As Korea has developed and modernized, music has come to play a central role as a symbol of national identity. Nationalism has been stage managed by scholars, journalists and the state, as music genres have been documented, preserved and promoted as 'Intangible Cultural Properties'. In this book, Keith Howard documents court music and dance, Confucian and shaman ritual music, folksongs, the professional folk-art genres of p'ansori and sanjo and more. An accompanying CD illustrates many of the music genres considered, featuring many master musicians including some who have now died.