SATURDAY IN ANDONG
Early Saturday morning, we drove off with "Colonel" and his wife to the historic and charming city of Andong.
Colonel and Lee Jung Hwa are some of our best Korean friends! They have taken us so many fun and interesting places. We love being with them. They sit for a moment in the shade before we enter the Historic Village of Korea Hahoe.
I love the old walls made of mud and straw. A pumpkin vine makes its way over the wall.
Lee Jung Hwa and I have a turn grinding soybeans on the old grinding stone.
After using the grinding stone, we used a mortar and pestle to pound the beans into powder.
Not unlike many of our other adventures in South Korea, we felt as though we had gone back in time 500 years...
Next destination:
As luck would have it, we visited the famous Bongjeongsa Temple just as a ritual funerary procession was taking place. Four Buddhist monks on the left hand side are leading the procession.
The man whose picture sits on the small red table on the shrine has died, and family, friends, and other mourners have come to participate in the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, his picture is put into the incinerator and burned, causing smoke to rise and come out of the holes on top.
Every temple has a bell shrine. It is rung at certain times each day. I love the way that green plants and flowers find their way in between the roof tiles, take root, and grow!
More roof tiles on a wall with moss, grass, and flowers growing in, on and around!
I had not imagined that South Korea would be a jungle!
These temple buildings are the "oldest wood structures in Korea". Although built during the Goryeo period, they reflect the Silla, much earlier style.
I love the intricate detail painting of the roofs.
Some of the paintings tell a story, such as the dragon above.
The repair and upkeep on the old buildings is overwhelming.
Sometimes stone piles are used as markers on a path marking a spiritual place.
Another unique and exquisite temple experience!
The characters sing and talk, accompanied by traditional Korean instruments.
Late afternoon brought us back to the Village. We walked up a hill for a beautiful view of the mountains and the lush green trees, farmland, and rice fields.
During the two hour drive, we saw sights of country farmland, especially private small farms run by families. This photo shows some terraced crops. The sky really was that blue!
Andong is famous for farming, Hahoe Village, and carved wooden masks, among other things. Missionaries love to transfer to Andong. A lot of their service projects are helping people with farms. Depending on the time of year, the missionaries could be digging ginger root out of the frozen soil, planting rice, harvesting red peppers, or picking apples.
Andong is famous for farming, Hahoe Village, and carved wooden masks, among other things. Missionaries love to transfer to Andong. A lot of their service projects are helping people with farms. Depending on the time of year, the missionaries could be digging ginger root out of the frozen soil, planting rice, harvesting red peppers, or picking apples.
Colonel and Lee Jung Hwa are some of our best Korean friends! They have taken us so many fun and interesting places. We love being with them. They sit for a moment in the shade before we enter the Historic Village of Korea Hahoe.
Wildflowers meet us along the way as we walk.
The fields of rice are exquisitely green.
This crop has kept millions of people alive for centuries.
HAHOE VILLAGE
One of the most famous sites in Andong is Hahoe Village. It was built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1897) and still preserves the Joseon period style architecture. The Ryu clan built the village, and descendants of the Ryu family still live there. The village is a valuable part of Korean culture because it preserves folk traditions, valuable books, and customs of clan-based villages during the Joseon Dynasty.
The thatched roofs are made from rice stalks, dried out in the sun after harvesting the rice. Some stalks are used to make rope, such as the thin rope holding the thatch down. Other stalks are used to make sandals and other practical items. The houses are re-thatched once a year.
The front door is locked with a large iron ring. Chinese characters on the door welcome visitors but protect the people inside from evil spirits.
I love the old walls made of mud and straw. A pumpkin vine makes its way over the wall.
Lee Jung Hwa and I have a turn grinding soybeans on the old grinding stone.
After using the grinding stone, we used a mortar and pestle to pound the beans into powder.
Not unlike many of our other adventures in South Korea, we felt as though we had gone back in time 500 years...
Next destination:
BONGJEONGSA TEMPLE
In 672, under the reign of the Silla King Munmuwong, Saint Eusongdaesa made a paper crane and flew it from Buseok-sa. When it landed on this location, the temple was constructed here, under the direction of one of the students of Saint Eusongdaesa. It is the largest temple in the Andong area, and the buildings offer valuable insights into the study of Korean architecture.
As luck would have it, we visited the famous Bongjeongsa Temple just as a ritual funerary procession was taking place. Four Buddhist monks on the left hand side are leading the procession.
The man whose picture sits on the small red table on the shrine has died, and family, friends, and other mourners have come to participate in the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, his picture is put into the incinerator and burned, causing smoke to rise and come out of the holes on top.
This three story stone pagoda was built during the Goryeo period.
Every temple has a bell shrine. It is rung at certain times each day. I love the way that green plants and flowers find their way in between the roof tiles, take root, and grow!
More roof tiles on a wall with moss, grass, and flowers growing in, on and around!
I had not imagined that South Korea would be a jungle!
These temple buildings are the "oldest wood structures in Korea". Although built during the Goryeo period, they reflect the Silla, much earlier style.
I love the intricate detail painting of the roofs.
Some of the paintings tell a story, such as the dragon above.
The repair and upkeep on the old buildings is overwhelming.
Piles of rocks in front of the pagoda - made by people creating their own "stone pagodas" for worship and meditation.
Sometimes stone piles are used as markers on a path marking a spiritual place.
Another unique and exquisite temple experience!
TRADITIONAL MASKED DANCE PERFORMANCE
After exploring the temple buildings, we made our way to the masked dance performance. The characters all wear carved wooden masks. Some of the masks have a hinge so that the chin moves up and down as the person talks.
The characters sing and talk, accompanied by traditional Korean instruments.
We enjoyed every minute!
The plot is usually humorous!
On our way to the next adventure, we stopped for some cold soybean soup, and saw some beautiful fields of rice, and a little shrine by a river in the forest.
BYEONGSANSEOWON CONFUCIAN ACADEMY
On the outskirts of the city is a beautiful Confucian Academy. The Joseon Dynasty rejected Buddhism in favor of Confucian philosophy.
We were lucky to be here when the crape myrtle trees were in bloom.
Also of interest is that the trees used for posts or columns are not straight. The tree trunks were used as they were, with no carving or trimming. The beams under the rafters were also naturally curved, indicative of the curving and bending of branches, rivers, and trees found in nature.
One of the gates to another part of the academy - decorated with yin/yang, the omnipresent symbol of balance in nature.
Aerial view of Andong, with the Nakdong River twisting around it.
Late afternoon brought us back to the Village. We walked up a hill for a beautiful view of the mountains and the lush green trees, farmland, and rice fields.
Views of the Hahoe Village
Dusk falls on the Hahoe Village - mountains on one side and the river on the other. It's remarkable to imagine that people have been living and working in this village for 400-500 years.
Sun setting to the West creates a lovely silhouette.
We head home to Busan after enjoying an unforgettable day in Andong.
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