04 Bak (박, 拍) -1
The palms face each other, striking, and the hands move apart, repeating the process of coming together again.
This is Bak and the process of Bak.
*Please find the original text in Korean here.
Each phoneme or sound unit is an entity, which constitutes its existence through a single cycle (start-process-result/initial-middle-final). Whether it is open or closed, overlapping or connected in any way, each individual phoneme is a distinct entity.
When sounded thus manifested physically, each individual sound becomes the temporal marking in the time-space. This is what is considered Bak (beat) in a broader sense. In other words, a sonic entity itself becomes a bak (beat). The western idea of ‘measures’ in music, too, can be considered distinctive bak (beats) where a start of a measure is the beginning of the bak and the next bak occurs when the next measure starts. Every bak, just like a phoneme, encompasses the birth (生), expansion (長), and the conclusion of the proceeded development of the core identity that led a sound to be pronounced in the first place, forming a totality of cyclic process. Each measure IS a bak as well as the multiple beats within the measure. All sounds expressed in various durations within a single phrase and symbolized by musical notes are each a beat.
This is not an aggregation of vague differences bundled into one word due to an inability to distinguish detailed nuances. Rather, it demonstrates that the word 'bak' carries diverse meanings and physical realities/principles applied and modulated across various dimensions.
Typically, based on music theory developed in Western Europe, we label a specific group of predetermined beats 'measure/meter', consider the recurrence of a certain duration marked by pulses within a measure as a 'beat’, and refer to the various lengths and arrays of musical notes expressed as a component of ‘melody’ as 'rhythm.'
Despite their differences in categorizations and roles, there is a unifying principle or underlying essence that they center around. Moreover, instead of approaching the essential principles through the comparison/observation/analysis of differing manifestations, the goal is to delve into the foundational principle that unfolds across various phenomena. Within the movement of these diverse elements, the aim is to rediscover the fundamental essence.
Let's take a closer look at the concept of 'bak.' Based on today's common understanding of music, 'bak' or beat is essentially a set of consecutive collisions happening at regular intervals. These collisions create specific waves positioned between two successive collisions. However, these intermediary waves are not deemed significant when theorizing about the musical beat. Instead, 'beat' selects certain elements of the “beat’s reality” to convey its meaning, focusing on the striking action, the appearance or sensation of it, and the collision itself, emphasizing the uniformity of these collisions occurring continuously with temporal regularity.
When we describe a beat as ‘fast’ or ‘slow,' we are referring to the duration of the time gap between successive collisions, or the frequency of collision occurring with the same unit of time. In one minute, the fast-paced beat would exhibit more beating points than the slow-paced beat. The time gaps between the beats bear the potential to be expanded into a discussion on “the thing in between the collisions”; however, this is not suggested or implied in the word beat itself.
Beat
A strike that occurs at regular intervals. A series of regularly paced collisions or strikes are considered a component of musical beats.
Bak 拍
The exchange of two opposite ends, a change in the state of energy. This includes not only intersections and strikes but also the (empty) space between them. The space between collisions is as crucial as the marking points where each collision occurs over time in defining 'bak.'
In contrast, bak (박, 拍) encompasses the energetic exchanges and changes, occurring in the seemingly empty spaces created between collisions, incorporating regularly paced beating points into its meaning.
“拍” is the combination of two characters 扌(手) and 白, each representing ‘hand’ and ‘empty space’. The ‘hand’ component signifies the strikes made through clapping hands, and the ‘empty space’ portrays the space opening up from the coalesced point of the two hands or two opposite ends, which eventually withdraw back into the next contraction point. This suggests that bak is perceived as encompassing both elements, and the character representing beat is crafted to illustrate these very qualities. In essence, it encompasses not only the temporal aspect, which serves as markers to delineate a continuous stretch of time, but also a spatial dimension to sound that expands and contracts after each strike and in between. Together, these elements define bak, condensed into one character.
As a side note, the Chinese character for '박,' 拍, is known as a composite character, composed of elements representing meaning (扌) and sound (白). Nevertheless, it is improbable that characters representing sound were selected devoid of contextual meaning. It is likely that, inheriting traditions from our ancestors over thousands of years, we may not entirely grasp the intricacies behind the construction of each character.
Like bak, there are many concepts and terms embody two interacting aspects without separated them into different words or concepts. It consistently appears in many expressions based on the Eastern framework, perspectives and cosmology, where two opposite ends, sides, entities are fundamentally dependent extremes coexisting as one.
The Korean word for 'universe,' 'cosmos,' or even 'space' is “우주”. English expressions of 우주 each convey different nuanced images and meanings. 'Space,' as in 'outer space,' may refer specifically to a physically represented dimensional area. 'Cosmos' conveys the ideology of an orderly whole, and 'universe', meaning ‘turned into one’, implies the amalgamation of many into one unified entity. In case of 우주, The basic meaning of both 우宇 and 주宙 is house. The universe is certainly the “house” of all beings. But the most significant meaning can be found when we look at each word in each syllable. The word itself sets up two axises that hold up the physical time-space that houses all things to dwell on and interact with each other for living. One axis signified by 우宇 represents time while another axis 주宙 represents space. These two types of 'houses' expand to become an infinite space-time, simultaneously encompassing everything. The term '우주' refers to such a 'house.' The word '우주' itself encapsulates the fundamental framework of time and space constituting the universe.
The Korean word for 'universe,' 'cosmos,' or even 'space' is '우주.' English expressions of 우주 each convey different nuanced images and meanings. 'Space,' as in 'outer space,' may refer specifically to a physically represented dimensional area extended to places far from the earth. 'Cosmos' conveys the ideology of an orderly whole, and 'universe,' meaning ‘turned into one,’ implies the amalgamation of many into one unified entity.
In the case of 우주, the basic meaning of both 우宇 and 주宙 is 'house.' The universe is certainly the “house” of all beings. However, the most significant meaning can be found when we examine each word in every syllable. The word itself establishes two axes that uphold the physical time-space, providing a dwelling place for all things to interact with each other. One axis, represented by 우宇, signifies time, while another axis, 주宙, represents space. These two types of 'houses' expand to form an infinite space-time, simultaneously encompassing everything. The term '우주' refers to such a 'house.' encapsulating the fundamental framework of time and space constituting the universe.
Another example is the term 'duration,' denoting the span of time. In the realm of music, 'duration' signifies the length of an individual sound sustained within the linear progression of time. In Korean, the translation of duration or length is quite straightforward as ‘길이,’ sharing the same root with 긴, meaning long. This essentially captures the characteristics of both long and short using a term exclusively associated with 'long'. One of the most crucial terms in Korean traditional music and concepts is Jang-dan (장단). This single term encompasses two individual words, each representing long and short, respectively. Of course, duration of various sounds always possess relative sense of long and short. In the most superficial level, we can understand Jang-dan as a certain cyclic rhythmic pattern. But this aspect of Jang-dan is a tip of an iceburg.
As each sound is born through any kind of hit, strike or friction, ‘dan (short) is the very moment when the sound begins to appear as sonic phenomenon in physical world through the coalescence of two objects or two forces in two extremes. ‘Jang (long)’ illustrates that sound started out as a single dot, permeating across timespace, reasonating for a longer period of time and bigger size of space.
Each sound, born from a hit, strike, or friction, finds its sonic manifestation in the physical world at the precise moment of 'dan' (short), emerging from the fusion of two opposing forces or objects. Conversely, 'Jang' (long) denotes the expansion of sound, originating as a singular point, resonating across time and space for an extended duration and in a larger spatial context. This conceptualization aligns with the notion of yin and yang working in tandem and opposition. Yin-Yang and Jang-Dan represent two interdependent forces, highlighting that only by combining two contrasting words can we adequately capture the reality and underlying principle.
Unlike the suggested words above, "Bak" is a monosyllabic word, yet akin to many Chinese characters, it is a composite of multiple characters with distinct meanings. Much like '우주' and '장단,' it amalgamates two contrasting concepts to constitute a comprehensive idea. The 扌 (hand) component underscores the collision generated as palms meet, symbolizing the condensed, dot-like point. Simultaneously, the character '白’ (empty space or white) represents the expansive space between collisions. Both elements are integral to the formation of "Bak."
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Delve deeper into the topic in "05 Bak -2".
Feel free to explore the Korean version (“05 박拍 -2”) ahead of the translated release.