Malos Meet Korea: "Thinking of Others First and Keeping Rules, Have a Wonderful Time"

At 8:00 Thursday Morning, May 13 we were wisked off by Dr. Lee ( art professor - Tuesday's lunch) for an excursion to Haeinsa Temple, about 2 and 1/2 hours from Daejeon. A 1000 year old temple located southeast of Daejeon in the Gaya Mountains, this particular temple enshrines "Tripitaka Koreana", a set of engraved wooden blocks -( 81,258 pieces) - engraved to record Budda's discourses "for the purpose of propagating Buddhism, show the power of Korean culture to other nations, and to avoid...war." It is the most comlete set in the world. The entire collecton has been engraved twice. The first Tripitak took 77 years, from 1011 to 1087 AD. All in all, it took 240 years to complete the entire collection. Each block in the collection measures 70 cm by 24 cm and all are stored where ventilation, temperature and humidity are controlled. They didn't want us to take pictures - but don't conjure up images of glass encased pieces of wood. These are all stored on open shelves in buildings that have slatted sides for ventilation. Not the most beautiful temple we've been to, but the location was spectacular and the entire process most impressive. The title of the blog - "Thinking of Others First and Keeping Rules..." a message written on the inside cover of our pamphlet guide. So Korean!.

Outside the temple, theses turtles represent long life and are always present in Buddhist cemeteries.

On the way to the temple

Doug and Dr. Lee

Prayer Pile

Through four gates - up and up and up and up!

Doug and Dr. Lee

Lanterns hung in celebration of Buddha's birthday

Tripitaka Koreana - Carved wooden blocks containing Buddha's

writings.

Buildings slatted to provide ventilation

Bean paste or kimchi pots

We see these everywhere! All over Korea.

Chimney either for cooking or undol heat (floor heat)

Female Monks

Here comes lunch!!!

That was for 3 people!!!

After our temple visit, Dr. Lee took us out for lunch and then we're traveling once again, up, down, around the mountains and through the tunnels to Daegu - about an hour away - for a tour of his alma mater where he introduced us to one of his former classmates - an art professor there. He in turn invited us to observe one of his classes (impressive) and then took us out for "tea". Then, we were off again, "up, down, around and through", to the studio of yet another friend - a sculptor- whose house has garnered attention for its architectural design and innovative structural features. While there, we got a tour, perused his work, (impressive) had tea (of course) and then followed him (up, down, around, and through) to one of his favorite restaurants for yet another amazing Korean dinner. (You may be wondering how these Koreans manage to stay so slim, and more importantly, how in the world is Mary ever going to lose that weight? Such a provocotive question.) After a wonderful dinner, we parted ways and headed home where Dr. Lee deposited us at the door of our dorm about 11:00. We can learn much from the hospitality of the Korean people!!