | hyangga |
The hyangga were poems in the Old Korean language, composed in the Silla and early Goryeo periods of Korean history. Only a few have survived. The total number of extant hyangga ranges between 25 and 27, depending on whether certain hyangga are regarded as authentic or not.
The hyangga were written in using Chinese characters in a system known as hyangchal. They are believed to have been first written down in the Goryeo period, as the style was already beginning to fade. 14 hyangga are recorded in the Samguk Yusa, and 11 in the Gyunyeojeon.
The name hyangga is formed from the character for "back-country" or "rural village" (used by Silla people in describing their nation) and the character for "song." These poems are accordingly also sometimes known as "Silla songs."
External links
- In Korean language online encyclopedias:
 | This Korea-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |