Pongsan, in Hwanghaedo Province, North Korea, is the home of a version of the Sandae-dogam dance dramas in Korea that employs particularly fanciful and grotesque masks made of papier mache built over a sculpted mud base. Pongsan T'al Chum was traditionally a festive holiday play performed by the light of a bonfire on the midsummer occasion of Tano. This was a time of relief from busy farm work just prior to rice planting. The performances constituted folk rituals intended to repulse evil spirits encourage bumper crops, and celebrate the summer solstice. At the end of the performance, the masks were burned in the bonfire as the performers and audience members danced Since partition, several Pongsan performers have moved to Seoul, where they have taught others and reconstituted the dance drama for the concert hall stage. Twenty six masks are used.