태국 가면극 <콘(Khon)>의 역사와 연행 양상

Abstract

Khon is comprised of more than a hundred performers, a large-scale Pipad orchestra, reciters, and chorus. The story of Khon is based on Ramakien, an adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana and the performers act in silence to the reciters’ recitation and singing. Khon having been passed down in the royal court, the masks and costumes are extremely fancy and splendid, and the dance and music also have a very sophisticated form. The establishment of Khon must have been based on the traditional Thai performance culture like the royal military ritual, dance, and music. Here, ‘Lakon Khol’, the royal performance arts of Khmer brought back from when Thailand occupied Khmer in 1431 had an immense influence, and the performance in the shadow puppet play ‘Nang’ seems to have also played a role in the development of Khon. Ramakien, written by the Rama I(1782~1809), has especially been adapted to reflect the Thai characteristics in its content details, and only the main events of the huge narrative structure from Ramayana remained. Thus, Khon that has its basis on Ramakien gradually started to possess individuality independent from Lakon Khol of Khmer. The roles in Ramakien can be divided into four types: (1) men or divine beings elaborately decorated like kings and princes, (2) goddesses, princes, or sophisticated women, (3) violent or powerful demons, and (4) monkeys. Khon has gone through numerous changes in the process of passing on that there are six types: ① Khon Klang Plang, ② Khon) Rong Nok or Khon Nang Rao, ③ Khon Na Jo, ④ Khon Rong Nai, ⑤ Khon Chak, and ⑥ Khon Chak Rok. The armed forces of Phra Ram and the demon King Thotsakan represent the fight between good and evil. Considering the fact that Ramayana is an Indian epic poem, the army of Phra Ram defeating that of the demon King Thotsakan is the reflection of the Hindu idea, worshiping and ruminating on the eventual triumph of the good over the evil.