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?
For an earlier posting on Seonunsan, click
here.
For more on Manhae, click
here.
The road to Jirye Art Village starts with a chance discovery on the KNTO website followed by reservations through e-mail to JAV owner, Mr Kim Wong-gil. It’s easy to get access to JAV on the Internet or a landline. But actually getting there is another matter.
The 40 minute drive from Andong to JAV takes us on a road that overlooks the Imhaho Dam and past apple orchards begging to be photographed. The hillsides are in a riot of autumn shades. The road narrows to a series of hairpin bends that test the driver’s steering skills & the passengers’ stomachs. Even driving through the main entrance of JAV is tricky as there are just a few inches to spare on both sides of the vehicle as it squeezes past the wooden portals decorated with Hanji characters painted on red paper.
