Japan - Part II (26.54)


Here's part two in a series of films about Japan.

Japan - Part I


Here's the first part in a series of films I made whilst living in Japan.

Unbelievably, I'm finally packed and ready to go. I've had a wonderful time in South Korea and it has been better in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

From the delights of traditional Korean cuisine in Jeonju, to the last remnants of the Cold War in the Demilitarised Zone, South Korea has proved to be a remarkably fascinating country that I have enjoyed enormously.

As always when travelling it wasn't just the places I visited, but the people I met along the way that made it all so special. Over the past few weeks it seems as if I have been endlessly saying goodbye to people and nearly every night has been a leaving party.

Only now, just before I catch my coach to the airport, does it feel as if it is beginning to sink in.

When travelling, bidding adieu to everyone you have met is always tinged with sadness, especially when you know that you might not see them again.

As I get older it unfortunately doesn't seem to get any easier.

I'm returning to Britain for a short time to teach and hopefully in a few months time I'll be on my way around the world once again.

You can all of the photos here.

Return to the Demilitarised Zone


I first visited the Demilitarised Zone(DMZ) last September and on Saturday I returned, to find out more about the events that have shaped the Korean peninsula since it was first divided in two, following the Second World War.

Like a bizarre Cold War theme park, there are a number of tours you can take in the DMZ and one of the most popular ones is the Panmunjoem tour. During the Korean War, the village of Panmunjeom was at the centre of all peace negotiations from 1951 to 1953. It was here that the final armistice was signed on July 29, 1953, resulting in the creation of the DMZ, along the 38th Parallel.

After the signing of the Armistice Agreement, a new site was constructed approximately 1km south of Panmunjeom for further peace negotiations to take place in. Although the new site is often referred to as Panmunjeom, it is officially known as the Joint Security Area(JSA), an 800 metre square area of land that is policed by the United Nations and North Korea.

After boarding the coach in Seoul, we travelled north towards the Demilitarised Zone along the Freedom Highway. The Han River beside it was frozen and a layer of snow covered the landscape. Once again we passed through security checkpoints and the passports of everyone on the tour were checked by South Korean soldiers.

We then headed to Camp Bonifas, the base camp for the United Nations Joint Security Force, at the southern entrance to the DMZ. After changing coaches, we then went to the Ballinger Hall, for a briefing on the history of the area.

Once inside we were asked to sign a declaration form relieving the United Nations of any responsibility should anything happen. The slide show at the briefing proved to be extremely informative, giving a detailed account of the history of the DMZ and events that have occurred there.Home to 500 South Korean and US troops, Camp Bonifas was originally called Camp Kitty Hawk and was renamed in 1986 in honour of Captain Arthur G. Bonifas.

On August 18, 1976, a South Korean work party supervised by a United Nations Command(UNC) security force was attacked by a group of North Korean soldiers. There to prune a tree obscuring visiblity between two outposts near the Bridge of No Return, what ensued has become commonly known as 'The Axe Murder Incident' and is one of the most tragic events to have occurred in the DMZ since its inception in 1953.

When confronted by the North Korean soldiers, the 5 members of the work detail fled, leaving behind 14 UNC personnel. Outnumbered by the 30 Korean People's Army(KPA) soldiers, during the fight the Joint Security Force Commander, Capt. Arthur G. Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark T. Barrett, were both killed by the KPA soldiers who used their own pikes and clubs, as well as axes left behind by the work detail.


The Joint Security Area

After the briefing we got back onto the coach and then headed towards Panmunjeom. On the way our guide pointed out 'the world's most dangerous golf course'. Located at Camp Bonifas, the one hole, par 3 course, was once surrounded by landmines on three sides and was famously featured in Sports Illustrated Magazine.

We then drove past anti-tank walls and through a gap in a minefield that stretches across the whole country. About seven metres wide, with huge, razor-sharp barbed wire fences on either side, the minefield provides one of the biggest disincentives for anyone wishing to enter South Korea illegally from the North. Along the base of each fence small stones were piled up, one on top of another, the purpose of which is to detect if anyone has infilitrated South Korea.

Upon arriving in Panmunjeom, we were advised not to smile or wave at the North Korean soldiers if we saw any. The reason for this was because if any photographs were taken, they could be used as a propaganda tool. For a brief moment the surreal thought of becoming a media celebrity in North Korea entered my head. We were also warned to only take photographs in the designated areas.

Once off the coach we were escorted to the Military Armistice Commission(MAC) building, which is definitely one of the highlights of the tour as it allows you to actually enter North Korean territory. One of three single storey structures that are light blue with corrugated rooves, it is here that the main peace discussions take place between North and South Korea.

A number of South Korean soldiers were on guard, all of them looking very serious in their dark sunglasses and standing in a taekwon-do stance, which our guide told us was to look more intimidating. Each one of the soldiers outside only had half their body exposed to the North Korean side, so that they could easily escape if they were shot.

Inside the MAC building there were two more South Korean soldiers, both in the taekwon-do stance. In the middle of the room was a table with the flags of the United Nations and North Korea on it, as well as a row microphones going down the centre of it, denoting the border between North and South Korea.

One soldier stood at the end of this table, whilst the other stood guard at the far end of the building in front of a door leading to North Korea. We were advised not to walk behind the South Korean soldier guarding the door, as this would probably be seen as trying to defect.

We then made our way outside to the Peace Pagoda, an observation platform to view the surrounding area. From here it was possible to see all around. On the South Korean side Freedom House and The Peace House. On the North Korean side the buildings of Panmungak and Tongil-gak as well as a guard post.

After taking photographs we were once again ushered onto the coach for the final part of the tour. After a short drive we passed Checkpoint 3, where visiting presidents and defence secretaries often go when they want to gain a closer view of North Korea.


The Bridge of No Return

The coach then stopped at an observation post from which we could see the North Korean propaganda village of Gijong, as well as the world's largest flag pole.

From here it was also possible to see the Bridge of No Return, which crosses the military demarcation line. After the Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, prisoners of war from both sides were exchanged on the bridge. It gained its name as prisoners of war who voluntarily chose to return to the North, would no longer be able to return to the South.

The DMZ is one of the most interesting tourist destinations in South Korea, if not the world. Where else is it possible to visit one of the last vestiges of the Cold War and to see first hand a country which President George Bush as recently as 2002, described as being part of 'the axis of evil'?

Although the risk factor in the DMZ is almost negligible, it is still a place fraught with tension. North Korea's relationship with its neighbours and America remains a frosty one and little progress has been made in recent years regarding issues such as its nuclear programme, or the abduction of Japanese citizens during the 1970s. Despite hopes that the two Koreas will one day reunite, at present there sadly appears to be little or no resolution in sight.

You can see all of the photos here.

Hyangwonjeong Pavillion(Gyeongbokgung)

Geunjeongjeon Main Hall(Gyeongbokgung)

Gyeongbokgung is by far the most famous and beautiful of all the palaces in Seoul and with a history spanning more than 500 years, it is also one of South Korea's most popular tourist attractions.

Built in 1395 by the founder of the Joseon Dynasty(1392-1910), King Taejo(r. 1392-1398), it served as the main residence for royalty, up until it was burnt down in 1592 during the Japanese invasions.

It lay in ruins for 300 hundred years until it was rebuilt in 1868 by Heungseon Daewongun(1820-1898), the regent and father of King Gojong(r. 1863-1907). During this time Changdeokgung was used as the main palace.

Under the colonial rule of the Japanese(1910-1945) many of the buildings were destroyed and the area became the site for the headquarters of the Governor General of Korea.

In recent years much effort has been made to restore the palace to its former glory, a process which it is hoped will be completed by the year 2020.

At the southern entrance to the palace grounds is the main gate. Known as Gwanghwamun, at various times throughout the day guard ceremonies are performed here, which really help to bring alive the pageantry of a past time.


Gyeonghoeru Pavillion

Just beyond this lies the main hall, Geunjeongjeon, where the king would have held official functions and conducted state affairs.

Other buildings include the 48-columned Gyeonghoeru Pavillion, which was erected by King Taejo in the western section of the palace grounds. Built on a man made lake for festivals and entertaining guests such as foreign dignitaries, the king would also have used it for boating.

At the northernmost section of the palace grounds is the Hyangwonjeong pavillion. Built on a small isle, this two-storey hexagonal structure is situated at the centre of a beautiful lotus pond and rock garden. Despite the throngs of tourists and school parties, it's easy to imagine how the kings and queens of a bygone era would have come here to relax.

You can see all the photos here.


Here's a short film of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Masks

Games

South Korea has the world's highest rate of per capita broadband connectivity at 70 percent and out of a population of 48 million, it is estimated that there are 17 million gamers.

Wherever you are in South Korea you're never far away from a 'PC bang'(PC room). The dimly-lit, smoke-filled dens of online activity, provide the opportunity for the nation's youth to escape to a fantasy world populated by dwarves and wizards, in games such as Warcraft and Diablo.

Open 24 hours a day and extremely cheap at 1000 to 2000 won an hour(50p to 1 pound), the gaming craze is treated by many as a competitive sport. The government is even funding the construction of the world's first e-sport stadium, which will be completed in 2008.

On TV there are even entire channels dedicated to gaming, showing players competing against each-other in modern-day gladatorial contests for the MTV generation. The best become celebrities, who shun the day to day drudgery of working life to play games for a living.

One of the most famous is Lim Yo Hwan, who is treated with near pop-star status by his adoring fans and recently his internet fan club attracted its 600,000th member. A member of T1, a game playing group of cyber athletes, he earnt around 300,000,000 won(175,000 pounds) last year.

In stark contrast there is a dark side to PC bangs, a world away from the limelight and riches on offer to those who reach the pinnacle of professional gaming.

In recent years there have been a number of deaths and addiction is seen as being a growing problem in Korean society. According to government statistics, counselling sessions for those addicted quadrupled from 2,243 cases in 2003 to 8,978 sessions in 2004.

Last year a 28-year-old man from the city of Daegu collapsed in a PC bang after playing games for 50 hours, the result of exhaustion and de-hydration. He was then moved to a hospital where he died three hours later, from what doctors believe was heart failure, although no autopsy was done.

PC bangs also come in all manner of shapes and sizes. Only a few months ago I had the pleasure of walking into one and being told by the man sitting at the front desk that it was for adults only. I thought to myself what a great idea. No screaming children to disturb me whilst I'm surfing the internet.

A bit surprised to find that there were age limits, I assured him that I was 33 years of age, so it was perfectly OK for me to be there. He looked at me somewhat bumusedly.

I then turned round to see that there there weren't rows of PCs lined up with game junkies in front of them, pretending to be Gwildor the Elf in the latest version of World of Warcraft, but cubicles. Each one had its own PC and a lock on the door, obviously for the internet user who seeks that 'little bit of extra privacy'.

The penny finally dropped. I immediately replied with a big 'Ohhhhhhh,' to the assistant, who responded with a look of joy on his face as I had finally understood where I was. I thanked him for his time and immediately began my search for a PC bang that was a little bit less 'adult'.

Statue of King Sejong(Deoksugung Palace)

On the grounds of Deoksugung Palace proudly sits the statue of King Sejong(r. 1418-1450). Born in 1397, he is widely regarded as one of Korea's greatest kings during the Joseon Dynasty(1393-1910) and is renowned for his cultural achievments, as well as improving the welfare of the Korean people.

His mastery of Confucian doctrine enabled him to successfully deal with the yangban scholars on an equal footing and he was resposible for a number of progressive ideas in administration, health, science and medicine.

During his reign he brought in many reforms relating to land tax and health, to improve the living conditions of his subjects, as well as establishing the Jiphyeonjeon (The Hall of Worthies). Comprised of twenty of the foremost scholars of the time, they were able to devote their full time to study, in order to promote research in institutional traditions and politico-economics.

Committed to improving the intellectual wellbeing of his people, he is probably most famous for creating the Korean Hangul alphabet. At the time of his reign the Chinese alphabet was used to document the Korean language and with its thousands of different characters, learning it provided a difficult task.

Based on a phonemic system consisting of 11 vowels and 17 consonants, it has since been reduced to 24 letters consisting of 10 vowels and 14 consonants.

When introduced in 1446, there was initially some resistance from scholars as it might limit the study of Confucian texts. However, King Sejong remained firm in his belief, paving the way for improved literacy and better education amongst the population.

Towards the end of his life he suffered from paralysis, which affected his motor skills and left him unable to speak. He finally died in 1450 at the age of 52, after developing cancer.


Here is a short film of Deoksugung Palace.

Winter

Breakdancing in Seoul.

Maya Tathagata Buddha

Gyeongju - Part IV

On the slopes of Mount Hamwol, some 20 km east of Gyeongju, is the Golgulsa Temple. Famed for being the only cave temple in South Korea, it is believed to have been built in the 6th century by Buddhist monks from India.

It is also provides a destination for those wishing to get away from their busy, materialistic and stressful lives, to participate in the temple stay programme that is on offer there.

Temple stays were originally established for tourists during the World Cup in 2002 and their continued success has meant that the programme has now been extended. They allow people to experience first hand how Buddhist monks live and there are currently 43 temples involved in the programme throughout South Korea.

The popularity of them shows no signs of waning and upwards of 30,000 people take part in them each year to experience that elusive getaway to a place a million miles from the humdrum of modern life.

Having visited many temples in Thailand, Korea and Japan I've always been fascinated by Buddhism, so on Saturday I set off for the Golgulsa Temple to experience first hand the Buddhist way of life.

Arriving at the temple at around four o'clock, I was then shown to my room by one of the monks. Although quite basic and sparse, mattresses and bed clothes were provided and fortunately there was Korean ondol underfloor heating, so I had no worries about feeling cold during my nights sleep.

On the wall was a schedule, as well as list of rules. Most of these were related to behaviour and etiquette, such as not smoking or drinking alcohol and really just required common sense. What I did find interesting though was the punishment for being late to any of the various activities would involve having to carry out a thousand bows. At this point I decided to make sure that I arrived everywhere in good time and I also set my alarm clock, just in case I overslept for meditation at 4.30 the following morning.

After unpacking I decided to explore the temple grounds. Many of the buildings are recent constructions, but are fortunately built in a traditional Korean style so they take nothing away from the atmosphere of the experience.


Cave Temple

I made my way up the hill and past the main temple hall and then climbed up onto some rocks to see the cave temple. Inside there was a statue of the Buddha against the rear of the cave with burning candles alongside it and against the sides of the cave were many more smaller images of the Buddha. As I looked inside, people visiting put their palms together and bowed in front of the main Buddha.

Exploring more, I came across other caves with images of the Buddha and candles burning inside them. Originally there twelve but now there are only seven.

Climbing further up, above the caves was the Maya Tathagata Buddha carved on the rockface. Even though I have seen many similar images of the Buddha recently, this one was by far the most beautiful. Sadly, due to the weak nature of the rock much of the lower half of the Buddha has crumbled away, so it is now protected with a perspex cover to prevent further erosion.

After dinner, I made my way I made my way to the sunmudo hall for the evenings activities. As I went in everyone was lined up in rows, so I took a cushion and sat down with them. We firstly had to do 108 bows, which is a way of repenting and it also acts as a way of removing desires and purifying the mind and body.

To complete the 108 bows, you must firstly complete a full standing bow by putting both palms together(hapchang) as if to pray, whilst also keeping your feet together. You then bow fully from the hips and return to the vertical postion. This is done once at the beginning and once at the end.

This is the easy part.

You then bend your knees and drop to the floor, whilst maintaining the hapchang position and then rock forward onto all fours and back. Your forehead should then be touching the floor and both hands should be upturned. This position should then be held for a brief moment and then you should rock forward to be back on all fours. After this you must sit back with both hands in hapchang and return to the upright standing position.

The entire process is then repeated a further 107 times and believe me when I say it may sound very straight forward, but once you've been doing it a short time there does come a point when it starts to hurt.

Once everyone had finished their 108 bows, it was then time for a warm up before the rigours of sunmudo training.

Based on martial arts techniques handed down through the centuries from generation to generation of Buddhist monks, sunmudo is a way of harmonising the spirit to bring about an inner peace and ultimately reach spiritual enlightenment.

Revived in the 1960s by the Venerable Yang-ik, these techniques were then taken by the Venerable Seol Jeog-un, who renamed them sunmudo and created the Sunmudo University at the Golgulsa Temple.

Unlike other martial arts that rely more on physical strength, it focuses on breathing, meditation and body movement, to help attain a higher state of mind and in many ways the techniques used are not dissimilar to those in yoga and tai chi.



After the warm up we split into two groups, those who were more experienced and those new to sunmudo and just at the temple for the weekend.

We moved to the other end of the hall and sat down in front of our instructor.

'I am Sun. I will teach you sunmudo. First we will learn Seon meditation.'

Seon Buddhism is the Korean equivalent of Japanese Zen Buddhism. Originally believed to have been founded in China by an Indian Buddhist monk called Bodhidharma , it focuses primarily on meditation as being one of the main ways of achieving enlightenment. There are two forms of meditation used Jwaseon(sitting-style) meditation and Haengseon(walking-style meditation), both of which allow a person time to reflect on life and search for their true self.

Sun firstly showed us the half lotus position. Sitting down I crossed my legs, placing the sole of my left foot against the inside of my right knee. With my hands I formed a circle on my lap, the left palm covering my the fingers of my right hand and my thumbs slightly touching.

He then showed us the different movements with our hands, all done very slowly, which I followed whilst breathing deeply.

Once we had mastered the basics of meditation, it was time for the sunmudo training. We began by firstly walking round in a circle on all fours, which was then followed by kicking as high as we could with both the left and right legs.

After this we practiced some basic sunmudo moves that involved kicking and punching in the air, sometimes at the same time, which required some extremely good balancing skills. Fortunately I didn't completely embarrass myself and managed to maintain my equilibrium for much of the time.

'Very good for a first try. You will be a sunmudo master in no time', said Sun.

I appreciated his comments, although I did take them with a slight pinch of salt.

After the sunmudo training, we rejoined the main group and gathered round in a circle for Seon meditation. I had read in the literature before coming that apparently if you fall asleep, someone comes up to you and pokes you in the back with a stick. Fortunately I managed to avoid dozing off and thus avoided any unwanted prodding sensations in my back, despite feeling incredibly relaxed whilst doing the meditation and maybe even a little bit drowsy.

Once the meditation was finished at nine thirty, we all made our way back to our rooms, whereupon it was lights off almost immediately, to make sure of a good nights sleep for the early start the next day.

Just after four o'clock the next morning I was awoken by the sound by a Buddhist monk walking around the temple grounds hitting a wooden block, known as a moktak. After getting ready I made my way up towards the main hall of the temple.

The ceiling of the temple was lined with pink lotus lanterns from one end of the room to the other and on the walls were pictures of various Buddhist deities. Once again we did 108 bows, which were followed the reading of Buddhist scriptures and then meditation.

Then we went outside to a hill, where we formed a circle around a pagoda for walking meditation, to give us time to reflect and prepare for the coming day. In complete silence we walked around it, five metres apart in single file and then down to the Il-Ju Gate at the front of the temple and then back, which took about 20 minutes.

Once we had returned to the pagoda it was then time for the traditional morning Buddhist meal, known as Balwoo-gongyang.

I was extremely glad to back into the warm and once inside everyone sat along the edges of the dining area crossed legged, in the half lotus position, awaiting their rice and vegetables.

We were given four bowls all of which fitted into each other. The largest bowl was for rice and the others were for soup, side dishes and water. Performed in silence, the entire process is highly ritualized.

Everything must be eaten so that nothing is left, not even a grain of rice and the bowls must be cleaned with water which is then drunk, as nothing must be wasted. Once the meal is completed, everything is reassembled to as it was when first received and the chopsticks must be placed back in their cover, on top of the bowls along with the towl.

After the meal was the tea ceremony, which also gave us the opportunity to talk to Grandmaster Seol Jeog Un. Originally introduced from China, it is not as formal the one I experienced in Japan and also acts a means for Buddhist monks to reflect upon themselves, nature and the universe.

Sitting in a semi-circle around Grandmaster Seol Jeog Un, it proved to be very interesting and informative and I was surprised at how relaxed and open he was to everyone's questions.

He told us of how he was trained in traditional martial arts under the tutorage of the Venerable Yang-ik and that he attained enlightenment in 1975, at the Beomeosa Temple in Busan.

We also learned from him how he had first built a road and started renovating the temple during the 1980s, up until the present day. He also talked in depth about Buddhism in South Korea and how he enjoyed having people on the Temple stay programme, as it gave people the opportunity to learn more about the Buddhist way of life and Korean culture.

Just before it was time to go, we had the additional bonus of being able to watch a martial arts demonstration from different schools around Korea, who were visiting for the weekend. It was extremely enjoyable to see and I even had the opportunity to join in and practise the traditional Korean martial art of taekwondo, which helped provide a perfect end to the weekend. This proved to to be great fun, despite the language barrier and hopefully before my time here is over, I'll get to try it out again before I return to Britain in March.

Did I leave feeling more fulfilled and a step closer to enlightenment? Maybe not, but I left with a greater understanding of a religion I knew little about beforehand, as well as some wonderful memories, not to mention some extremely sore legs.

For all the photos click here.