My Fav K Sounds - Part 2

Sometimes the things you don’t seek are the most rewarding. One of my favourite sounds in Korea is something I discovered by chance when I stayed overnight at Baekdamsa in Gangwon-do. I went there just to see what this quiet corner of Soraksan National Park was like and was already taken with the beauty of the maples in autumn there. I sought silence in Baekdamsa but found instead an unforgettable sonic experience.

It was also my first temple stay experience except that there was no formal program here. The vegetarian meal taken in silence was almost over in the communal dining-hall when I heard a muffled but intriguing rhythm building up on a drum somewhere outdoors on the temple grounds. Hastily, I cleared my dining-tray and went out into the nippy evening air in search of the source. In the darkness, my ears led me to a raised pavilion which housed an enormous drum, a cloud-shaped metallic cymbal of sorts, a wooden fish with a hollow body and a bronze bell with a profile reminded me of the Emile Bell. One seonim was facing the drum, his hands wielding two sturdy drumsticks while another was waiting for his cue beside the other instruments.

How can I describe to you what I heard? Definitely not mere banging. Not tuneful but riveting. Surprising because of the variety of rhythms created on the massive drum and so different from the monotonous beating heard in temples outside Korea and it. It had a commanding presence, speaking with authority, except that I wasn't sure what it was saying. But it was magical.

According to Brother Anthony, an expert on Korean culture, sounding the Dharma Instruments (bell, drum, fish, cloud) “represents communicating the call to enlightenment (the Dharma) to all 'sentient beings'.” The bell made of metal reaches out to those below the ground, while the drum made of leather is the call to living things above the ground. The hollow body of the wooden fish is struck to communicate to all the creatures in the sea whilst the cloud shaped gong is meant for all in the air.

Source of pic on left: KNTO website

Fasting Buddha & Remembering Manhae, Seonunsan Part 2

How do I End Up Sipping Tea with Some Monks in Chongam?

In the autumn of 2005 I stumble upon Dosol-am, a hermitage in Seonunsan Provincial Park. The main temple is under renovation, it was impossible to find accomodation in the minbak village outside the park and I count myself fortunate that I'm allowed to stay at Dosol-am.

One of the seonims ( monks)  invites me for a ride in the hermitage van to visit his friend at the Chongam ( hermitage) for more coffee, courtesy of the ajumma who works in the kitchen and some nokcha in the seonim’s room when he finally emerges from wherever.

First time I’ve a privileged peek into the quarters of the monks – are female visitors allowed? It’s more messy and cluttered that I thought – another stereotype busted. Seonim seems pretty restless for a monk and I wonder whatever made him join the order. Doesn’t seem very Zen like to me and his agitated or excited tone suggests some dissatisfaction. Even in these remote places, there’s probably monastic politics. Sigh.

His friend seems a little more at peace ( cluttered quarters notwithstanding ) and his few possessions catches my eye. A laptop ( they have Internet connections even here?), a small replica of the Fasting Buddha ( the original is in Pakistan), a pine tree tea table with slats to drain away the unwanted hot water or cold tea. And an exquisite and very expensive tiny teapot with an anthurium-shaped spout.Another surprise: a small library at Chongam with a book of poems by Manhae a.k.a. Han Yong-Un ( married monk, poet & freedom fighter) who died in 1944. Fortunately I have enough time to copy these two poems ( with apologies to the translator!)

“PARTING CREATES BEAUTY”

Parting creates beauty. No beauty of parting
is in the substanceless gold of the morning.
Nor is it in the threadless dark silk of the night.
Nor is it in the unfading blue flower of heaven.
My love, if there is no parting, I would not be
reborn with a smile after I die in tears.
Oh parting, Beauty is created by you.

"MY WAY"

There are so many ways in this world.

There are stony passes in the mountains;
There are waterways on the seas;

and there are the courses
for the moon and stars

to follow high up in the sky.
A fisherman leaves his footsteps

on the sand by the river, and
a woman collecting herbs leaves her

traces on the green grass.

A wicked man follows the ways of sin.

A man with justice doesn’t hesitate to
step on the edges of a sword

for the sake of what is right.
Over the western hill, the setting sun

treads on the glow of the sky.
In the spring morning, the crystalline

dewdrops slide off the petals of flowers.

Yet I only have two ways –

If I were denied the way to the bosom of my love,
I would follow the way to the bosom of death;

without the way to my love,
other ways will be more depressing

and painful to follow than the way to death.
Ah, who has opened my way? Ah, there’s no-one

but you, my love, who could open my way.

But, my love who has opened the way to you,

why have you also opened the way to death?

Extract from my travel journal ( At Dosolam, Seonunsa Provincial Park, 5th Nov 2005)

For an earlier posting on Seonunsan,  click here.
For more on Manhae, click here.

Jinju in Spring - A floral tribute

Sorry, I'm botanically-challenged so I would be grateful if anyone out there could identify the following flowers for me. If my labels are wrong, please let me know. All these were taken within the grounds of the fortress in Jinju.

Pic above: Main gateway to the fortress in background; unidentified floral object in foreground; hard to imagine with such colourful pretty flowers that this was once a site of bloody battles.

Pic above: Petunias or pansies ??? Taken somewhere near the pavilion

Pic above: Camellias near a temple - I read that the falling flower evokes an image of decapitation to the Japanese samurai but what does it mean to the Koreans?

Pic above: Taken from the fortress ramparts; actually this was my first glimpse of cherry blossoms ever in real life before I suffered a surfeit of them in Jinhae.

Letter for some Jinju ajummas

To the ajummas of Jinju that I met,

This is a long overdue letter to thank you for your warm and spontaneous hospitality. I had arrived at the bus terminal from Daejeon by mid-day in the spring of 2007. The walk to find a yeogwan was some distance away but thankfully, after settling in, it was a short stroll to the fortress. I then spent a good part of the afternoon walking my feet off on the grounds and was getting a little tired when I came across a group of you ladies at a small temple, Hoguksa, near the western end of the fortress.


You were all seated cross-legged on the floor of an annexe surrounded by paper lotus lanterns in various stages of completion. It was apparent that you were volunteers helping to prepare the decorations for the upcoming celebrations for Buddha’s birthday. I remember struggling to find the words to ask if I could join you and pitch in to help a while. Your openness and friendliness made me feel so at ease that I was soon settling down to apply starch to the paper petals and leaves for you to assemble on the wire frames.
Source of pic: http://elizabethbriel.blogspot.com/2004_05_01_archive.html

The seonim ( monk) who brought in more boxes of paper lotus petals must have been surprised to see me there - a tourist with a backpack and baseball cap. But you rattled off something to him and it continued to seem like the most natural thing to accept a stranger from another country who couldn’t understand any part of the gossip and chatter going on around her. I wanted to take a photo of us together but I ran out of film and for the umpteenth time wished I had a digital camera.

I also want to thank specially one ajumma who was working as a volunteer in the Jinju National Museum. I learnt that you had also been a tourist in my own country and had even climbed its highest mountain. I was impressed by that but even more touched when you invited me for a meal after I had completed my tour of the museum. Kamsa-ham-nida for introducing me to the delicious Jinju bibimbap in the heart of the marketplace –in a cosy sikdang clearly popular with the locals.

Source of pic: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=404018506&blogId=491528312

Last but not least, go-map-seum-nida as well to another ajumma that I met later on at Boriam, Namhae. You had actually travelled from Jinju to this temple for some special prayers but you also took time to show me the way to Ssanghongmun ( the twin caves). Moreover, without your support and example, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the 108 prostrations – something I once thought was a feat for only the tough and truly devout.

Your city claims to be the most beautiful city in the country. I don’t know how true that is but I can definitely agree that it has some of the most beautiful and gracious ladies in the country! Once again, ajummas of Jinju, thank you so much for making my visit to Korea so memorable and heart-warming.

Sincerely,
An ajumma who visited Korea

One of the Top Three Pavilions in Korea

Jinjusanseong has a large pavilion which is supposed to be among the Top 3 on the list of beautiful pavilions to check out in the country. Chokseongnu is a big pavilion, that’s true. But to my untutored eye, it didn’t look aesthetically superior or inferior to other pavilions I’ve seen. However, the determination of the people to keep this cultural asset going as a symbol of the city is perhaps what makes it impressive. Built in 1241 during the Goryeo Dynasty, this pavilion has been repaired or rebuilt at least eight times.

Moreover, Chokseongnu has very decent views of the river and city. Perched on higher ground and overlooking the river, it served as a command post for generals on the lookout for the enemy during times of strife. In less turbulent times, groups of scholars studying ancient classics used the pavilion as an open-air study-room. In these more placid days, photographers, school groups and tourists are its regular visitors.

Source of photo: http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A38&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00008315&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=921&v_disp_type=4

Tomb of Noses - Roald Dahl would've loved this one!

Part 4 A GRIM & BIZARRE FOOTNOTE OF HISTORY

“It is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered his troops to kill Koreans and send their noses, packed in salt, back to him to prove that they were killed. Japanese soldiers frequently exaggerated their success in battle.

The Japanese started by first sending back severed heads but the heads were heavy and took up too much space, so it was changed to ears.

However, the Japanese troops began cutting off both ears to double their number of kills. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi realized this, he was forced to change the order from ears to noses…..According to one record, the Japanese sent back 6006 salted noses in 6 large jars….” Apparently, they were kept at the ‘Tomb of Noses’ at the Toyokuni Temple in Kyoto, Japan.
Source of extract: Jinju National Museum brochure

The Lonely Planet reports that in an effort to improve Korean-Japanese relations, the latter returned 20,000 noses to the former and the noses were buried again in a formal ceremony. That’s comforting to hear but could anyone please tell me where the noses are now buried in Korea?

Did the Japanese invade Korea for teabowls?

By the 16th century, the tea ceremony was already the rage in Japan and the Japanese were mad about tea-bowls imported from Korea. If you were a Japanese in those days, you could spend between 10,000 and 50,000 bags of rice to buy your own fiefdom or splurge on the latest Korean tea-bowls.

Small wonder that the Japanese thought it made more economic sense to Iaunch a war against its neighbour across the waters. Not only could they seize as many Korean teacups as they pleased, but they could also assure themselves of an endless supply by kidnapping Korea’s finest potters and taking them back to Japan.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the Japanese warlord who hatched the plan to invade Korea and it just so happened that he was the pupil of the great tea master, Sen No Rikyu. Unfortunately Sen No Rikyu had a falling-out with the warlord and committed hara-kiri before the Japanese invasion of Korea. Wonder what the tea master would’ve said if he had known of his student’s plans.

Source of pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bric_uk/407135262/

A Museum Dedicated to An Invasion?

Part 2 The Jinju National Museum

Source of photo: KNTO webpage

 Not surprisingly, a museum dedicated to the story of the 1592 invasion can be found on the grounds of this fortress. The Jinju National Museum (open all days except Mondays and New Year’s Day) should please those interested in history, particularly military history and, those who are not so fond of the subject but are blessed with imagination, may find themselves drawn to the different folding screens which portray the different battles and how the Korean fortress was besieged by the Japanese armies.

There are many other exhibits to engage the young and the young at heart; you can learn more about the the military campaigns through the audio-visual presentation; you can put on the fake gold crown and pose as royalty for the digicam; you can collect an ink stamp of the famous turtle ship ( geobukseon) invented by Admiral Yi shun-shin who defeated the Japanese at sea.

You could also take advantage of the free access to the Internet available in the museum gift shop to email an update of your travels to friends and family.

"The Most Beautiful City in Korea"

JINJU, Gyeong-sang-nam-do Part 1 “The most beautiful city in Korea!”

The tourist brochures proclaim JINJU to be “the most beautiful city in Korea” but I didn’t hear about that until I reached the place. Having seen it though, I would say that it is a pretty place. Part of its attractiveness is that it is built on a river, the Namgang, to be precise in this case. Its most attractive spot is the rebuilt fortress with its walls outlining the contours of a little hill overlooking the Namgang.

However, what makes Jinju special is its place in the national history. Its fortress at the northern end of the Namgang has many tales to tell of a terrible time when the Japanese invaded Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The Jinjusanseong ( Fortress) was the site of one of the main battles and it was here that about 70,000 Koreans died in defense of their country.

Walking around the grounds of the fortress in the spring of 2007, the spring flowers distracted me from the past. Creamy magnolias, yellow dogwood flowers, scarlet camellias, pots of decorative pansies and the occasional cherry blossom tree were all vying for the attention of my camera. It was peaceful and calm, particularly as it wasn’t the weekend and the spring weather was showing its sunnier side.

It was hard to imagine this was once the scene of some fierce battles which involved soldiers, civilians, and even monks who turned soldiers. Standing on the edge of the cliff near the Chokseongnu Pavilion and looking down into the calm waters of the Nam River lapping innocuously around the famed Uiam Rock, I struggled to picture how a Japanese army general could be hurtled to his watery death by a zealous kisaeng.

Photo source:http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/thumb/1/13/Jinju_Fortress_River_View.JPG/400px-Jinju_Fortress_River_View.JPG

What do you want to be in the next life?

Here's a provocative poem by one of Korea's leading poets of the 20th century. Do you like it? What do you want to be in the next life? Fancy being a rock?

ROCK by Chi-Hwan Yu

When I die,
I will become a rock,

never touched

by compassion, joy or anger.

While being torn down by wind and rain,

It will only whip itself inwards

in eternal, impersonal silence,

and at last forget its own existence;

Floating clouds, distant thunder!

Though it may dream,
it will never sing.

Though broken in pieces,

it will never utter a word.

I will become such a rock.

from http://www.geocities.com/lesliebarclay/KoreanPoems.html

Right: Taken at Boriam, Namhae

Memories of Ma-i-san

Ma-I-San ( Horse-Ear Mountain) near Jinan, Jeolla-buk-do
( http://www.maisantapsa.co.kr/ )

· The 3 km bus ride from Jinan to the Northern Parking Lot where one can see logs arranged in rows of inverted Vs for the cultivation of mushrooms in the vicinity.


· The knee-crunching, ankle-tweaking, lung-smarting climb up stone steps to the narrow pass between the west and east peaks before the relief of the descent to Eun-soo-Sa.


· The welcoming and amusing sight of a stone trough refilled ironically with refreshing spring water by a stone horse half way up the climb.


· The friendly caretaker of Eun-soo-Sa who, when he saw me admiring the size of an ancient drum, startled me by banging it unceremoniously and inviting me to have a go at it as well.


· The impressive array of percussion instruments in the Jonggak pavilion which are used in Buddhist ceremonies. I was fortunate enough to be in the area when a priest did the ritual drumming. The reverberation of the drumbeats in the silence and darkness of evening in that ghostly setting was profoundly stirring.


· The chance meeting with a Filipina tour guide who now lives and works in Korea after marrying a local & the relief of being able to converse in English after days of struggling with my very limited Korean.


· The silent bonding as I help another ajumma assemble paper lotus lanterns in preparation for Buddha’s birthday celebrations. Actually, I just applied the starch as glue on individual paper petals or leaves while she arranged them on round wire frames.


· The unexpected gift of a book on Maisan from a kind gentleman who ran the restaurant cum souvenir shop where I had a meal before returning to Jinan.

Hills like horse's ears?

Ma-I-San ( Horse-Ear Mountain) near Jinan, Jeolla-buk-do ( http://www.maisantapsa.co.kr/ )
The silence here in the evening, when all the tourist crowds have departed, strikes one as being more profound. Or maybe my imagination is working overtime. It’s not surprising when one is in a place like this. Here, the mountains here are unlike any other mountains in Korea. Twin mountains rise out of the plains like horse’s ears and the main temple here stands amid numerous stone piled up on top of one another to resemble pagodas.


Above: man-made stone 'pagodas'; KNTO photo
The unusual profile of the natural landform inspires a lot of name-calling ( literally and in the positive sense.) The west peak, Am-maibong, regarded as the ‘female’ peak, is 686m high while Sut-maibong, its ‘male’ complement, is just lower by 6m. They’re also given different names as the seasons change. Above: Dotdae-bong in spring; photo from KNTO website
Above: Yonggak-bong in summer; KNTO photo
Sorry, can't find suitable pic as yet for Maibong ( autumn / fall)!

Above: Munpil-bong in winter; KNTO photo

Tapsa (Pagoda Temple) has an unearthly air to match its bizarre backdrop, as it is surrounded by stone pagodas of varying sizes and heights. Lee Gap-Ryoung , born in 1860 to an aristocratic family, began this project as an act of piety. Apparently, he put up 120 stone towers, built according to Taoist principles of yin and yang but now only 80 remain. Reputed to have survived on a spartan diet of pine leaves while erecting the stone pagodas, Lee passed away at 98 in 1958.
All the information above was gleaned from the tourist brochures and souvenir books. For a more personal account of Maisan, please see the next posting.

My Fav K sounds - Part 1

The elegant profile of the bronze bell which stood at the reception counter of Mr Kwon Young –joung’s Hanjin-jang Yeogwan ( aka Hanjin Hostel) in Gyeongju first caught my eye. Then it caught my ear too as it produced a delightful ‘ting’ that seemed to linger in the air. It turned out to be a small replica of the famous Emile Bell which is on the grounds of the Gyeongju National Museum.


The original was cast in 771 A.D. Standing beside it, it was the first time I felt dwarfed by a bell; indeed the log suspended beside the bell used to strike it ( goodness knows when, if ever) seemed more like my size. The outlines of celestial beauties are seen on its surface, besides other floral motifs. One way or another, it is an impressive creation. According to the Lonely Planet, it’s “one of the largest and most beautifully resonant bells ever made in Asia. It’s said that its ringing can be heard over a 3 km radius when struck lightly only with the fist.”

The Emile Bell legend recounts how a child was thrown into the molten bronze during the casting process to appease the heavens. Apparently the bell sounds like a child crying out for its mother. Unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to hear the bell and I didn’t have the guts to strike it with my fist. I didn’t want to waste my holiday in some police station explaining my juvenile actions in sign language and very limited Korean.

So I had to be content with purchasing a dimunitive version of the Emile Bell and listening to its crystal tinkle. Small as it may be, it still produces a beautiful sound, evoking a Zen-like atmosphere whenever it is struck and nothing, thank goodness, remotely like a heart-rending cry of a sacrificial child.

Why Join the Suncheon City Tour?

Here are 5 reasons why you should join the Suncheon City Tour:

1. It's not really a city tour. Instead, the SUNCHEON CITY tour actually takes you out into the surrounding countryside to visit different tour attractions. The tour starts from the Tourist Information Booth near the train station. Book in advance because it can get crowded. I wouldn't recommend using email. I sent my reservation in English and didn't get a reply. It's better to get someone who speaks Korean to call ahead to book a seat on the tour bus. Call 82-61-749-3107.

Above: Songgwangsa - an impressive temple complex in terms of size and style.

Would you knowingly chase an illusion?

Photo source: http://visitkorea.or.kr/cms/resource_etc/83/300383_image2_1.jpg

JUSANJI ( GyeongSangBuk-Do; near JUWANGSAN National Park)

Thin morning mists. The smallest of hermitages in a small pond. Reflections of old willow trees. An elderly monk and his young acolyte on a wooden boat.

I stumbled upon this image while surfing on the Net and the impulse to seek it out evolved into a minor obsession. I knew I was chasing an illusion. More clicks on the Net had revealed that this was a construct of film director Kim Ki-duk’s imagination; the tiny shrine had been built specifically for his movie, “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring” and after shooting, it was transferred to YeongPyeong Resort.

Moreover, this isn’t even a natural pond. It’s actually a man-made reservoir built in 1720 for agriculture and drinking water.

Still, the image is irresistable and I find myself buying a ticket from an automated ticketing machine at the bus depot in Juwangsan for a bus to Ijeon. There’s no direct bus so it’s a long but easy walk along a narrow river and rice fields to Jusanji. Managed to hitch a ride from a young couple when I got tired and impatient. Hitching back to Juwangsan was harder but a kind soul from Seoul came to the rescue.


What happens to a dream realised in the prosaic afternoon light when the mists have long lifted? There’s little solitude here with so many photographers here also in search of something elusive. What did I expect to find in Jusanji? I’m no photographer. I hadn’t even seen the film yet so what am I doing here? I came, I saw but how could I say mission accomplished when I didn’t even know what the mission was?


But it is quiet and soothing here. The trees on the farther side of the pond are in the rich and varied colours of autumn and the reflections of the willow trees emerging like silent sentinels out of the water invite contemplation.

Fun Comes First In Gyeryeongsan Natural History Museum

Where can kids and parents have a great time together indoors while touring Korea?
Answer: GYERYEONGSAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Address: 511-1, Hakbongri, Banpomyeon, Gongju, Chungnam. Tel: (042) 820-7500.
http://www.krnamu.or.kr/

It seems fitting that this museum in Chungcheongnam-do which is dedicated to natural history should be situated on the foothills of Gyeryongsan, or Rooster-Dragon Mountain. The latter got that nickname as its ridge line looked like a dragon wearing the crown of a rooster.

When I joined the day tour from Gongju, I didn’t have high expectations for one of the stops on the itinerary. The fake dinosaurs, placed on the sides of the road leading up to the three-storeyed building, looked a little tacky although the kids on the tour were obviously thrilled. However, the Gyeryeongsan Natural  History Museum proved to be more edutaining than I first thought.

Taken from the website of the GNHM

Its three floors are packed with fascinating exhibits arranged according to the following themes:
1. The World of Dinosaurs
2. Universe, Earth and Life ( which includes a pretty collection of minerals and gemstones)
3. Nature and Human Beings.

Those who don’t speak Korean may rent a device that looks like a Palm Pilot and gives a brief commentary in English when you key in the relevant display number.

Indeed, “Fun Comes First and Learn Comes Naturally”, the motto of the Gyeryeongsan Natural History Museum may be flawed grammatically but its heart is in the right place. The curators have taken great pains to present the exhibits in interesting ways and to incorporate as much interactivity as possible to make learning very entertaining.

Magnifying glasses are provided for those who want to scrutinize nature’s handiwork on the wings of moths and butterflies. An outline of a brontosaurus is filled with badges collected from different partner universities and institutions. MRI scans and X-rays allow fresh insights into the anatomy of two Korean mummies from the Joseon Dynasty.

We had less than two hours to spend in this museum but I would think half a day is needed to do justice to this place. It’s a great place for the whole family because there seems to be just about everything to fascinate each generation.

Frommer's review of the museum

sources:
http://krnamu.or.kr/eng/index.html
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Gyeryongsan

Surprising Seonunsan, Part 1

SEONUNSAN (선운산) PROVINCIAL PARK, JEOLLABUK-DO

“Seonunsan is a gorgeous place. Among other things, it boasts a temple, Seonunsa and small sub-temples perched all around a gorge. Behind Seonunsa is a 500-year-old camellia forest that blossoms around the middle of April.” ( Lonely Planet)

Heaven knows why but I am so easily seduced by that description that Seonunsan is put on my itinerary for my November 2005 trip. However, the sight of the crowds entering the park make my heart sink and I begin to wonder if it’s a mistake. It isn't easy finding a place to stay during this peak season. The Youth Hostel is fully booked and anyway, don't fancy sharing a roof with noisy school groups at this point in time. But the further I get from the main temple, my fears of a wasted trip fade away.


Seonunsan is, indeed, a beautiful place. A mini green tea plantation and a busy stream flank the narrow trail which leads to Dosol-am, a tiny hermitage, about an hour’s walk away from the main temple. Leaves of amaryllis plants cover the grounds in patches, hinting at the spectacle that greets visitors in September. While the camellias are not evident, the deep reds of the maples here are ample compensation. The maples here aren’t as profuse as those in Naejangsan but the colours are quite stunning, evoking a real sense of autumn.


A quiet place with lively cats, Dosolam has some lovely maple trees with leaves carpeting the ground in red, gold and orange hues that rival a Persian rug. It also has a great view of Cheonma Peak  (Cheonma-bong)and one can even hear the exhilarated shouts of walkers who reach its summit. I surprise myself by reaching this cliff as well without actually planning to do so.

After a stiff climb up many steps and some hauling with handy ropes, I stand with a strong sense of personal victory on a great vantage point and look down into the valleys and across to other peaks.

 On my way back, I chance upon two signboards marking the spots where MBC filmed some dramatic episodes for its highly successful drama series, DaeJangGeum a.k.a. Jewel in the Palace: the cliff where Lady Choi commits suicide and the cave where the heroine’s mother is buried.

Yongmun Cave (Yongmun-gol) actually comprises three enormous holes in the rock face that one can walk through. It’s a bit creepy if one is there in the forest alone amid the cool gloom and silence. Luckily a group of walkers pass by so I can ask them to take a snapshot of me posing beside a pile of rocks for a fictitious grave. Oh the power of TV.


For another posting on Seonunsan, click here.

sources:
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=658504
http://culture.gochang.go.kr/seonunsan/
http://culture.gochang.go.kr/eng/
http://culture.gochang.go.kr/eng/
http://article.joins.com/article/article.asp?ctg=12&Total_ID=2656630
http://english.whatsonkorea.com/view_listings.ph?lid=5273&code=M_A&scode=M_A3&ss_code=M_A3-9&pst=M
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/images/wallpaper/0909/004_1024.jpg
www.dvdbeaver.com/film/articles/...amas.htm

What's Your K.Q. (Korea Quotient) ???

FUN QUIZ No 1 : HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW SOUTH KOREA?
Update: I've decided to make this first quiz short- only 5 pictures to identify.

Can you guess where these photos were taken? Clues are given for each.

Update: You may find the answers if you visit other postings on this blog.

There will be FIVE photos posted for this first quiz. ( see future posts to this blog)

No 1 Clue: Can a fake grave from a TV drama become a tourist attraction?

No 2 Clue: The tiny "temple" is gone but this pond is beautiful in any season.

No 3 Clue: Holy shit! You have to go far south to find this. ( pardon the language)

No 4 Clue: Photo of its partner is in another post on this blog

No 5 Clue : Are the children too much for T-Rex? Or is he running from the hen - dragon?

HAPPY GUESSING!

Ssangyesa in Hadong - In Search of Peace and Bulil Pokpo

Don’t believe the travel brochures that claim you can enjoy a quiet walk along the Cherry Blossom Road in Hadong-gun. See previous posting.  Perhaps it’s only true if you were to take a walk late at night or very early in the morning when the springtime busloads of tourists are busy in the noraebang ( karaoke) or still asleep.

At other times of the day, you have to tune out the incessant honking of impatient drivers and the loud music blaring from street peddlers’ sound systems or the neighbouring norae-bang. You also have to jostle with hundreds of other pedestrians or side-step every now and then to avoid enthusiastic mothers with children posing for the cameras.

One way to escape from the noise is to drop by the nearby tea cultural centre, Cha- Mun-hwa Centre, an oasis of calm and tranquility. It's near the original site for the cultivation of green tea in the country. The exhibits lack explanations in English and the processing of tea leaves isn’t very exciting visually. Still, there's a variety of teapots and teacups on sale to admire.

Who knows? You may be even be offered a complimentary cup of green tea by the friendly sales staff. Consider it a bonus if the tea master is around to demonstrate for you the fine art of making tea, Korean-style.

 Who could resist adding a camellia to the others placed on the signpost?

Another way to avoid the crowds is to follow the trail behind Ssanggyesa ( 쌍계사 )  to the Bulil Waterfalls. ( 불일폭포)  It does mean also getting away from the cherry trees but then one can have a surfeit of blossoms. Then again, the walk is reward in itself because it's in one corner of the immense and impressive Jirisan National Park, the first to be established in South Korea

The 2.3 km walk isn’t too demanding, by my humble standards. Alas, autumn isn’t the best time to go hunting down waterfalls as it’s the dry season and the impressive torrents of summer shrivel up to a dull trickle. True enough, when I finally caught sight of the  the 63-m high and 3-m wide pokpo, it did  not seem to be at its best though one person at least has claimed that "the amount of water is constant throughout the year".

When it freezes up in winter, ice ridge climbers like to practise on these falls, located between Cheonghak Peak and Baekhak Peak, about 2 km east of Ssanggye-sa.

Here's the legend of Bulil Falls from the KBS World website:

"When the dragon that used to live in the pond under this falls swished its tail when it was flying up to heaven, Cheonghakbong and Baekhakbong were created and the mountain stream began to fall between the two peaks, forming a dynamic waterfall."
However, there’s a spectacular view from a tiny hermitage  near Bulil Falls to be enjoyed if you venture beyond the temple grounds. Check out the photos of "Bullil-am" ( 불일암 ) which means "Budhha Sun Hermitage", especially the pic of  the "antique wooden well" on this website. There's also a campsite nearby for those who want a little time-out in this corner of Jirisan; for more information, click here.

 Who knows how long it took this ancient pine to reach this height?

sources:

http://www.san-shin.net/Jiri-Ssanggye-Bulilam.html
http://english.knps.or.kr/Experience/Campsites/Default.aspx
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=827231&nearBy=site
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/231
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/images/skyongsang/Buil001.jpg
http://san-shin.net/Jiri-Ssanggye-04.html
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1252
http://londonkoreanlinks.net/2010/06/23/2010-travel-diary-19-hadong-the-home-of-korean-green-tea/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=733147

Best place to get stuck in a traffic jam in April?

Question: Where’s the best place to get stuck in a traffic jam in April?

 Traffic jam on provincial road - taken from a local bus from Hwagae bound for Ssang-gye-sa

Answer: The road between Hwagae-jang-teo ( Hwagae Marketplace) and Ssang-gye-sa (Temple) near Hadong in Gyeong-sang-nam-do.


The reason? See picture above.

Hadong-gun is situated in the south-western corner of Gyeongsamnamdo.

Marked on the maps as Provincial Road No. 1023, it’s also known as Hadong’s famous Cherry Blossom Road. This stretch of road which runs alongside a modest-sized stream is flanked by cherry trees which are more than 60 years old.

Tea bushes side by side cherry trees

Come springtime, this narrow 4-kilometer valley road is transformed into a tunnel of pale pink blossoms and crowds are drawn to its local festival. Don’t be surprised to find yourself in a bumper-to-bumper crawl between Hadong and Ssang-gyesa.

Spectacular sights like this attract hordes each spring

It is a test of patience for drivers tailing other cars or buses as they head towards the parking lots just outside the temple. However, cherry blossom enthusiasts who are lucky enough not to be behind any steering wheel can gawk to their hearts’ content. Traffic moves so slowly that you can still take pretty decent shots of the flowers from a moving vehicle.

Ssang-gye-sa: still peacedful despite the festival crowds

The ride on the local bus from the Hadong Bus Terminal to Ssang-gye-sa is usually about 40 minutes but when there’s a festival and the cherry blossoms have reached full bloom, you can expect the journey to take much longer.

If the sheer exuberance of the cherry trees isn’t enough to satisfy your appetite for nature’s charms, you can also feast your eyes on orchards graced with delicate pear blossoms or the sculptured beauty of old tea plantations.

Tea bush plantations hug the foothills of Jirisan

Here's additional info from the KNTO webpage:

The 'Simni Cherry Blossom Road' is a 6km road between Hwagae Traditional Market in Hadong-gun and Ssanggyesa Temple. Cherry trees over 60 years old are in full bloom along the winding path. The road is also called 'wedding path'--there is a tradition of couples walking down the path and taking a vow of matrimony.

After viewing cherry blossoms, you can also feel the ambience of a local traditional market at Hwagae Market. The authentic feature of Hwagae Market is almost gone now, but a traditional 5-day market is sometimes open. On the road from Hwagae to Ssanggyesa Temple are many traditional teahouses. The Hwagae Cherry Blossom Festival is held from April 4 to 6 every year at the terrace on Seomjingang River.

Transportation: Take a bus bound to Hwagae or Ssanggyesa Temple at Gurye Intercity Bus Terminal. During the cherry blossom festival, the bus between Hwagae and Ssanggyesa Temple may not be available. In this case, take the bus to Hwagae then walk to Ssanggyesa Temple.

sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadong
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_4_12_15_3.jsp
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=255639
http://eng.hadong.go.kr/main/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264125
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=700651

Namhae - Part 6 What to Do at Boriam

Above: Rocks around Boriam have a mythical, mystical air

There were surprisingly many visitors at Boriam in Namhae Island.  Half of them were day tourists and hikers who had trekked up Geumsan. Half were devotees, mostly ajummas who were planning overnight stays as they had various rounds of prayers to make. I was wondering where the dorms were until I saw the communal dining room doubled up as temporary sleeping quarters for visitors. People congregated here for vegetarian meals prepared by a harried-looking team of volunteers and it was cleared after dinner and thin mattresses were spread on the floors for ajumma to catch forty winks before waking up for the pre-dawn prayer session.

In between the prayer sessions, one  kind –hearted and patient ajumma, who made regular trips from Jinju just to worship at Boriam, took me under her wing and showed me the way to Ssanghong mun ( Double Red Gates) – at first it seemed like a small cave with twin openings.

Actually it comprised 2 tunnels through a massive rock on the cliff face. Once again I cursed mildly the dull and damp weather that didn’t encourage any good snapshots.

But I was once again floored by the simple spontaneous act of generosity of the Koreans as my self-appointed guide who was quite a few years my senior lent me her gloves. She had seen how clumsy and unsteady I was, making my way slowly over the rocky path and almost crawling to lower my centre of gravity. I never fail to marvel and envy the Koreans for their sure-footedness and good balance. It seems everyone from the grandparents down to the infants are very fit and good walkers.

And there is a lot to see if you are a good walker. Mount Geumsan where Boriam commands fine views of the Hallyeo National Maritime Park, boasts 38 scenic views which include Mang-dae, an old watchtower and beacon built during the Goryeo dynasty. I managed to find my way to the old beacon but to my surprise, a group of Christians were already occupying the round structure in some outdoor service.

Above: Didn't dare intrude on open-air service on signal beacon so snapped board instead.

Towards evening, the mists cleared as if Nature was granting me somewhat grudgingly a chance to have a better look at the scenic wonders of this place. In a way, the mists added to the mystery of the place and to be rewarded for one’s patience by panoramic vistas of Namhae towards the end of the day made the visit all the more memorable.

Namhae which has been dubbed Treasure Island may not reveal all its secret treasures so easily, but if you are fortunate, the process of discovering them with the help of the friendly local inhabitants will be reward in itself.

For more information about the list of sights, log into the Namhae website ( http://english.namhae.go.kr/)

sources:
http://rki.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1336
http://www.san.go.kr/english/info/gyeongsang_geumsan.jsp
http://www.tour.go.kr/resource/re_reso_viw.asp?hidCtgry_cd=A&hiddenRes_cd=4884-A-13418