Oseam, Baekdamsa Part 4

On my long list of places I'd like to check out in Korea, Oseam may seem a choice as obscure as the actual location of this tiny hermitage in the north-west quarter of Soraksan.

It was built in 644 during Queen Seondeok's reign during the Shilla Dynasty. From what I can gather from the contours of the map, it's at least at least two hours' walk from Baekdamsa ( which is remote in itself, if you don't take the soft option of the shuttle bus).

So why would I want to visit this spot?

First of all, with Gwaneumbong as its backdrop, it promises to be a pretty spot with great views of Soraksan. Next, I'm curious to see how this place inspired Manhae as he spent quite a number of years as a monk who also composed poems here

Next, "Oseam" which means "five year old temple" got its name from a local legend. It tells of a five-year-old boy who, stranded in a remote temple, prays to be reunited with his mother. Some miracles of nature apparently happen and so the temple since then has kept the memory of this boy alive through its name.

Now the story is assured of a little more longevity, thanks to the animated movie by the same name directed by Sung Baek-yeop.

Though it wasn't such the box office as hoped because it was released about the same time as Spirited Away, it won the grand prize for the short films category at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

I stumbled upon the DVD at a shop in Incheon International Airport while waiting for my flight home and it was only then that I had heard of the place. Thought it would be a nice Christmas gift for a child but ended up watching it instead. It's a pretty, charming and modest film though I'm not too comfortable with its ending.
Still, it's a home-grown Korean anime which strives to achieve its own distinct voice.

For an interview with the director, click here.

sources:
http://guriguriblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/oseam-commentary-translated-in-englis/
http://koreanfilm.org/kfilm03.html#oseam
http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=513
http://www.anime-planet.com/reviews/a591.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/oseam
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=790281
http://movie.subtitlr.com/subtitle/show/175336
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/HA/content/cms_view_316264.jsp

Who's a Buddhist Priest, Nationalist Fighter and Poet Rolled into One? Baekdamsa Part 3

Aside from former President Chun Doo-hwan who spent a few years in Baekdamsa,  Manhae, a.k.a. Han Yong-un ( 1879-1944)  is the other person with close associations with this remote temple in Gangwon-do. He was one of the 33 signatories for the historic document which contained Korean's declaration of independence from Japan.  He spent some time in Oseam, a hermitage under Baekdamsa where he was ordained as a monk and the temple now has exhibitions dedicated to his life and works. There's even a festival dedicated to him.

Yom Moo-ung on his poems: They "can be read by the young as love songs, by the religious as words of salvation and by mankind as watchwords that convey the ardent desire for national independence."

Koreans study and recite his poems in high school such as the two works which I've quoted in a previous posting so today I'm just including a snippet from his poem, " Envoi: To My Readers" as an introduction to his works ( rewording and line breaks are my own):

In time to come, reading my poems
may be like sitting among the flowers
of late spring
and rubbing a withered
chrysanthemum
and holding it under the nose
for its scent.

For more poems, click here.

sources:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/08/203_26966.html
http://manhaeprize.org/manhaeprize/bbs/board.php?bo_table=literary_world&wr_id=1&page=&sca=&sfl=&stx=&sst=&sod=&spt=&page=
http://www.manhaeprize.org/ebook/myloveebook/lifewz.htm
http://www.korea.net/News/News/newsView.asp?serial_no=20071214012&part=108&SearchDay=
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=10,2059,0,0,1,0
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_istory101_detail.htm?No=36
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~b9park/HY.htm

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.