Inscribing the Body of Emptiness: The Body and Language in Korean Court Dance Terminology

Some characteristics of Korean court dance terminology might seem unclear and confusing even to those familiar with the form. I argue that these characteristics carry a cultural understanding of the body, movement knowledge, and language. Sharing these characteristics with the language used in other sources, the terminology presents the body as a site where material and nonmaterial components coexist, intermingle, and transform into each other; where movement knowledge resides not in words but in a person's embodiment; and where language is used consciously to nurture concealment, inviting the reader or observer to achieve personal meaning. I conclude that the dance terms could be understood not as lacking sophistication or precision but as carrying a culturally specific perception of dancing and writing.