Dreams: What I Learned Today

Today I learned that dreaming about poop is lucky in Korea and a good omen. You can take that to the bank...

Buddha's Birthday

I had the rare opportunity to experience Buddha’s 2,555th birthday in a predominantly Buddhist country. While many foreigners in Korea saw it as a day off I saw it as a great chance to really immerse myself into Buddhist culture. It was especially rewarding being that it was Buddha’s birthday. What better way to spend the day then to observe a Buddhist ceremony and go to one of the most famous Buddhist temples in all of South Korea. It is things like this that leave lasting memories and impressions, to go out and dive into the heart of the culture.

May 10th probably went by like any other day in America. But in Korea and other Oriental cultures the day is heavily celebrated. I could see the preparation for the day weeks ahead. Colored paper lanterns flanked the streets in several cities I visited beforehand. 석가탄신일 (Seokga Tansinil) or “Buddha’s Birthday” is heralded by a month of these lanterns as I would find out. Temples in and out of cities handed out flyers and banners were hung on their walls before the big day. Siddharta Gautama (The Buddha) is certainly a much-celebrated figure in this part of the world. Many of the Korean traditions I had only read about would unfold before my eyes.

The misty morning started like any other morning. This day was especially perfect, the heavy humidity contributed an “other-worldly” mist that hung around for the entire day. I was able to go to a small Buddhist temple in Mokpo with a friend of mine. The small temple clings to the side of one of Mokpo’s dominant geological features, Mt. Yibimsan. Approaching the small temple on the hillside one could hear the chants from the female Buddhist monks and the predominantly female group attending the service. I could only assume that this was a service special for women. Like most temples I have seen, big or small, it was immaculately decorated on the inside with beautiful lanterns and woodcarvings. The smell of incense lingered ever so slightly on the outside. For about thirty minutes we just watched and listened to the service’s chanting and chimes. This was my first experience at a Buddhist service. Each person in attendance had little booklets for the chants so they could join in. Every once and a while the group would bow down in unison to the Buddha. After this we went down to receive the traditional complimentary meal of sonchae bibimbap, a special vegetarian version of bibimbap.

The main event for the day was still ahead. Daeheungsa (aka Daedunsa) is one of Korea’s most famous temples. It is indeed one of the most beautiful sites I have seen. It is a little over an hour east by car outside the city of Haenam. Its age is not confirmed, but it is believed to date back to the Three Kingdoms Period. This is a broad time frame considering it the Period extends from the 1^st Century BC to the 7^th Century AD. The temple itself is nestled into the side of Mt. Duryunsan. Like many structures of its kind, it blends perfectly into the mountainside in a serene and natural way. That same mist that was clinging to the sides of Yibimsan in Mokpo was clinging to Duryunsan, except at this point it was raining. The ambiance that this atmosphere created can hardly be described, much less shown since I forgot my camera that day.

The whole complex is about a 15-minute walk from the parking lots. Along the way the road is flanked by beautiful trees and the walk takes you over several ancient stone bridges spanning tranquil streams. Inside the gates was a beauty that can’t be compared or easily paralleled to things I had seen elsewhere in the world. The temple complex was quite massive with dozens of outbuildings. It took about an hour to soak it all in. Luckily by this time of the day the crowds had gone and we were able to walk around freely and unhindered by throngs of people. Words can’t really describe each building I saw or the experience as a whole. I would like to reiterate that forgot my camera! The history of the place was almost suffocating to the history buff inside of me. A great experience and a great day were added to my list of growing adventures in Korea. I would recommend it to any travelers in the area.

Links: http://eng.koreatemple.net/travel/view_temple.asp?temple_id=21&code=A013021

http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264584

Transmissions Will Resume!!!

After a very long month of non-blogging I have decided to step back into my "amateur at best" blogging. Look for 3 or 4 blogs in the next couple of days as I try and cram one month's events into several posts! Thanks for the patience!

Mokpo Ceramics Festival and some Minor Digression

Mokpo may not always get the best reputation as a hotspot in South Korea and can certainly be overlooked. It does have its hidden charms though. One of those was a pleasant surprise I discovered this week while riding around on my jajeongo (bicycle) in Mokpo. I happened to sight banner advertising a ceramics festival and was able to loosely translate the location as a very familiar sight. Pyeonghwa or Peace Park is a popular spot down by the water. For five days tents were scattered across the park (a cement park). Inside the tents a broad range of factory and/or handmade ceramics. A real treasure-trove for a souvenir hunter like myself. Items ranged from tea sets, mugs, incense burners, vases, chopstick rests, jewelry to kimchi and soybean paste pots. Needless to say I was hooked into buying several handmade items at a bargain price complete with discount and “service” item, a free mug. Mokpo may not be the shopping and entertainment center of Korea but it has its charm, something I can truly appreciate and admire.

The Boseong Green Tea Festival

The tea culture has been around for thousands of years in Asia and the Orient. Its earliest documented use in South Korea dates back to the 7^th Century. Green Tea is a staple among the tea culture in South Korea and dates back to the 9th Century. Korea happens to boast some of the best Green Tea in the world. The city of Boseong and its sprawling tea fields grow the highest quality Green Tea in all South Korea.

The city of Boseong is about an hour and a half bus ride outside from Mokpo along the Mokpo-Suncheon route. After a few stops along the route the bus drops you off at the humble little bus station in downtown Boseong, a city of just over 60,000 people. From here it is possible to take either the city bus or cab to the tea fields. About ten minutes outside of Boseong is the most notable of the famous tea fields. The Daehon Dawon Green Tea Plantation was originally cultivated in the steep hillsides under Japanese Occupation in the early 20^th century. After independence they were put under new management and soon began producing some of the highest quality Green Tea in the world.

Every year in May the plantation hosts the Boseong Green Tea Festival. It lasts a few days and draws in thousands of tourists and tea lovers from across Korea and elsewhere. The atmosphere at the festival is relaxed and you can enjoy a tranquil walk through the tea hedges or up the steep hillsides that are blanketed with the endless rows of tea. Music, food, and hands on experiences with Green Tea are abundant at the festival. For a more hands on experience you can experience the traditional tea ceremony inside the Green Tea Museum or even get a hands on learning experience on how to make and process tea. The food at the festival ranges from street food, traditional Korean style food to Green Tea themed foods. A favorite of mine was the Green Tea ice cream.

Daehon and the surrounding fields can be enjoyed year round. April is tea-harvesting season and rumor has it the smell of tea lingers in the air as you walk the fields. In winter the hedges are covered in soft blankets of snow while in fall the changing scenery and color gives it a whole new flavor. The Boseong area also holds claim to the Green Tea Spas, something I didn’t try.

Link: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=557091

The fateful line, the DMZ.

Barbed wire…an endless string of cold, dark and flesh-tearing steel as far as one could see. It weaves its terrible strands from the outskirts of Seoul along the Han River for thirty or so miles until it reaches that gaping space between two nations. Two nations staring each other down in a bitter hate, a hate between two brooding brothers, North and South. This is the DMZ.

I have always found the story of the Korean War a great tragedy. It is known as “The Forgotten War” in the annals of American history. Sandwiched between the heroics of WWII and the Vietnam War. Not many know the story of that war that raged between 1950-1953. It was a brutal and violent contest that did little to resolve anything. The border remains much like it did before war broke out. It was a costly conflict that stirred the pot of hatred even more. The war was never officially ended, only halted by ceasefire. So the frontline remains a four-mile wide gash between the two Koreas. It is an entanglement of barbed wires, landmines, bunkers and millions of soldiers. The DMZ is the most heavily fortified border in the world; soldiers on both sides are poised for all out war at any given moment.

On the ride up north in our tour van this surreal feeling overcame me. It was an out of this world feeling as I looked to my left at the great Han River. Barbed wire and pillboxes were flanking its sides. Not one foot of the bank was left uncovered by the wire and watchful eye of sentries and CCTV. The threat of North Korean infiltration through the Han River is taken seriously. Many DPRK agents and spies have killed and/or captured along this vast river. The Han River eventually makes its way through North Korea, an ample outlet for spies and defectors to use. It is no wonder that such care is taken in protecting its shores. In fact the Han River splits Seoul in half as it makes its way south, making it a vital waterway of utmost importance.

We eventually reached Imingak. A tourist spot equipped with a theme park, memorials and war relics. On its northern edge is the Bridge of Freedom, a railroad bridge that heads north into the DMZ, it is flanked by pillboxes and barbed wire. The fence line around the bridge is plastered with colored ribbons. Written on the ribbons are the hopes and prayers of thousands of Koreans for a unified Korea. One couldn’t help but feel the emotion of the place. There is an honest hope among most Koreans that they will be united once again with the North to form one Korea.

Next was the Third Infiltration Tunnel. It is one of several dug under the DMZ. The tunnels were built by the North Koreans using forced labor in the form of South Korean POWs from the Korean War. The tunnels were built for the sole purpose of invading the South in a surprise underground attack aimed at Seoul. The descent into the tunnel was an arduous and steep 200 meters or so down. At the bottom was the infiltration tunnel. The tunnel itself was long, dark, damp and cramped. I had that eerie sensation, imagining the POWs laboring away in terrible conditions under the watchful eyes of the North Koreans. A subtle fear crept in just imagining the North Koreans walking down this tunnel. Several hundred meters in there are three concrete barriers erected by the South after the tunnel was discovered. In each barrier there is a hole about one square foot in size. I just imagined unfriendly eyes peering through at mine at the other side of those barriers in the dark and unlit side. At this point you are hundreds of feet down and just over a football field away from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The Dorasan Observatory gave us a chance to look at the frontier of North Korea. Sitting atop a hill sits the observatory, camouflaged and bustling with military personnel. Perched on this hill is the concrete observatory where visitors can peer through binoculars at the last Stalinist country in the world. My heart raced when I first looked through the viewfinder. I saw the strings of barbed wire and the North Korean lookout posts, yet no DPRK soldiers in sight. There was a heavy fog in the valley so little could be seen without the zoom of the binoculars. My heart twisted as I caught glimpse of the giant flagpole in Kijongdong. Kijongdong is the Propoganda Village just inside North Korea’s half of the DMZ. The village is rumored to be empty, just a shell of empty apartment buildings meant to tempt South Koreans into defecting toward the utopia of North Korea. The fabled utopia is no longer a desire for South Koreans, history has given the upper hand to the R.O.K. and it’s people, while suffering and starvation happen in the North. Yet the propaganda remains. The flagpole I gawked at stands at 525 ft high while the flag itself weighs an astounding 600 pounds. This gargantuan monument is the second tallest in the world, following a flag in Azerbaijan of all places. I had a few short glimpses at the flag before the coin-operated binoculars went dark. Those seconds are burned into my brain.

The Dorasan Train Station followed. The station was once a stop on the rail line that formerly connected North and South before the war. It has since been rebuilt and redesigned. It stands as a powerful symbol for unification. Trains don’t pass through its hollow confines; there is no one to fill its corridors and waiting areas other than tourists. It was a melancholy visit to the beacon for unification. Inside it looks like a fully functioning modern train station. A blue sign inside shows the next stop on the line as Pyongyang. The tracks lead North, but they lay silent. The money that went into building such a station shows the determination of the South to be reunited with the North, even if only commercially. It was somber and uplifting to see this kind of infrastructure being built in the event of unification. Yet the hope seemed forlorn, a country up North to far gone into the shackles to come easily to the arms of its brother in the South. The DMZ remains a sign of this hope, as forlorn or realistic as it may seem. We must remember the future is always unclear…

Cheonan and the Independence Hall

I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Cheonan a couple weekends back with my good friend Trevan Hauck from my college days. He is a teacher up in Cheonan and it was my first big trip out of my region and into the northern part of South Korea. It was a weekend full of catching up, meeting new people, Noribang (karaoke), and the Independence Hall of Korea.

Just outside of Cheonan tucked in the lush green of Korea lies a massive monument. It’s chilling and overpowering at first site. I equated it with the Jedi Temple from Star Wars when I first saw it. The Independence Hall is in fact a large collection of buildings and museums. At it’s center lies a gargantuan monument. The Great Hall of the Nation. It’s a modern building with traditional Matbaejibung tile roofing. The building itself is 126 meters long, 68 meters wide and 45 meters tall, or about 15 stories high. It is the largest tile-roofed building in all of Asia. Its size is imposingly powerful, beautiful and ugly at the same time. Inside the pillared hall is a statue, the Statue of Indomitable Koreans. It’s a very Western style statue, almost Roman or even Russian in style, a symbol of the movement for freedom in Korea.

After passing through the Great Hall you arrive at the complex of museums. There are seven in all, each cataloguing the history of Korea from 5,000 years ago to 1950. The focus of each museum especially focuses on this idea of Korean autonomy and the movement for freedom and independence.

The first building showcases Korean history from 5,000 years ago to the beginning of the modern era. Vases, models, artifacts and weaponry dot this building. The building is called The Origin of the Korean People. It is a lot of information crammed into one building. One unique item was Admiral Yi Sun-Sin's sword. It’s a massive and almost samurai like sword. It would be like seeing William Wallace’s sword. Yi Sun-Sin was the admiral who defeated the Japanese in a naval battle in the 1500’s, his image now graces some of Korea’s currency.

The next five buildings are all in regards to Korea’s relationship with Japan. It’s a rocky relationship dating back hundreds of years. The real debacle began in the 1860’s and in 1905 Japan took total control over the Korean peninsula. Decades of brutal occupation and imperial rule followed until 1945. The struggle for independence climaxed in the failed revolutionary movement on March 1^st, 1919. The March 1^st Movement or Samil (3-1) movement signaled the beginning of a massive protest against the Japanese regime. Over two million Koreans took part in the movement that comprised of over one thousand different protests. A declaration of independence was created but the movement eventually ended in failure. The iron fist of Japan tightened even more.

Japanese rule ended at the close of WWII. It is around here where the museum ends it’s telling of the story of Korea. What follows is the tragic division between North and South. It’s an incident that could have been avoided had America taken a tougher stance against Stalin and had not drawn that fateful line across Korea. Korea, a people and a nation had for thousands of years been one people, even in the face of Japanese occupiers. Now they are bitter enemies, North and South, the result of a hasty line in the sand.

(The last building is The Experience Hall of the Independence Movement and is more geared towards children)

I picked up on several different things during my visit to the museums. One is the extreme nationalism, bordering on over the top but at the same time very admirable. Something that isn’t seen anymore in Western societies, a love of one’s people that runs deep. Another thing was the blatant portrayal of the Japanese as the harbingers of Korea’s destruction. It is a true and tragic story, one that Japan still struggles with today. Indeed there is a deep-seeded hatred among many Koreans against the Japanese that I see off and on. Some love Japan, some hate without forgiveness. Events over sixty years ago still linger in the minds of Koreans, many of them children. The displays in the museums depict glorious scenes of the Korean people marching forward towards independence. There are also scenes of rape, torture, massacres, and violence that fuel this hatred. Children come on field trips to view these scenes without the understanding and maturity necessary to grasp what they are seeing. For adults it means something different. We can gain lessons from the dark days bygone. The challenge is how do we teach these lessons to our children. Do we do it with a visual onslaught? However, who am I to say what they can do or should do? It’s a slippery slope. Most important it’s a different culture that should be respected and this is a story that defines them. We all want to be respected for our cultural background and our country’s history.

If we can steer away from things that fuel the fires of anger and hatred than it’s all the more better. History is a slippery slope…

http://www.i815.or.kr/html/en/ -The official website for the Independence Hall