the enchanter

Mr.Epperson, my former teacher, missed my concert on the fifth because he was giving performances abroad. He promised he would call me when he gets back, though, and he did just now, about half an hour ago--to quote him, "not to talk about what you think I'm going to talk about, it's something else. Do you have a television?" "Yes" "Good, turn on the TV, channel eighteen..." "Okay, I'm turning it on, channel eighteen..." "Yeah, that's it, I can hear it in the background..." It was a one-hour-long documentary show about Korea, traditional Korean culture and the people of Korea. "...have been watching this, and thought it might interest you very much," he continued, "okay, that's the reason why I called. But I'll call you again tomorrow." :) Wasn't it just so sweet of him...

Evidently, everything was the kind of knowledge I have been naturally brought to have. It is, however, very important for me to refresh my knowledge in English, so that I can explain my own culture to the people who have no knowledge about my country, whom I have to deal with every day, fortunately, unfortunately.

It's been so long since I last celebrated Korean holidays with my families, and to watch the Jesa and all other ceremonies again brought me so much memory, and I was very deeply moved...by my own people, the sincerity of their spirits, the culture that has matured and has been kept over hundreds of years, the almost reverent antiquity of it.

My thoughts have been hovering over the two different cultures I have been brought up in, especially since I watched the movie "The Patriot". However fictional the film is, it struck me with such realization that America's history has been built upon fighting--just as the Greeks', whose founding legendary is filled with murder and survival--the pioneers, the settlers, the endless and brutal killing of the original people of the land. I cannot picture the people of Corea or Chosun (different names for the country, according to the different reigns) being such great and inhumanly efficient soldiers, though their bravery should be acknowledged. The people of "the land of the morning calm"--as Tagor calls it in his poem--are people of virtue, people of goodness and moral excellence, people of meditation, people of reverence for Nature and of appreciation for the learned and well-mannered, people of gentleness and scholarliness; they are not people of war, they are not people of rebellion, or recalcitrance: they obey Nature's law, although with perseverance so enduring that is only awe-inspiring. It is no surprise they have surrendered in many wars throughout the history of the nation--not to say that it was fortunate for the people themselves, however.

People that have fought and built their country upon blood of their own and more of those whom they have banished and despised, and people that have spent near 50 centuries praising the law of Nature and the beauty of learning, could not be expected to be similar in many ways; understanding between the two could only be extremely difficult.

In this epoch of globalization and cosmopolitanism, there is a serious need for Americans to make an effort to learn about and understand cultures of different worlds; and to respect them, so they will not, in such a conveniently ignorant manner, classify Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Mongolians and just about any sort of people with pale yellow skin and black hair as "Asian" or "Oriental", but will recognize them as each of their respectful names and cultures. After all, you wouldn't like to be classified as "North American" instead of American or Canaidan, now would you?

A tree with deep roots
Stands firm in the storm;
It bears abundant flowers and fruit.

A Spring with a deep source of water
Does not dry up in time of drought
Its water becomes a river, and
Flows into the sea.

- A Korean proverb from Songs of the Dragons Flying in Heaven which was compiled during the reign of King Sejong (r. 1418-50)

---To learn about Korea---

http://korea.insights.co.kr/
Excellent, very well organized site with beautiful images and lots of information.
http://www.koreanculture.org/
Detailed information about Korea, maintained by the Korean Cultural Service.
"The Korean Culture Pages":
Short essays on aspects of Korean culture
An Introduction to Korean Culture

"An Introduction to Korean"
"Survival Hangul - The Korean Language"
"Korean Martial Art : Taekwondo"