Originally imported from the Sung dynasty of China, Boheoja eventually became part of Korean music as it was used in the Royal Court of the Joseon dynasty. It currently has two versions, one for winds and the other for strings, and the former was used mostly as an accompaniment to court dances while the latter was developed as chamber music by civilian musicians, resulting in a number of variations like Dodeuri from the 18th century onward. Boheoja is commonly performed as a slow wind ensemble over rhythmic cycles of 20 beats, but the string version is called Boheosa.

 

‘Boheoja – Ode to Moon Jar’ is a transcription of the Boheoja melody for viola and piano by Shinuh Lee and Sae-ahm kim, particularly written for The Pathway 2023 project ‘Poem for Moon Jar’. In this piece, the Boheoja melody is inspired by an authoritative beauty of a voluminous, globular body of the large porcelain moon jar, evoking images of a full moon.