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.

Let's Get Ready To Ramble

Gyeongju - Part III

Around Gyeongju there are hundreds of scattered remains from the Silla period. In particular, Mount Namsan is home to many Buddhist relics from this era, when during this time it was regarded as a sacred mountain.

At 494 metres high, its rugged peaks and beautiful scenery provide a popular destination for South Korea's huge brigade of hikers who flock to the national parks and mountains every weekend, especially at this time of year with the changing colours of the leaves.

Hiking is so popular you could easily be forgiven for believing that it is in fact the national sport. There are shops selling all manner of hiking equipment wherever you go and there are also numerous hiking clubs for people to join.

Korean people also take it very seriously and unlike me, dressed in a pair of dirty trainers and an old plastic mac in case it rained, Korean hikers really push the boat out and the fashion concious hiker here definitely dresses to impress.

At the bottom of Mount Namsan people were busy getting ready for their Sunday sojourn, all looking very professional in their walking boots, knee high socks and gore-tex jackets.

In fact, from what I could gather your average Korean hiker looks more equipped for an assault on K2, rather than a leisurely stroll up what many people would describe as being a rather steep hill.

So with a bottle of Lucozade Sport and a Wagon Wheel in hand(or the Korean equivalent at least), I set off on my expedition.

At the beginning of the trail are the Samneung Royal Tombs, which are thought to belong to King Adalla(154-184), King Sindeok(912-917) and King Gyeongmyeong(917-924). Wherever you go in Gyeongju, you seem to come across a tomb of an important monarch who once ruled the land.

Walking on, I decided to veer off the main path slightly in the direction of the Sambulsa Temple to see the Three Statues of Bae-ri. Away from hordes of walkers making their way up Namsan, the temple was small and peaceful. As I was taking some photos, a Buddhist monk who was dressed in grey robes, typical of Korean Buddhist attire, came over to talk to me.

He asked me where I was from and what I was doing in South Korea and I told him my story of how I was teaching here and the wonderful time I was having travelling around and meeting so many new people.

'Ahh...you must love Korea', he replied.

He then went on to talk about the history of Mount Namsan, how beautiful it was and that he was learning English, but was finding it very difficult. I complimented him on his use of the language and told him that I had no problem understanding him.

'Oh no. My pronunciation is not good.'

Then the conversation turned in to an impromptu English lesson, probably the last thing I was expecting on my day out. I helped him practise the different sounds for words and some dialogues he had obviously learnt from a home study tape he had been listening to. I was more than happy to help and in the end we must have ended up talking for nearly twenty minutes.

'You are a good teacher. Wait here. I have something.'

He went back into his living quarters just next to the temple and to my surprise brought out for me a small wooden Buddha and a postcard of the statues of Bae-ri.

'Have good memories of Korea.'

As I left I thanked him for his generosity and complimented him on his English once again, before leaving to see the statues.

Located at the foot of Mount Namsan, the Three Statues of Bae-ri were brought to their present site in 1923 from the nearby Seonbang Temple site and it is believed they were made during the 7th century. The central statue is of the Buddha, which is flanked on the left by the Bodhisattva Avolokitesvra(the Bodhisattva of Compassion) and on the right by the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta(the Bodhisattva of Power).

Buddha

After looking at the three Statues of Bae-ri I walked back the way I had come and rejoined the main path leading to the peak. There was now a steady stream of walkers all making their way upward.

After a short time I came to a Buddhist statue in the sitting position with its head missing, removed in one of the many invasions of Korea. Just above this was another image of the Buddha carved into the rock.

I made my way onwards and the climb gradually became harder. On my way I passed more Buddhas and Bodhisattvas carved into the rock, all exquisite in their craftsmenship. In front of them were altars with burning incense and candles. Many people put their hands together and bowed in front of them. Some even left offerings of food and drink.

As I started to near the top, my legs began to ache and I thought back to my time climbing Mount Fuji in Japan. Fortunately this climb was a lot shorter, so I didn't have to worry about the ill effects of altitude sickness or feeling unable to move the next day, this time around.

Top of Mount Namsan

Once at the top I stopped to have rest and survey the view. The scenery all around was breathtaking and sitting around were people having picnics. Others who had just reached the top were having their photo taken in front of the summit marker.

I stopped for a short rest to take in my surroundings and the achievement of reaching the top and then made my way back down with the other walkers, to return home back to Seoul.

Namsan is a treasure trove of history and there is nothing else quite like it in the rest of South Korea. It provides a window into a time when the Buddhist faith was at its peak in Korea and at almost every turn it seems as if there is something interesting. Having only explored a small portion of the many sights it has to offer, as I finally made my way home, I promised myself that one day I would hopefully return to this place to sample more of its unique history and beauty.

You can see all the photos here.

Dabotap Pagoda(Bulguksa)

Gyeongju - Part II

The next stage of my trip took me to South Korea's most famous temple, Bulguksa, which means 'Buddha Land Temple'. Home to the Jogye order of Buddhist monks, it was originally built in 528 and then later abandoned. Rebuilt in 751 by the chief minister Kim Tae-song to pacify the spirits of his parents, it was completed in 774, when it received its present name.

Throughout its history parts of it have been destroyed, most notably during the Japanese invasions of 1592 and 1598, when the wooden buildings here were burnt to the ground. Rebuilt in 1605, the temple fell into a state of disrepair under the repression of Buddhism during the 19th century and subsequent Japanese occupation. It was most recently renovated between 1967 and 1973.

Walking towards the temple I first passed two lotus ponds on either side of a bridge. Just beyond this is a gate with huge statues of the Heavenly Kings inside, guarding the entrance of the temple, similar to the ones I saw in Busan during my visit there in August.

Sokgyemun

At the front of the temple complex is a huge stairway known as Sokgyemun, its 33 steps signifying the 33 steps to enlightenment, which symbolically lead to the 'Land of the Buddha'.

The lower part of the staircase is called Cheongungyo(Blue Cloud Bridge) and the upper part is called Baegungyo(White Cloud Bridge). As they are national treasures it's not possible to go up them, so I went up a path to one of the two side entrances.

The main courtyard was full of people, many of them busily milling about looking for that all important photo opportunity. Located here is the main hall and although not the biggest of the buildings in the complex, it is by far the most important. Known as Daeungjeon, inside a bronze image of the Historic Buddha, Sakyamuni, is enshrined and alongside this statue are others including his attendants and disciples.

In front of the main hall are two of South Korea's most famous pagodas, Dabotap and Seokgatap. At 8.2 metres tall, the traditional Korean pagoda Seokgatap is the more simplistic in design of the two and is ringed by eight lotus shaped flowers. Supposedly it is meant to represent spiritual ascent according to the rules put forth by Sakyamuni, the historical founder of Buddhism.

The most visually interesting of the two pagodas is Dabotap(Many Treasures Pagoda), an image of which can be seen on the Korean 10 won coin. Intricately carved and ornate in its design, the 10.4 metre tall pagoda symbolizes the complexity of the universe.

View From The Top of Mount Tohamsan

Located near the summit of Mt. Tohamsan, overlooking Bulguksa is the Seokguram Grotto. Located at the end of a winding mountain road some 4km from Bulguksa, it is home to a huge statue of the Buddha that is considered to be one of South Korea's most important national treasures.

The cave housing the Buddha is man made and constructed from slabs of carved granite and is remarkably similar in design to cave temples found in both China and India.

Walking into the cave, the 3.5 metre tall Buddha carved out of granite, sits cross legged in the lotus position on a pedestal, right foot over the left knee and its right hand draped over its right leg. Known as the Earth-touching mudra, the position of its hands symbolize the Buddha's enlightenment.

The ceiling is decorated with half moons and surrounding the Buddha are images of Bodhisattvas, the Four Heavenly Kings, Dharma-protectors and disciples.

Sublime in its design, it is unfortunately kept behind a glass screen in order to preserve it, the result of previous damage to the cave.

Also built during the 8th century by Kim Tae-song at the same time as the rebuilding of Bulguksa, for many centuries it was left abandoned until being rediscovered in 1909, apparently by a postman, who according to the story was seeking shelter from the rain.

During the Japanese occupation, restoration work was carried out three times by the Japanese which resulted in damage to the caves ventilation, causing increased humidity and condensation. After the Second World War it faced neglect once again until the 1960s, when under the Presidency of Park Chung-hee it was restored.

After walking around and taking few photos of some of the spectacular views on offer, I made my way back into Gyeongju for a good night's sleep, in preparation for my assault on Mount Namsan the following day.

You can see all the photos here.

Gyeongju

Part I

I first visited Gyeongju a couple of weeks after my arrival in South Korea, for the annual Traditional Rice Cake and Alcohol Festival held there, which I enjoyed immensely and ever since going I've been promising myself I would go back.

One of South Korea's most popular tourist destinations, visiting Gyeongju is like taking a time machine back into the past and last weekend I finally got around to returning.

Wherever you go, you come across something intersting, from beautiful temples and mountain shrines, to ancient tombs of royalty that once ruled Korea and centuries old images of the Buddha, carved in stone.

The capital of the Silla Kingdom(57 BC-935 AD), it was once one of the world's largest cities in its heyday, with a population of nearly 1 million people living there.

The Silla Dynasty lasted for 992 years and most of the sights Gyeongju has to offer date from the 7th century, when the peninsula was reunified.

With the decline of the Silla Empire and the following Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, Gyeongju lost much of its national importance, but remained a regional centre throughout and approximately 350,000 people currently reside there today. 

The Three Buddha Statues Of Bae-ri

Having travelled on the coach from Seoul the previous night, I awoke early for a busy day of sightseeing and once ready I headed towards the tourist information office, in Gyeongju Station.

Walking through the centre of Gyeongju I passed through the market set up along the side of the road, on the pavement. Less of a tourist trap than others I have visited, there were stalls selling everything from fruit and vegetables to ginseng, fish and kitchen utensils. Many of the stallholders were very old, some were well into their late seventies, their faces weathered by old age.

When I arrived at the tourist office they provided me with an invaluable itinary to get the most out of my weekend, with lots of advice allowing me to see as much as possible in the available time. The woman here advised me to start off by looking around the city centre itself before going further afield, so after thanking her I made my way to Tumuli Park, to visit the royal tombs there.

The largest burial site in Gyeongju with 23 tombs, it's the ideal place for a leisurely stroll in the middle of autumn.

The tombs themselves are covered by huge mounds of stone and earth, in all manner of sizes, some of them even spanning 80 metres in diameter. Similar to the ones I visited recently in Seoul, visually they were a lot simpler, without the elaborate statues and sculptures associated with those of the Joseon era that I had seen previously.

The largest tomb here is Hwangnamdaechong and is believed to have housed a king and a queen. Excavated between 1973 to 1975, it is 23 metres high and its length from north to south is 47 metres and from east to west it is 80 metres. Inside many valuable treasures were found, such as necklaces and other jewellery, which are now on display in the nearby Gyeongju National Museum

Also known as the Heavenly Horse Tomb, Cheonmachong was first excavated in 1974 and over 10,000 treasures were found in it, including a gold crown and a painting of a mounted horse, the only discovered painting from the Silla era. It is actually possible to walk inside this tomb and on display are replicas of objects that were found, as well as the remains of the person inside.

The 13th king of the Silla Dynasty, King Mich'u, is also buried here in a tomb known as Chukhyonnung or 'Bamboo Soldier Tomb'. During his reign of 22 years, the Silla Kingdom grew in power and he was also successful in fending off attacks from the nearby Baekje Kingdom.

The tomb gains its name from the myth that when the country was under attack, warriors with bamboo leaves in their ears would emerge from the tomb to repel the invaders. Regarding the significance of the bamboo leaves, be it some sort of mystical device for aiding the warriors in battle or a Silla Military fashion statement, I unfortunately have no idea whatsoever.

Cheomseongdae

A short walk then led me to Cheomseongdae, which is the oldest existing observatory in the Far East. Looking somewhat similar to the top of a bottle, it is 9 metres in height and in the south side there is small window. Built during the reign of Queen Seonduk, believed to be the 27th ruler of the Silla Dynasty, it has 27 layers of granite bricks on top of a square base which may represent this. At the top are four stone bars arranged in a square shape.

It is filled up with earth to the height of the window and it is through here that a person would have entered to observe the heavens. The actual use of the observatory has fuelled much debate regarding its use. Whilst there are those that believe its purpose was astronomical, others have critiscised this viewpoint, pointing out that the building is not actually suitable for observing the stars and that nothing similar can be found in China.

Another explanation is that the observatory may have been used for astrological purposes. During the Silla period, studying the movements of the stars and planets was very important and would have been used in all aspects of policy making. From matters of state to agricultural practices, astronomy would have been used for determining whether battles should be fought, to when crops should be planted.

You can see all the photos here.

Autumn

Goal!

Today, I went to The World Cup Stadium to see FC Seoul play Busan I'Park. The 64,000 all seater stadium was purposely built for the World Cup and has been the home ground for FC Seoul for the past two years.

Joint hosts of the tournament along with Japan in 2002, South Korea exceeded all expectations, beating along the way teams such as Italy, Portugal and Spain before finally losing 1-0 to Germany in the semi-final.

The manager of South Korea, Gus Hiddink, had led South Korea to the most successful showing by an Asian team in the competition's 72 year history and he became a national hero, even getting honourary citizenship for the team's achievement.

Nicknamed 'The Red Devils', police estimated 22 million fans in total took to the streets in South Korea during the tournament.

The rectangular shape of the roof was built to resemble a traditional Korean kite and apparently the octagonal shape of the stadium represents the Korean people's desire for world peace and prosperity. It is also Asia's largest only football stadium and its stunning design makes it look as if a huge spaceship(or a rather large ashtray, depending on your point of view), has landed smack down in the centre of Seoul.

The K-League, as it is known, was originally formed in 1983. Thirteen teams compete in a two part season with championship playoffs at the end. There is no relegation or promotion and the winners gain entry to the Asian Champions League the following season.

The second to last game of the season and one with nothing to play for, FC Seoul are currently mid table, whilst Busan I'Park are languishing near the bottom. I was hopeful that this wouldn't discourage the teams from putting in an entertaining performance for those watching or the fans getting behind their teams. Fortunately, by the end of the day my hopes were proved right.

I bought my ticket and then went into the stadium where I sat down with the home fans behind the goal. In the sea of red, everyone was chanting and some of the crowd were standing on their seats with megaphones to help fire everyone up. Then before kick off the players came out and lined up in the centre of the pitch. The national anthem was played on the stadium speakers and everyone rose up off their seats.

Once the game began the chanting felt as if it had quadrupled in volume. Throughout the first half, FC Seoul had most of the possession and their strength in midfield and defence managed to quite easily break down the few attacks that Busan I'Park managed to put together.

FC Seoul were unlucky not to have scored during the first half and were unfortunate to have had a goal disallowed, which brought about a huge sigh from everyone when they realised that it wouldn't count.

The second half continued much like the first. FC Seoul using their home advantage to good affect and controlling the game. Eventually after constant pressure on the I'Park Busan goal they managed to score. Huge explosions went off around the stadium in celebration and smoke engulfed the crowd who reacted immediately with screams and cheers, the goal having whipped them up into a frenzy.

The atmosphere was electric, despite the relatively low crowd and it made me think how exciting it must have been to be here, when South Korea went World Cup crazy three years ago. If this is what it was like with just 15,00 people, what would it have been like with a stadium full of people watching the national side march onwards to glory?

Buoyed by their goal, FC Seoul managed to further dominate the match and sewed the game up in the dying moments with another goal. Jubilation once again rang out along the terraces. With victory sealed you could immediately sense the relief from the crowd. The win provided some consolation to the FC Seoul fans for a disappointing season that originally promised so much and they revelled in the moment a final home game victory, once the final whistle blew.

Everyone began to chant, they locked arms and started to dancing from side to side. Exuberant with joy everyone raised their scarves. The season had at least ended on a high note for the supporters by beating the stage one winners.

The players did a final lap of the pitch, applauding the crowd for their support throughout. Each player's name was called out by the crowd and they turned and waved to show their appreciation. Once they had gone back down the players tunnel, everyone finally left to make their journeys home.

You can see all the photos here.

Lanterns

Tomb of King Seongjong

On Saturday, I decided visit the Royal Tombs of Seoul, to find out more about the Joseon kings and queens who played such an important role in Korea's history and culture for over 500 years.

I firstly decided to visit the Seonjeongneung Royal Tombs, situated in southern Seoul. Not far from the Gangnam, the area provides a tranquil getaway from the surrounding city.

Seonjeongneung is comprised of the Seolleung tombs and the Jeongneung tomb, which house a total of two kings and one queen from the Joseon period.

Buried in Seolleung is the ninth king of the Joseon Dynasty, King Seongjong(1457-1494). His second wife Queen Jeonghyeonwabghu is also buried here.

He became king in 1469 and ruled until 1494, when he passed away. His first wife, Queen Gonghyewanghu, died when she was 18 and is buried in the north of Seoul.

The tomb itself is a mound situated on top of a hill. Surrounding the tomb are statues of animals including sheep and tigers, as well as those of military personnel. In front of the tomb are two stones called Mangjuseok, which are designed to guide the dead King to his tomb.

At the base of this hill is a shrine where memorial rites would have been performed. The T-shaped structure is common to many tombs of the Joseon era and on the eaves of the roof are carvings of different animals, which are believed to exorcise different spirits.

The Jeongneung Tomb houses the burial mound for King Jungjong(1506-1544). The second son of Seongjong, he is considered to be one of the best kings of the Joseon era for his policies and the economic growth that occurred during his rule. His reign is also notable for political reform and the correcting of mistakes of previous administrations. He was also responsible for the introduction of Hyangyak, a method of self administration that is still practiced by modern Korean government today.

The 11th king of the Joseon Dynasty, he ruled for a total of 38 years from 1506-1544. Originally buried at Goyang in the north of Seoul, he was later moved here by his third wife, Queen Mungjeong.

Tomb of Queen Munjeong

I then decided to go and see the Taenung Royal Tombs in north east Seoul, where Queen Munjeong(1501-1565) is buried.

Queen Munjeong was made queen in 1517, after Janggyeong, Jungjong's second queen, died in 1515 after complications during birth.

Following the death of King Jungjong in 1544, and driven by a desire for political power and control, she murdered her step son King Injong, eight months after he was enthroned.

This allowed her son, Myeongjong, to ascend to the thrown. Too young to govern, Queen Munjeong ruled through him for eight years, a remarkable achievement, considering the discrimination and attitudes towards women that existed in Korean society during this time.

Also a strong supporter of Buddhism, she did many things to help revive it whilst she had political sway.

Throughout the Joseon period, Buddhism was actively discouraged and suppressed by the government in favour of a neo-confucianist doctrine. During this time monks were treated as slaves and were not even allowed to enter the gates of the capital city.

She ordered Bogeunsa Temple to be rebuilt and in 1548 appointed the monk Bo-wu, to oversee its construction. Bo-wu was also installed as the head of the Seon school and under him the official training and selecting of monks in both the Seon and Gyo sects were revived, having previously been abolished in 1507.

In 1565, during the twentieth year of Myeongjong's rein, she died at Changdeokgung Palace. Although she originally wanted to be buried at Jeongneung along with her husband, she was buried here as the land around Jeongneung was low and prone to flooding.

On entering the grounds of the tomb, I passed through some trees and then came to a red gate with a yin-yang symbol on it. From this leading up to the shrine where memorial rites would have been performed, were two pathways. One slightly raised for the queen, whilst the lower one was for living people.

Behind the shrine was a hill with a mound on it containing her tomb. Surrounding the tomb at the top were sculptures of tigers, sheep, horses and military officers that act as guardians for the dead queen. Unfortunately it was impossible to walk to the top as it was fenced off to stop damage to the site, so I had to make so with taking photographs from the bottom of the burial mound.

Donggureung

Then it was onto a bus, for a trip to the Donggureung Royal Tombs. Just east of Seoul, it was the largest of the sites I visited throughout the day. There are total of six kings, nine queens and a posthumously declared king and queen buried here, although only nine of the mounds are visible.

Most famously of all, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty(1392-1910), King Taejo is buried here. His rise to power is an extremely interesting one and helped to shape the Korean nation for centuries to come.

Originally called Yi Song-gye, he served as a general under the Goryeo Dynasty Kings. During the 1370s and 1380s, he became highly respected for forcing out the remaining remnants of Mongol forces, who were present in Korea at the time and for repelling attacks from the Japanese.

In 1388, after disobeying orders to take his forces into Liaodong in China, he marched on the capital, Kaesong. In the bloody battle that ensued, he defeated the armies loyal to King U, led by General Choi Yong and took control of the government.

After some internal struggles, Yi Song-gye claimed the throne. He took the name of Taejo and founded the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, finally bringing an end to the 474-year-old Goryeo Dynasty.

He reigned for six years until 1398, before finally dying in 1408 aged 73. Following his death, the tomb was built by his fifth son King Taejong. Different to other tombs, the statues of the horses stand directly behind, rather than beside those of the civilian and military leaders.

You can see all the photos here.

Unjunsa

After visiting the Memorial Park I went back into the city centre, where I got on a bus to Unjunsa, which is located 40 km to the south of Gwangju and is famous for the large number of Buddha statues there. Situated in a beautiful valley, miles away from anywhere, the area is shrouded in mystery and mythology, regarding how the statues came into being.

Legend has it that there were originally 1000 Buddhas and 1000 pagodas, all of them built in one night by stonemasons sent down from heaven. Now only 70 statues and 18 pagodas remain, more than any other place in South Korea. Reasons for their disappearance remains unknown, but this just helps to add to the intrigue.

After getting off the bus I walked about half a kilometre along a road before finally reaching the entrance of the temple grounds. Walking along the floor of the valley I firstly came across a nine-storey pagoda and just to the side of this were six Buddha statues leaning upright against the valley side. Different to those found in other places in South Korea, both the pagoda and the statues were simplistic in their design, yet still very beautiful to look at.

As I walked along the path, I passed more pagodas and Buddhist statues scattered about the valley floor, until I finally arrived at the temple complex itself. There were a number of buildings here including houses for the monks, a huge bell and small building with hundreds of statues of the Buddha inside, which were illuminated by the candles placed amongst them. The smell of incense wafted around the temple complex and as I peered into the temple, I could see a huge bronze Buddha and a woman praying in front of it.

Wandering around, I came across other relics of the past. Statues of the Buddha in a variety of positions, some sitting, some standing, whilst others were in the reclining position. At the top of one of the hills flanking the valley I came across two Buddhas carved into a huge rock lying on the ground, both laying on their backs.

Many of them, like the ones I saw when I first entered were not elaborate in their design, yet this simplicity gave them a certain uniqueness, quite different to other images of the Buddha that I've seen on my travels so far.

According to another legend, it is believed that the statues were created by the Buddhist priest, Doseon-guksa(827-898). He believed that the Korean peninsula was unbalanced because there were too many mountains on the eastern side of the peninsula and too few on the western side. Likening it to a boat that would capsize if not balanced properly, the Buddhas and pagodas were built in order to bring about stability to the country and therefore avert a natural disaster.

You can see all the photos here.

Memorial Park (Gwangju)

Centre to some of the most tragic events to have occurred in South Korea's recent history, what happened here is now viewed as being crucially important in bringing about political change, in a country that was ruled by a dictatorship following the Korean War.

On May 17, 1980, the South Korean government led by General Chun Doo-hwan, declared martial law across the whole country and dissolved the National Assembly. This was in response to demonstrations and the growing unrest, following the assassination of the dictator, Park Chung-hee and the resulting coup that had brought General Chun Doo-hwan into power.

The next day in Gwangju, students protested outside the gates of Chonnam University, which resulted in violent clashes with soldiers. Over the course of the next few days there were further protests which culminated with the events of May 21, when 300,000 people took to the streets, indignant with rage for the violence which had already occurred and the broken promise of martial law troops being withdrawn.

These protests by the students and citizens of Gwangju, resulted in people being stripped naked and viciously beaten by the soldiers. Crowds were also indiscriminately fired upon, as further clashes occurred.

This show of opposition led to the troops being forced out of the city and Gwangju remained under the control of its citizens until May 27, when the military returned, finally crushing the resistance.

The final death toll is still unknown. A report by the civilian government in the 1990s put the official figure at 207, although other unofficial estimates have put it between 500 to 2000. After the massacre, bodies were piled up in hand and dust carts and taken to Mangwol-dong, where they were buried. Here they remained until 1997, whereupon they were exhumed and reburied at the May 18 National Cemetery.

The events that occurred sparked the flame for pro-democracy demonstrations in 1987, which led to major democratic reforms. In 1992, after more than 30 years of military rule, the first civilian government in South Korea came into being, with the election of Kim Young-sam.

A long time pro-democracy activist, he brought in further reforms and the successive governments of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun have since consolidated the democratization process.

Chun Doo-hwan along with his successor, Roh Tae-woo, whom he helped into power, were both arrested in 1996 and later convicted for corruption, mutiny and treason. Although not admitting to giving the orders for the massacre, they were both held accountable on the basis of being military and state leaders.

Chun received the death penalty, whilst Roh was given a term of life imprisonment. These sentences were later reduced to 17 years for Roh and life imprisonment for Chun. The following year they were both pardoned by President Kim Dae-jung, shortly after his inauguration in 1998.

The Memorial Park was opened in 2002 and I was very fortunate to have a Korean guide called Ji-young to show me around, who provided me with an excellent insight into Gwangju's history and people.

Upon entering the park you first pass through the Democracy Gate, which is built in a traditional Korean style. Standing opposite this is the huge Memorial Tower which symbolizes the resurrection of life. Beneath it were school children and other visitors, each paying their respects to those that died.

On either side of the tower are two statues and on raised stonework behind these are murals, depicting the events that occurred.

Ji-young told me that under Chun's leadership, people were led to believe that the uprising was the work of communist sympathisers and for many years, those that lost their lives were not recognized. It was only with the advent of democracy in South Korea, that what happened became properly acknowledged.

'With democracy, we finally had the truth', she told me.

Behind the Memorial Tower are the graves of those that lost their lives in the massacre. Here there are 325 people buried and each grave has a photo alongside it of the person who died.

Ji-young firstly took me to the grave of the youngest victim, a schoolgirl who was inadvertently caught up in the events. Sent out by her father for groceries, she never came back and her father, unable to live with himself, later took his own life. She then showed me the graves a married couple who both lost their lives and had been buried side by side.

As we walked around I could see that people of all ages were killed, from all walks of life. Old and young alike. The lives of families and entire communities irreversibly altered forever.

Next to the graves were memorials for those known to have died in the massacre, but whose bodies are still missing. One day, if they are ever found, they will be laid to rest alongside the others. It is also possible for those who took part in the demonstrations to be buried here once they have passed on.

As we went further on, Ji-young told me how she remembered as a child, a man running through her home covered in red paint, an event that she thought was very strange and a little amusing at the time. Only when she was older did she learn that the reason he did this, was so that he could lie down and pretend to be dead if confronted by soldiers.

She then went on to tell me that it took many years for South Korea to come to terms with what happened and that she felt glad that the Memorial Park has finally been built, so that future generations wouldn't forget what had happened.

We then went into the museum, which provides information on the history of the massacre, as well as pictures and a film. The images here show in dramatic detail the events as they unfurled. Much of it is in Korean, but words are not necessary. The graphic pictures of people being beaten and the mutilated bodies of those killed, fully convey the atrocities that occurred, without the need for description of what happened.

I found the whole day to be an extremely moving experience, learning about those who had lost their lives, fighting for what they believed in. It really helps to put in perspective how much South Korea has changed in such a relatively short space of time.

More than anything, visiting the Memorial Park helps to bring home the true horror of this turbulent period in SouthKorea's history and the events stand as testament to the triumph of the human spirit over adversity and resilience of the Korean people.

You can see all the photos here.

Andong Mask Dance Festival

Last weekend, I visited the city of Andong, which is the largest city in the North Gyeonsang Province. With a population of 185,000 it is surrounded by some beautiful countryside and acts as the market centre for agriculture in the area.

During the Joseon Dynasty, the city of Andong became famous for being the centre of confucianism in Korea and was home to many famous confucian scholars such as Toe-gye Yi Hwang (1501-70). The city also contained the highest number of private and confucian schools during this time and many members of the noble classes, who had great influence within Korean political circles, also lived here.

Probably the most famous confucian academy here is Dosan Seowon, which was founded in 1574 in honour of Toe-gye Yi Hwang. One of the foremost scholars of the period, he was a prolific writer who emphasized personal experience and moral self-cultivation, as the essence of learning.

My main reason for going to Andong was to visit the mask festival which takes place here annually at the beginning of October. Held on two main sites, one in the city centre itself and one in the countryside at the Hahoe Village, it not only provides a showcase for traditional Korean mask dancing, but is also an international event with mask dances from all over the world.

The Hahoe Village is a place that has been preserved from the Joseon era, with all its buildings still intact and it is not just a tourist destination, but a fully functioning village with a community of people who reside there as well. 176 families currently live in the village and even though many people here have the benefits of a modern lifestyle such as electricity, telephones, running water and internet access, the village and many of its traditions have been preserved from centuries past.

Its history dates back to the Goryeo period(918-1392) and is distinctly different from other villages of the time, as both commoners and the upper-classes lived here and it really helps to give you a taste of what traditional life would have been like in Korea's past.

Next to it are pine trees, where the Hahoe Mask Dance is staged and just beyond this is the Nakdong River with its huge cliffs towering over the opposite bank. It's extremely picturesque and provides the perfect setting to some of the most enjoyable theatrical performances I've yet seen in travels throughout Asia.

The custom of masks and mask dancing is one that dates back to prehistoric times and they were traditionally used in shamanistic worship to cleanse the audience, to please local deities and to ward off evil spirits from the village. During the Joseon Dynasty they they also became a form of social satire, which gave commoners the opportunity to mock those in authority such as the ruling classes, or wayward Buddhist monks.

Traditionally performed by men who were farmers, the masks are made of wood with highly exagerated features and are brightly coloured to represent different people. This was because the dance was usually done at night and would therefore help to compensate for the low light. Black would be used for and elderly person, red for a young man and white for a young woman.

It is believed that mask dance drama in Hahoe dates back to the 12th century and it is most famous for the Byeolsingut Talnori, which is believed to be the oldest known mask dance in Korea.

It opens with traditional Korean farmers' percussion music being played. Known as Nog-ak, it is Korea's oldest and most popular dance music and was used in important rural events, such as rice planting or village sacrificial rites. I've encountered it at a number of festivals that I've visited and the hypnotic beats of the drums and gongs combined really help to add to the flavour of the festivities.

Throughout the various acts we meet a variety of characters, each one representing a different class.

We are firstly introduced to the bride clown, a representation of Songwhang-shin, the village guardian spirit. She performs a dance around the stage and then the chief priest wearing a red scarf and straw hat enters.

Characters which mock the ruling elite then come on. The Yangban, an arrogant aristocrat with his curled upper lip and Sonbi, a pedantic scholar. Corrupt Buddhist priests are critiscized through the character of Chung, a depraved monk who drunkenly stumbles around the stage.

It then shifts to the humourous side and Imae, a foolish servant bounces around the stage like a demented kangaroo, poking fun at the various characters and Paekchong, a butcher with a coarse tongue and fondness for crude stories, both join the proceedings.

At the end of the performance all of the actors remove their masks and take a bow to great applause, then the audience is invited up onto the stage. Children run about in their hanbok, in and out of everyone as both the audience and performers dance to the accompanying music, as it finally reaches a crescendo.

You can see all of the photos here.