[RAS Korea] Korea travels with my pre-teen son in 1989

The author and his son at Nakhwa-am overlooking the Geum River in 1989 / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields

By Steven L. Shields

My son was born in Seoul. We moved to the U.S. when he was a few months old, so his first time to get to know Korea firsthand was the summer of his 11th birthday, in 1989. (We deliberately avoided the crowds of the 1988 Olympics). He was young enough to travel at a discount but old enough to understand and appreciate the experience. By then, he was a seasoned traveler; I'd dragged him through England, across Europe, and South Africa two years earlier.

In Korea, we roamed around the essential sites in Seoul. No visit to Korea is complete without seeing a couple of palaces. We rode the cable car up Mount Nam, went up in the tower and took in the still-magnificent 360-degree vista. Namdaemun Market was an eye-opener for my son since there were many things he had never seen before.

I planned a circular route for our down-country trip. Our first stop was Gongju. We wandered through the old national museum and visited King Muryeong's tomb. The tomb site was somewhat distant from the city in those days, and the site was in the early stages of development as a tourist area. We bounced along a country road to get there but then had to walk quite a way back into the city. There we boarded another bus for Buyeo. Since it was early evening, we wandered around town and found a place for dinner.

Bright and early the next day, we took in the national museum (the old building has since been replaced by a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility today) and walked through the forested area of what was once the Baekje Kingdom's principal palace during the kingdom's last decades. Today, the area is forested with scant reminders that the place was once a thriving complex with thousands of people living and working there.

One of the most scenic places in Buyeo is Nakhwa-am (falling flower rock), where it is said hundreds of palace women leaped to their deaths to avoid being raped by the invading Tang (Chinese) army. In its conquest to take the entire Korean Peninsula, the kingdom of Silla had allied with the Tang empire. Today, there is much more to see in Buyeo than in 1989. The town is small, and many sites are easily accessible on foot.

Traveling primarily by "country" or "outside the city" (shi wae) bus, rather than express bus, we wended our way through what is still some lovely countryside. The highways are bigger and more crowded now, but some small towns retain their old-style, laid-back lives. Kilometer after kilometer, the verdant rice fields evoke images of Korea's long agricultural history.

Haein Temple is one of Korea's "Three Jewels" temples. Each temple represents one of the three jewels of Buddhism. Tongdo Temple (between Gyeongju and Busan) represents the Buddha. Songgwang Temple in South Jeolla Province represents the Buddhist community (Sangha). And Haein Temple, not far from Daegu, represents Buddhist teachings (Dharma).

Haein Temple was founded in 802, though none of the original buildings exist. Since 1398, in the early years of the Joseon Kingdom, the temple has housed more than 80,000 carved wooden printing blocks of the Tripitaka Koreana, or Korean Buddhist Canon, the most complete Buddhist scripture in existence. The roads and facilities are now much improved over the barely paved road Chris and I traversed by local bus on our visit.

The author's son, Chris, in the entryway of the Tripitaka Koreana warehouse at Haein Temple / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields

The unique warehouse for the almost 800-year-old printing blocks (carved during the Goryeo Kingdom in the 1200s) is a marvel to see. Access in the old days was less restrictive. When my son and I visited, a kindly monk allowed us to wander through part of the stacks. They also had a sample block that visitors could heft and examine closely. Scholars have examined the blocks and counted more than 52 million Chinese characters. They noted there appear to be no mistakes anywhere to be found. Truly a remarkable treasure.

My all-time favorite place to visit is Gyeongju. I dragged my 11-year-old from the top of the mountain where Seokguram resides, through Bulguk Temple and most other major temple sites in the valley. We visited the Flying Horse Tomb (Cheonmachong) downtown and the national museum (which in those days was one building). The Emile Bell could be rung physically (the current recorded ringing, though necessary to preserve the centuries-old piece, is a poor "second"). Road and transport in Gyeongju are vastly improved today, but it is still possible to use the city buses to travel through the valley.

No visit to Bulguk Temple is complete without this popular shot. Millions of tourists have such a photo. / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields

Our next destination was Beopju Temple, not far from the lovely city of Cheongju. As I have written previously, Beopju Temple is a favorite place to visit. Much older than either Bulguk Temple or Haein Temple, the setting is lovely. The view from the top of the mountain, Mun Jang Dae, is spectacular, but my son was impressed by two items of interest in the temple precinct.

First was the giant rice cooker on display in a small pavilion. He loves rice, and loves Korean food in general, too. The second was the tall golden Maitreya. The current statue was then under construction to replace a much-worn-out concrete statue. A booth near the base of the construction site was set up for donations. My son insisted on contributing as a small way to honor his Korean heritage.

The giant rice cooker at Beopju Temple. It is said that in its heyday, the temple was home to 3,000 monks. / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields/

Our round-the-country tour finished, we headed back to Seoul from Cheongju on the Songnisan Express Bus (now a part of Kumho). We spent many more days on day trips to Suwon's Hwaseong Fortress, the Folk Village at Yongin and the inimitable Children's Grand Park in eastern Seoul with my son's cousin. We also spent a day at the then-newly opened Lotte World. So much to see and do, even in the days before the super-development of the tourism industry.

Modern accommodations can be found almost everywhere now, with prices to fit just about any budget. A myriad of tour companies offer longer trips into the hinterland of southern Korea. But, with a bit of knowledge of the language, a longer-term visitor or resident can easily travel around by express bus or train. And one can enjoy Seoul with the Royal Asiatic Society Korea's half-day walking excursions/lectures (set to start again in March). Check the RAS Korea website for details about coming events.

Rev. Steven L. Shields is president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea (www.raskb.com) and columnist for The Korea Times. Visit raskb.com or email royalasiatickorea@gmail.com for more information about the society.