So when I got home last night, I still had some daylight left, and I hopped on my bike and headed for the hills. I haven't had any time to explore my area at all, and I've been bemoaning the lack of nature near my place. I'd seen some trees in the distance, so that's where I headed.
Lo! What I found was better than I could ever have hoped for: a GIANT (I mean giant) forested park with well-lit walking/biking trails. So I walked and rode through it for quite a while, the light draining from the sky as I went further in. And then, curiously, through the trees, I heard a man's voice singing, chanting, clear and deep, rolling like a river over stones. Onward, thought I, hoping to find the source. Not five minutes later, through the dark forest I began to see the soft glow of multicoloured lanterns. I had come across a large, beautiful temple. Oh, the luck of the Irish! The trail wound around it, and I was able to find an exit from the forest in order to make my way to the gate.
I parked my bike, walked into the courtyard, strung with many paper lanterns, bobbing and swaying in the gentle breeze. The moon was overhead, and a few Buddhists were standing in the dirt courtyard, hands in prayer position. I stood with them, and we faced the open door of the temple, through which light was spilling into the yard, and inside I saw people sitting on mats in front of a gold statue of the Buddha. I couldn't see the monk who was singing, but I stood listening to him for about an hour, maybe less. Occasionally the people around me in the courtyard would bow slowly from the waist down, and those inside would stand and then bow deeply to the ground, foreheads on the floor. The air was cool, but in a summery, pleasant way, and a calmness pervaded the entire place, despite the children running hither and yon on the forest's edge (children and religious services appear to be the same the world over). I felt as though God himself had called me there, what a magical experience.
Yesterday (Monday) was a holiday here: Buddha's Birthday. Hence the religious service I'd stumbled upon. Actually "Buddha's Birthday" is apparently a misnomer, so I've been told by a monk. He told me with a smile that every year he writes a column for the newspaper, and every year he says the same thing: the day has nothing to do with the historical Buddha's date of birth but rather is more like a "Buddha Day" or a celebration of Buddhism and enlightenment. He said people call it "Buddha's Birthday" because "Birthday" is easy to remember. Cute.
Since we're speaking of temples, here is a daytime shot of the International Zen Temple that I have gone to a few times, in northern Seoul:
And here is its courtyard decorated for the Buddha Day celebrations:
Yes, I admit, kind of tacky in the daylight (wouldn't be Korea otherwise), but by night they really do look beautiful.
So, I did make it to a nice ceremony after all. I thought I would miss them all, because I spent the long weekend on a lovely little island called Deok-jeok-do (pronounced: duck-juck-doh). "Do" usually means "island" in Korean. It was relaxing, very rural, and restorative, what with being around clean air and sunshine and being smiled at by peasant rice farmers, and all.
Here are a few shots from the weekend...sorry I've none of the rice fields...each time I walked there I forgot my camera.
Fisherwomen (old fisherwomen), selling their live goods on the ferry slip:
The dock we came in on. Hmmmm, reminds me of somewhere....
J being funny on a rock run we did, trying to catch the sunset (just missed it):
Me and A (my best friend) on the beach:
We hiked to the top of a little mountain to see the sights:
Pagoda at the top:
Me and A being warriors with the bamboo spears on the way down the mountain. Arrrr!:
C, our adorable, sweet friend, barbecuing some shish-kebabs:
So that's it in a nutshell. A very large nutshell. Sorry for the long post...gotta groove while the groovin's good. Love you all, hope you had a great weekend as well! xoxo
Lo! What I found was better than I could ever have hoped for: a GIANT (I mean giant) forested park with well-lit walking/biking trails. So I walked and rode through it for quite a while, the light draining from the sky as I went further in. And then, curiously, through the trees, I heard a man's voice singing, chanting, clear and deep, rolling like a river over stones. Onward, thought I, hoping to find the source. Not five minutes later, through the dark forest I began to see the soft glow of multicoloured lanterns. I had come across a large, beautiful temple. Oh, the luck of the Irish! The trail wound around it, and I was able to find an exit from the forest in order to make my way to the gate.
I parked my bike, walked into the courtyard, strung with many paper lanterns, bobbing and swaying in the gentle breeze. The moon was overhead, and a few Buddhists were standing in the dirt courtyard, hands in prayer position. I stood with them, and we faced the open door of the temple, through which light was spilling into the yard, and inside I saw people sitting on mats in front of a gold statue of the Buddha. I couldn't see the monk who was singing, but I stood listening to him for about an hour, maybe less. Occasionally the people around me in the courtyard would bow slowly from the waist down, and those inside would stand and then bow deeply to the ground, foreheads on the floor. The air was cool, but in a summery, pleasant way, and a calmness pervaded the entire place, despite the children running hither and yon on the forest's edge (children and religious services appear to be the same the world over). I felt as though God himself had called me there, what a magical experience.
Yesterday (Monday) was a holiday here: Buddha's Birthday. Hence the religious service I'd stumbled upon. Actually "Buddha's Birthday" is apparently a misnomer, so I've been told by a monk. He told me with a smile that every year he writes a column for the newspaper, and every year he says the same thing: the day has nothing to do with the historical Buddha's date of birth but rather is more like a "Buddha Day" or a celebration of Buddhism and enlightenment. He said people call it "Buddha's Birthday" because "Birthday" is easy to remember. Cute.
Since we're speaking of temples, here is a daytime shot of the International Zen Temple that I have gone to a few times, in northern Seoul:
And here is its courtyard decorated for the Buddha Day celebrations:
Yes, I admit, kind of tacky in the daylight (wouldn't be Korea otherwise), but by night they really do look beautiful.So, I did make it to a nice ceremony after all. I thought I would miss them all, because I spent the long weekend on a lovely little island called Deok-jeok-do (pronounced: duck-juck-doh). "Do" usually means "island" in Korean. It was relaxing, very rural, and restorative, what with being around clean air and sunshine and being smiled at by peasant rice farmers, and all.
Here are a few shots from the weekend...sorry I've none of the rice fields...each time I walked there I forgot my camera.
Fisherwomen (old fisherwomen), selling their live goods on the ferry slip:
The dock we came in on. Hmmmm, reminds me of somewhere....
J being funny on a rock run we did, trying to catch the sunset (just missed it):
Me and A (my best friend) on the beach:
We hiked to the top of a little mountain to see the sights:
Pagoda at the top:
Me and A being warriors with the bamboo spears on the way down the mountain. Arrrr!:
C, our adorable, sweet friend, barbecuing some shish-kebabs:
So that's it in a nutshell. A very large nutshell. Sorry for the long post...gotta groove while the groovin's good. Love you all, hope you had a great weekend as well! xoxo
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