Panmunjon -- the past and the present

When I was in primary school, one long desk was shared by two students who called each other "same-desk",  having a meaning of close relationship. However, these two same-desks often had a quarrel with each other. As a solution, in the middle of their desk, we draw a line that body and things belonged to the child in the other side could'n't cross. We called it "38 line".

I didn't know exactly what did it mean and the long story on Korean Peninsula at that time. But I did really have heard of a place named Panmunjon by a book's title though I've never read it. After I grew up, I learned more about history, and got to know the true meaning of the 38th parallel -- a scar on the Korean Peninsula. 

I joined a tour to go to Panmunjon, officially called JSA, Joint Security Area, as a guest of United Nations. In contrast, visitors, mostly Chinese, come from the north won't be UN's guests, but North Korea's. So maybe I can say this is a place North Korea VS UN. 

Label

According to our guild, today's JSA isn't the real Panmunjon where Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. The real one, at north of the present place,  is controlled by North Korea, and only Chinese visitors can see it. The houses on the boundary are used for a conference by two Koreas. The blue houses belongs to the South, and the silvery ones belongs to the North. Soldiers don't stand there usually, but when visitors are coming. Visitors come through North and South won't enter this area at the same time, just like the Koreans living in both sides of the 38th parallel -- they never meet each other.

Blue houses 

Our guide spoke the history about the division of Korean Peninsular all the way. I thought someone of her family might be in the North now, because she said that emotionally and full of anger and sadness. A lot of families were broken by that line, and the members in one side maybe not meet ones in the other side for ever.

There is a bridge in the JSA named "No Return". It's on the boundary. When the Korea War was over, prisoner of the war were put on this bridge to choose south or north. At that time, their fate, was decided.  The same thing also happened in 1949, China. Many people faced a choice -- going to Taiwan or not, and their fate became different from that moment. 

The bridge of no return

Tips: In the tour, the drinks of lunch are always NOT FREE. But nobody there will tell you before you drank them. They are really expensive. 

Jongmyo & Changdeokgung

Koreans are proud of their culture very much, I think.

A policy, visitors must join a tour with a guide, is made by Jongmyo these years. I thought it was aimed at protecting the structures, but I might be wrong. 

To match the time, I joined a Japanese tour. The guide was very good at Japanese, and likely knew Japan a lot. I guessed it would be boring if I visited Jongmyo alone, because I learned many things about it from that guide. She said that Jongmyo was listed in the world heritage and rated highly, because every year in May, the posterity of Joseon Dynasty holds the traditional rites. Jongmyo ariginated from China, and could be found in southeast Asia countries. They just remain the structures, while Korean Jongmyo continues holding rites. For that, I got clear why there was a guide. Koreans are doing an effort  to show foreign visitors their culture, that is the point.

Waiting to get in Jongmyo

Main structure of Jongmyo

I visited Changdeokgung, one of the Five Grand Palaces in Joseon Dynasty, and found it resembled the palace in northeast China which also had floors upon the ground and stovepipe outside the house to keep the room warm and resist the cold climate in winter. It is simple nature. I like structures with the original wooden color more than the painting stuffs, though I didn't expect to see them in a palace.

Main gate of Changdeokgung

Injeongieon, Main Hall 

stovepipe

Floor upon the ground

Mountain Bukaksan of Seoul

The southern gate and eastern gate of Seoul are famous for markets there, and the western gate is a station of subway at present. I was curious where the northern gate was. Then I found the Mountain Bukaksan, where the northern gate was, by word of mouth on a Japanese website. Two reasons took me there. One comes to the great sketch of the Mt. Bukaksan's homepage on which a traditional-dressed Korean woman in the hole of northern gate the attracted me. Two comes to the mystery of forbidden area where people couldn't enter for 38 years.

I went Mt. Bukaksan by a green bus,and got off at the terminal. I thought it was the terminal, because all the people got off there, and the bus driver yelled at me. On the foot of the mountain was a park without so-called entrance, map board and any signs. I even doubted if I got off wrong stop. I walked along a road went up the mountain where a few people got down. It was about half past 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I must reach to the application window before 3, or I would be not allowed to get in. But where was it. A rough map on a broad showed me a long way to the peak of the mountain where I would submit an application. So I sped up my pace that made me tired.

The mountain road

After a long mountain way, I arrived at the office and submit an application with showing my passport. Several groups of Korean uncles were there too, some having a break to get down and some just entering. They seemed outdoorsy, while I wore a pair of CROSS ( not an advertisement, it's not good for mountain). The Seoul Fortress was built along the ridge of Mt. Bukaksa. As a previous military security area, numerous watchhouses remained. And even nowadays, staffs, standing about every 20m, observed visitors and warned me no photo here and there. But most of them were not good at English.

Watchhouse

I spent much time and energy on Mt. Bukaksan and made me not happy that the staffs there weren't friendly at all, one told me a wrong way on purpose and another followed me a while. Maybe they bewared if by any chance I was a spy. If it was true, why did they allow foreigner get in on earth?

The northern gate wasn't as beautiful as it on the sketch. I was really disappointed. 

From the peak

Northern gate

Suwon

 Suwon is a small town near Seoul and includes a world heritage Hwaseong Fortress built in 1796 by the King Jeongjo of Joseon who is famous for a drama called with his name, Yi San. 

It took me a long time to get to Suwon from Seoul by subway. The memory about Suwon was wet. It was raining when I arrived there without an umbrella. I didn't take a bus to Hwaseong Fortress. It seemed not far from the station, and I like walking. At first the rain was light. I walked in the street feeling daily life of this town. There were not many tall buildings and people, and a few small supper market beside the road just as China. 

road-side supper market

A GPS leaded me to Hwaseong Fortress, but I set a wrong point that made me to take a curving way. It rained more heavily, and I was lost. It was a road through the hillside, beside that was a pavilion. I decided to have a rest there, pinpoint my location and wait the rain to get lighter. There were three people already there, an old man murmured to himself now and then, and two middle-aged men talked with each other loudly. I was checking maps and GPS to plan a route from then on when one of the middle-aged men spoke to me in Korean. I said " I don't know Korea". He seemed to meet difficult and spoke to the other one. After their short conversation, the man came to me and ask me with English words: "YOU, COME, FROM, WHERE?" "China", I said. "YOU, COME, KOREA, WHY?" I answered him, but he didn't understand. He signal me to come with him. I thought he would show me the way, but he drew an umbrella in the sky. I found the fortress wall when we walked along the prior road. He made me wait among some houses by the road, and turn in anther direction. His house must be near there. After a while, he came back with just ONE umbrella. I was confused what did he mean? Didn't he want to borrow an umbrella to me? I thanked him and asked how could I give back it to him. He ignored my words and asked me to put up the umbrella with him. 

When we walked back to the wall, I told him I was going to get down the hill by showing him a map. But he point the peak of the hill where there was a big bell and then dragged me to go. I was scared and shouted HELP so that he released my arm. I got angry and told him don't follow me, but it didn't work. I had to do something let him go, I thought. There was a ticket booth on the foot of the hill and an old lady was sitting in it. I tried to tell her the issue, but she replied me in Japanese: "All this area is not free"...

 I continued to go toward Haenggung Palace expecting to meet officials but no one. There were another ticket booth in front of Haenggung Palace, and also an old lady who didn't understand me. However, she told me volunteers who could speak foreign languages was at the gate of palace. I moved to a volunteer, a young lady around 30 yeas old, and told her the whole thing. She was very nice, sympathized with me in my trouble and gave me an umbrella. She said something to the man, then he went away.

Haenggung Palace 

I roamed around the palace which is simple and not interesting and felt down. I did want to see the wall. However, since it was a rainy Monday, few visitors came here. I was afraid the man followed me, so I must avoided remote places. And I was tired, physically and mentally.

I returned to the station passing by the south gate of the fortress, Paldalmn. Unfortunately, it was in maintenance, I didn't see even a corner of it. Otherwise, luckily, I found a local market and delicious foods: BAOZI and MAHUA. I like local markets. They're funny, close to daily life, and makes me feel nostalgic for childhood. When I was eating baozi with satisfaction, the man who followed me before appeared. It wasn't a coincidence, because I'd told him I wanted to see Paldalmn. He pretended to be surprised and greeted to me happily. But when he saw the umbrella I was putting on, he seemed disappointed and went away. 

It was the last day I stayed in South Korea. I was tired. 

Fortress Wall

Paldalmn in maintenence 

Paldalmn at manhole cover

Baozi shop

Local market

Myeongdong

Myeongdong is wierd, I think.

Myeongdong is a shopping district in the center of Seoul City. However, half of the people do shopping there are Japanese visitors and the shop staffs even say "WELCOME" in Japanese. To Japanese, it's very easy to travel in Korea. The two countries are so close that the airline ticket is more reasonable than others far from Japan. A lot of Koreans can speak Japanese for that the two languages are similar to each other and the colonial administration under Japan from 1905 to 1945. Most Japanese have been to Korea once or more, and Myeongdong is a place they must visit, especially old ladies. It might be thought a small scale Seoul, even Korea perhaps, they can eat there, buy Korea-style goods, have massage, go around duty free shops easily. Of course, the prices there are higher than other places. 

I stayed near Myeongdong because of the convenient traffic. I have been to Myeongdong for several times these days, however, I hardly found a food shop for a single traveler. I knew it wasn't the real Seoul, it was just a theme park.

Myeongdong Cathedral may be an exception. It's the true symbol of Myeongdong and Catholicism in Korea. The Catholicism thrives in Korea that I was invited to join the Catholic Church when having lunch at a shop in Bukchon, and a friend of mine, a Chinese girl studies in Korea, also go to church every week. I went to Myeongdong Cathedral with just that girl. It would say mass there soon, when we entered  and sat at last rows. I've never heard live choir music before. Everyone in the church stood up and sang with choristers. The music was so charming and attractive, touching people's heart. It moved me, though I'm not a Catholic. 

Myeongdong Cathedral 

Bulguksa

It's said that Bulguksa, built in 528, is the oldest temple in Korea. It's also a World Heritage added in 1995 with Seokguram.

I went there by bus with many other visitors. After got off the bus, there was a slope to the temple. Booths of food filled the roadsides, the owners friendly called out to me before I bought their foods. 

Main gate of Bulguksa

Second gate of Bulguksa

I can't remember much about Bulguksa except the stairs of the entrance. Though they're not used anymore, it's still magnificent. The temple has no glazing colors, and stone materials is light yellow. It's likely another kind of stone different from white marble, a common material used in temple or palace building in China.

Stairs of the entrance

When I felt thirsty, luckily I found a spring. I recognized I was in the mountain where the water was pure. I stored a bottle of it.

Spring

 I had no time to visit Seokguram though it was near Bulguksa. I asked the schedule of the bus bound for Singoguryeo Station in advance and considered I could arrived at the station before the KTX left. But I was wrong. I was so tired that slept in the bus. It seemed the bus went through downtown and picked up many noisy students. I slept and slept until the terminal, Singoguryeo Station. I woke up but still muddled, seeing people were coming out of the station. It meant KTX had left -- only before several minutes. And it also meant I should wait for the next train for extra an hour and a half. That's really a bad case of timetable manager. 

Yangdong Folk Village

Yangdong Folk Village was designated a World Heritage in 2010. It's a traditional village from the Joseon Dynasty and famous for the resident of Yangban, intellectuals of upper class. 

It took about 30 minutes from Gyeongju Station to Yangdong. The bus stopped by the main road and I had to walk 15 minutes reaching the village. Two young girls getting off at the same stop were going there too. I just follow them. It was countryside with nothing but hills, trees, a rive and a bridge being buiｌt. In front of the village, many people gathered in the square of a primary school. It seemed there was an event. 

The place I got off from the bus

The village was just on the slope behind that school. The May day was very hot and a huge number of hornets there. I even couldn't find a seat for visitors to have a break. The village is traditional and living -- people still live there, and they build house of the past style in the past way. The advantage of that is the original, otherwise, the disadvantage is also that "original".

I planned to stay at Yangdong for all the afternoon time, walk around, buy some handicrafts or just sit and think. But I only spent an hour there, because it was boring. There were few activities for visitor -- no mini museums and handicraft shops, few cottages could be walked in, and only two cafes and a local flower shop. It was just a village in Korean countryside!

Cottage of upper-class family

Cottage of common family

A wall built in traditional way 

Gyeongju - A City built on the History

I have learned at my middle school history class that Korea Peninsula has Three Kingdoms Period  in history as China has a same-named period. Those three kingdoms were Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. Through fighting with others, finally, Silla (57BC-935) conquered the other two kingdoms and occupied most of the Korea Peninsula. 

Gyeongju was the capital of that Silla Kingdom.

I arrived at Singyeongju in the early morning, and planned to take a bus to Yangdong at 7:50 am. I have checked the timetable in advance, but unfortunately it changed to 8:50 am. NO COMMENTS... The KTX Singyeongju Station is a little far from the Gyeongjy Station of local line located in the center of Gyeongjy City. I must go into the city first, look around and visit Yangdong then. OK, let me catch a bus. I must say it was inconvenient here comparing with Seoul that no signboard was written in other languages besides Korean. There was a bus waiting at bus stop. I had to ask the driver if this bus was bound for the inner town by pointing a map. The driver spoke Korean loudly and showed me the number of bus I should take. An old woman was waiting for that bus with me. She was very friendly and spoke Korean loudly to me too. It must mean "I also take that bus, follow me." -- I enjoyed guessing what Koreans said.

Gyeonjyu Station in the downtown

After about 20 minutes, I got off the bus. It was kind for the bus driver to show me the direction of Gyeonjyu Station, though he had no smile face. It was too early to borrow a bicycle. I decided to walk to Bunhwangsa, an old temple built in Silla era. Bunhwangsa is a small temple with few structures, and really old.The pagoda in the temple is special. It' s said that the pagoda is an important thing to research Silla culture. I've never seen that style in China or Japan before. Since Buddhism was spread from China to Korea then to Japan, I wondered where this style came from and wnet to. 

The Bunhwangsa Pagoda

Main Gate (left) & entrance (right) of Bunhwangsa 

Near the Bunhwangsa, there is the ruin of Hwangnyongsa which is considered the largest temple in Korea history. Hwangnyong written in Chinese characters means Yellow Dragon. Matching the name, this temple was built for protecting the Kingdom of Silla in 6th century. Ironically, this temple was destroyed by Mongolian invasion in 1238 when it was the Goryeo Dynasty. I like this ruin with herbs reached my knees. It was a quiet place and so wide that I could view the far mountains and maybe the ancient dynasties.

Ruin of Hwangnyongsa (the pillars are remains of the temple)

Since I thought it was far and seemed not a bus would come to take me away, I took a taxi to the Cheomseongdae, the oldest astronomical  observatory in East Asia. It is a simple tower made by stone, and the shape is like a glass bottle of milk in the past time. It's cute. I like its shape and like its name more. The Cheomseongdae written in Chinese character means "the tower of looking up stars with respect ". Through this name, I can image the scene that ancient people observe sky on the tower.

Cheomseongdae

Around the Cheomseongdae there are a great number of tumuli of Silla Kings. Contrary to the tombs of Chinese emperors, they are simple without attached structures. They're similar to those in Japan which are covered by trees. It's really so many tumuli that looks like green waves when you see them in a moving car.

Tomb of Naemul of Silla

Cheonmachong, means Heavenly Horse Tomb, is likely the only tomb people can walk in. It's in the Tumuli Park Belt. Maybe because of Saturday, many people went there with family. 

Tumuli Park Belt

Lovely girl with her brother

 I'm sad to say Korea has many wonderful foods, but I haven't eaten much enough. I had some snacks for lunch near Gyeongju Station. It was good taste and price, and I could eat while walking. After the lunch, I went north to Yangdong, returned to the station, and move to south for Bulguksa.

Lunch

The Way to Gyeongju

I left Seoul for Gyeongju very early in the day about 5 o'clock, because I wanted to meet the bus bound for Yangdong Folk Village which was just designated a World Heritage in 2010. I planned to take KTX, Korea Train Express by which it would take 2 hours from Seoul Station to Singyeongju Station. I reserved a Korea Railway Pass for foreign visitors, with which I could make a round trip a day.

 I took a train in South Korea for the first time, and I didn't mention if there was an introduction about how to use KR Pass on the its official website (probably not). I got a KR Pass card in Seoul Station the last day, and just went to the station with it in the morning. The card was just a piece of hard paper. I didn't know how it worked. I kept going to close the train thinking a ticket gate and a station employee would be in front of the train. But it wasn't -- no ticket gate and employees were there. I got on the train and selected a seat to sit down, though I found all of the seats had a number. I was nervous and waiting for the departure. Finally, the train started to move. 

A young female employee came into my car to check ticket after the train left the second station from Seoul Station. When I showed her my poor card, she seemed to have trouble. I asked her if I couldn't take this train with the KR Pass. She said no. She could speak limited English words, and kept to touch the screen of her hand machine. I tried to guess what did she want to say. As a result, I went along the train to look for an unreserved seat car -- I though there would be one, but there were not. I went back to ask the employee. She still touched the machine screen ceaselessly (In fact she was searching a seat for me. I knew it later) while speaking some single English words. What the hell it is? She seemed nervous and to be at a lost. In the end she asked me where to go and gave me a seat number. At that moment, a man in the uniform likely the conductor passed us. The female employee called him and spoke to him about me. I guessed the dialog was as follow.
F: Conductor, this foreigner has a KR Pass but not reserve a seat. 
M: Where will she go? Busan?
F: Singyeongju.
M: Then give her a seat.
F: OK.
M: Where does she come from? Japan?
F: No, China.
Uncle conductor was very nice. I liked his smile. Though I didn't know Korean at all, I got it! How exciting!

When the train was getting close to Gyeongju (I knew it because I kept time and I had a GPS), I prepared to get off the train. The woman asked me something in Korean. I guessed it was "do you get off at the next station?" I nodded definitely. But the next station wasn't Singyeongju which station the train would arrive at several minutes later. Anyway, I arrived in Gyeongju safely. 

When I returned Seoul in the evening, I got to know I should reserve a seat by showing my KR Pass card to the employee in the window of the station before getting on the train.

I took the 5:30 KTX

In the train

Singyeongju Station

In the station

Why did I go to South Korea?

I went to different places for different reasons, most times for fun, sometimes for exciting experiment or just filling the free time, but they're all not the answer. I went to South Korea with a particular purpose.

I have been to Seoul a few years ago when I transferred in Inchon Airport, a place famous for the U.S. army's landing in 1950. The airport was great. You could do shopping, see a show of Korean traditional culture or draw a Korean-style fan for free. I loved these thoughtful details just like that in Japan, while the behavior of the Korean staff were not also -- they were like Chinese more. Two stuffs talked with each other while walking. They were smiling and seemed relax and not saying something not about work. I've never seen that scene in Japan but China. At that moment, I recognized that a portion of this country was similar to China, while the other resembled Japan. Maybe many people who have been in China and Japan can find it easily and feel it too usual to worth thinking. But to me, it's huge.

I have known if I am looking for the differences of two issues, finding a point between them as a reference is likely a good idea. I thought China and Japan were similar to each other. The people look like almost the same. And Chinese elements such as Chinese characters, tea culture, and so on were accepted  by Japan from Tang Period and continued until now. I have been told this SIMILAR theory since I was a child in China. But when I grow up and come to Japan, it makes me confused. At that time I met Korea, the reference point of China and Japan.

I learned Korea history roughly before the journey around South Korea, and found that the nationality is closely related to the geography. Korea Peninsula is between China and Japan, geographically, and socially or politically. As a peninsula, Korea has both Chinese-continental and Japanese-marine natural environment; As a small country, Korea was under the pressure of BIG China and STRONG Japan until 1945 or even now. 

I visited three places in South Korea: Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57BC - 935AD), where a vast number of historical heritage remain, Seoul, the current capital, famous large metropolis and a city you must go to when you visit South Korea, and Panmunjon, a crack of Korea Peninsula, divides a whole country to two portions. 

Now, I'd like to talk about my journey ~