How does Korean mensural notation show rhythm and tempo?

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Korean music Musician playing a *kŏmungo*, a type of Korean zither with six strings.

In the late 15th century, a Korean mensural system was developed to provide a clearer indication of rhythm and tempo than most traditional Chinese notations.1

This system utilizes columns of squares—typically organized into groups of 16, though often modified into 6- or 12-square groups—to represent time values. These grids allow for the precise notation of the rhythmic structures inherent in Korean music, such as its characteristic six-beat rhythms.1