This weekend (May 25th-26th, 2013) nosotros participated inward the DMZ Ecological Peace Festival inward retentivity of the 60th anniversary of the Korean DMZ. It was held inward the northeastern corner of the ground inward Gangwan. The schedule included:
- · A halt at a South Korean 22 partitioning armed forces base of operations located on the DMZ where the women inward our grouping served in addition to ate luncheon amongst the soldiers
- · A tour roughly the DMZ in addition to stance of Democratic People's Republic of Korea from Go-Sung DMZ observatory
- · Prayer for peace yesteryear multi denominational religious leaders in addition to song
- · An overnight temple rest at Geon-bong Sa Temple
- · Geum-gang Mt. Music Festival
- · Sunrise at the East Sea
- · Zen Meditation
- · Tea Ceremony
- · Hiking roughly Hyang-ro Bong Mountain
Thaddeus in addition to I joined our group, every bit business office of SIWA, exterior of Itaewon early on Sat morning time to embark on our weekend tour. We were non certain what the weekend had inward shop for us quite yet. As nosotros met at our buses nosotros found ourselves in 1 trial to a greater extent than surrounded yesteryear a diversity of press in addition to inward the companionship of ambassadors, unusual soldiers, diplomatic mission plant in addition to people from all roughly the world. It was quite the group.
We loaded the rider vehicle in addition to headed towards Pyong-Chang, in the Gangwon province of South Korea. Pyong-Chang is an exciting location because it volition solid the 2018 wintertime Olympics. It was also where our temple was located that nosotros would hold out staying at for the weekend. Gang-won province is divide betwixt North in addition to South Korea.
The rider vehicle trip took almost 3 hours. About an hr in addition to a one-half into our trip nosotros stopped at a residuum area. At this fourth dimension men in addition to women were asked to separate into dissimilar buses. Only the women of the trip would hold out going to the 22nd ROK Army partitioning to feed the soldiers. I am silent non positive why it was this way, but I am going to larn amongst cultural reasons?
As nosotros drove through the ground side nosotros were surrounded yesteryear beautiful views of mountains, rice paddys in addition to rivers. It was absolutely stunning. When nosotros finally came to the DMZ nosotros drove through a gate that was decorated amongst ii large dragons. As nosotros entered the 22nd partitioning base, soldiers stood exterior waiting for us inward formation. As nosotros exited the bus, the soldiers clapped for us. I felt pretty famous. (haha)
The commander of the regiment gave a brief speech. He was real excited to take hold us visiting the base. In Korea armed forces service is mandatory for ii years for boys. They tin take to larn prior, during or later on college. The bulk of the soldiers were 18-21 years old. The commander spoke of the importance of the placement of these soldiers at the DMZ in addition to how unsafe it was to hold out “on the front end lines.”
After the spoken language nosotros made our means to a cantina truck where several Korean women had been preparing food. There were giant plates of bulgolgi, 3 kinds of kimchi, rice cakes amongst mushrooms, salad, cherry tomatoes, rice in addition to soup. I was inward accuse of serving the bulgogi. As the Korean soldiers lined upward for lunch, each women serving, greeted them. A Korean interpreter taught me how to say a Korean phrase that I idea meant hello. Later she told me it was but a pop TV phrase for Americans to say that had no literal Korean translation.
After serving everyone luncheon I was given a plate in addition to went into the dinning hall. Each adult woman sat at a dissimilar tabular array in addition to spoke to the soldiers through an interpreter. Many of the soldiers also knew a little amount of English. Each tabular array was laid upward amongst a little grill to brand Korean BBQ inward improver to the luncheon nosotros served. The soldiers said that this was a real fancy repast for them.
Everything was delicious! I genuinely enjoyed talking to the soldiers. One of the soldiers fifty-fifty told me I was the showtime foreigner he had always seen inward his life! He spoke surprising practiced English linguistic communication for never seeing a native English speaking person! Once nosotros ate lunch, nosotros went exterior in addition to all posed for pictures together.
At this indicate nosotros were non certain where the men were. I texted Thaddeus, in addition to he said he had luncheon of cucumber soup, rice in addition to seaweed at the temple. He also participated inward a gong ringing ceremony. One of the gongs was then large it took ii people to band it.
We met upward before long later on luncheon at the Go-sung DMZ observatory. The views were absolutely beautiful. You could reckon the Eastern Asia Sea every bit good every bit 3 mount ranges that run across betwixt North in addition to South Korea. Inside of the DMZ is a mount called Geum-gang Mountain. This is known inward Korea for existence the most beautiful mount inward the country. It was idea for years to belong to North Korea. However, recent surveys determined it is divide betwixt North in addition to South Korea. The mount ranges inward this expanse remain inward what is unopen to pristine weather since it has been over lx years since humans take hold inhabited them.
From the observatory it was also possible to reckon a route in addition to railroad scheme that connect North in addition to South Korea. The route was gratuitous of cars in addition to has alone had armed forces traffic driving on it for the in conclusion lx years. The develop has alone been run across the border once inward 2007 when tension betwixt the countries lightened for a curt period.
Once nosotros had spent some fourth dimension taking inward the view, our grouping went into a conference room made upward of beautiful drinking glass windows. Here everyone gathered to pray for peace in addition to unification betwixt North in addition to South Korea. There were almost fifteen religious leaders representing dissimilar Buddhist factions at the ceremony. We were also given a brief history of the expanse in addition to conflict. Once the prayer was over I joined the diplomat's spouse's choir inward singing ii traditional Korean songs.
After this nosotros headed towards the temple to start our overnight stay. At the temple men in addition to women in 1 trial to a greater extent than were separated. It is non allowed for members of the reverse sexual activity to slumber inward rooms together inward a temple. About 25 women in addition to myself entered a little building, made upward of 3 rooms. There, nosotros all picked out little sleeping mats in addition to found places on the flooring to pass the night. The rooms were relatively little in addition to nosotros looked similar squished sardines sleeping side yesteryear side to each other. The sleeping pads were alone every bit thick every bit a blanket, so they weren't real comfortable. There were several foam pillows the size of a brick, every bit well. I was non fortunate plenty to larn 1 of these. The nicest business office of the sleeping weather was that the floors were heated (Korean Ondol system), then it was real warm. There was alone 1 bath inward the edifice for the 25 of us! Need-less to say, it was non the most glamorous sleeping arrangements, but everyone made do.
Once nosotros made our “beds.” We all headed to the dinning expanse for dinner. The temple was divide upward into dissimilar buildings, in addition to a current in addition to the beautiful mountains surrounded the grounds. Every fourth dimension you lot entered a edifice you lot had to take away your shoes.
Geon-ong sa temple is 1 of the 4 major Korean Buddhist temples inward history. The temple was built inward 520 during the Silla dynasty. In 1951 it was almost completely destroyed during the Korean war. Today it has been reconstructed in addition to is an extremely beautiful establishment.
For dinner nosotros sat on the flooring amongst depression rising tables. The Buddhist diet is completely vegan. For the 4 meals nosotros ate at the temple we were served rice, seaweed, mushrooms, a clear soup amongst edible bean sprouts, kimchi in addition to a sort of fresh fruit or vegetable. There were no beverages served during meals but at that spot were ii springs located on the temple grounds amongst ladles amongst which to larn H2O to drink.
After dinner nosotros were treated to a beautiful performance of traditional Korean instruments including the Kayagum, Yanggum, Tanson, Choktae, Hae Gum, in addition to Piri. These instruments are both string in addition to horn instruments. I had never seen them played earlier in addition to was beyond impressed yesteryear the musicians skills. The performers played both traditional Korean songs and popular songs similar “Hey Jude” yesteryear the Beatles. Lanterns lit upward the stage. A adult woman also did some Korean chants. Her phonation was then potent in addition to echoed throughout the mountains.
After the musical performance nosotros were asked to spontaneously come upward to the phase in addition to sing. Everyone inward our choir was real hesitant to larn onto the phase later on such a beautiful performance. We finally went upward inward front end of the crowd in addition to sang our songs. The performance went over real well! Phew!!
In the crowd that night, were both the mayor in addition to the governor of the Gangwan province. They both stood upward in addition to gave speeches. Following this, girls wearing swans on their heads in addition to honok flowing white gowns did a trip the lite fantastic performance inward front end of in addition to roughly the temple. Their silhouettes danced on the colorful temple walls. The performance seemed magical. It was extremely beautiful!
Finally, to destination the night, two “peace poles,” that looked much similar totem poles, were brought nigh the stage. The mayor, the Turkish ambassador to South Korea and the governor took turns icon the eyes on the “peace poles.” There were ii poles in addition to each 1 was to symbolize North in addition to South Korea.
After the terminal ceremony it was roughly 9:30 in addition to nosotros all made our means to bed. I slept nigh the door of the room in addition to was woken upward throughout the dark whenever someone had to motility me to larn to the bathroom. Yes, that is how tight it was inward the room. Needless to say, I did non larn a lot of sleep. At 4:30 nosotros all woke upward in addition to loaded the buses to the East Sea (Commonly called the Sea of Nihon inward the United States, much to the ire of Koreans). There nosotros watched the sunrise. Fishermen were out on their boats squid fishing. The twenty-four hours was real hazy, in addition to every bit the Sun rose it alone peaked out of the clouds for a few brief moments. Although nosotros did non larn to reckon the most beautiful sunrise, the overall experience was wonderful! It was prissy to pass the morning time watching the fishermen in addition to watching the waves crash onto the shore of the sea.
After the Sun rose nosotros took a curt tour of the East Coast. In this expanse both Presidents of North in addition to Republic of Korea used to take hold beach homes. Today the homes are museums. The North Korean beach home, located on the side of a mountain, looks similar a little castle in addition to was the residence of Kim Ill Sung earlier the expanse was captured yesteryear the South inward the Korean War. On the stairs of this habitation at that spot is a plaque in addition to photograph of Kim Jon Il visiting the habitation when he was v years old. We walked to a little peak in addition to found a little bunker in addition to could reckon the stance of the DMZ through barbed wire fences. An older Korean human joined us for our curt hike in addition to nosotros looked for line-fishing boats belonging to Democratic People's Republic of Korea inward the distance.
After this, nosotros stopped at beautiful Hwa-jin po lake, which is the largest lake inward South Korea. Located here is the opor-garai habitation of South Korean's first presiden,t Syngman Rhee. The habitation was non opened upward but statues of the yesteryear president were visable through the windows.
From hither nosotros returned to the temple to take hold breakfast. The repast was the same every bit the previous; however, nosotros had fresh tomatoes in addition to sweetness rice cakes for a treat. In Korea tomatoes are considered a fruit.
After breakfast nosotros were invited to reckon the remains of Buddha that are stored at the temple. A cracking monks bones do non fully give notice later on cremation. These pieces of "tooth" (actually fired bone), belonging to Buddha, are on display at the temple.
Next nosotros participated inward a tea ceremony in addition to Zen meditation presentation. We were all given robes to pose over our outfits. The argue for this was to non hold out distracted yesteryear our vesture during meditation.
For the tea ceremony, nosotros sat downwards on the flooring on little mats amongst a table. A women inward Hanbok brewed tea from hot H2O in addition to greenish tea leaves that were grown inward the area. The tea was prepared inward a little pot made out of traditional Korean pottery. Once the tea had steeped she poured it inward a little bowl. From hither nosotros each served ourselves a loving cup of tea inward a real little cup. The women told us to pose the tea loving cup inward the palm of our correct manus in addition to alone secure it amongst our middle finger tip. After this nosotros were to accept our left manus in addition to identify it inward front end of the cup. The tea is suppose to hold out boozer inward 3 sips. The showtime sip you lot are suppose to discovery the color. The 2nd sip you lot are suppose to discovery the scent in addition to the terminal sip you lot are suppose to concentrate on the taste.
After the tea ceremony was over nosotros began our lecture almost Buddhism in addition to Zen. A monk explained an trial of Zen to us. He stated: “Suppose a married adult woman in addition to a hubby come upward to a temple in addition to the married adult woman gets a undertaking serving food. There are 300 people at the temple in addition to they all trouble upward to larn food. That item dark the hubby is inward trouble to larn nutrient in addition to real hungry. He rubs his tummy to symbolize to his married adult woman that he is hungry. Through this activity she understands his feelings. No 1 else tin sympathise this unspoken interaction.” This was described as a clear trial of Zen, which nosotros also do non understand.
Monks do meditation 6-8 hours a twenty-four hours to endeavour in addition to accomplish enlightenment. Enlightenment is finding your inner self. When meditating, inward the Buddhist religion, you lot are supposed to go on your eyes opened upward in addition to expect at your nose. This keeps you lot exposed to what is happening, on the within every bit good every bit on the outside. While nosotros are meditating a Monk walked roughly amongst a stick in addition to hitting anyone on the shoulder if they seemed to lack focus or to hold out falling asleep.
Our terminal trial of the twenty-four hours was a hike roughly Hyang-ro Mountain. A scientist/botanist, who has been studying trees of Korea, accompanied us on our trip. He explained almost the importance of studying in addition to preserving trees inward Korea since it is an island. Korea is 1 of the alone countries that makes it mandatory for children to hold out educated on wood preservation. Part of the bird allows children to pass the twenty-four hours inward the wood studying the environment. The DMZ is 1 of the most preserved forests inward the basis due to lack of human activity for the in conclusion lx years.
After our hike nosotros had 1 terminal temple meal. Guess what? It was the same affair nosotros had eaten for all of our yesteryear meals. But this fourth dimension nosotros got watermelon! Yippee! After luncheon nosotros hopped on the rider vehicle in addition to headed dorsum to Seoul later on a real interesting weekend.
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