Andong--Home of Confucianism in Korea

Andong is a city on the Nakdong River in the Eastern part of South Korea. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Andong attracted scores of Confucian scholars, becoming a pioneering city in Confucian thought. This city also contained the highest number of private and Confucian schools during that time. To this day, Andong still has around 26 private schools from the Joseon Dynasty period. The city also acted as a home to the noble class during the Joseon period. Queen Elizabeth visited the city in 1999.

Confucianism was introduced to Korea by a Chinese scholar. Although often considered a religion, it is more accurately described as a detailed code for interpersonal behaviour, a practical social and political doctrine. A system of education, ceremony, and administration were developed based on Confucian teachings.

It is easy to see the influence of Confucianism on Koreans today. Respect for elders, even when there are slight differences in age, and loyalty to one's kin and authority figures when required is considered to be very important.

In Andong, we visited the Korea Studies Advancement Center--a large complex with a museum devoted to preserving and transmitting Confucianism. Due to the strong history of Confucianism in this area and the way history has been taught in schools throughout Korea, many people are not aware that Confucianism, like Buddhism and Christianity, was introduced to Korea and that it is not the root of Korean culture.

After taking a training offered through our Korean Traditional Cultural Institute (Kookhakwon), an Andong city councillor realized the error that had been made in the naming of the Korean Studies Advancement Center in his city. He, along with the Mayor of Andong and other city officials and scholars, attended the event hosted by Kookhakwon in Andong this weekend and are interested in correcting the error that was made and in bringing Brain Education and training about the root of Korean culture to their city.

At a lecture sponsored by Kookhakwon, Dr. Lee, who studies the ancient Korean culture of Hanminjok, discusses the three elements of traditional Korean culture: Heaven, Earth, and Human, as distinct from the two traditional Chinese elements of yin and yang.

E-Learning Center Team

The E-Learning Center at UBE offers Brain Education training on-line for teachers and others. After a planning meeting at Korea's Dahn Meditation Center (Chun Hwa Won), the E-Learning Center team enjoyed a hike together.



This Gingko tree is about 1000 years old. It is 31 metres high and 11 metres around at chest height. The branches spread 25 metres east to west and 22 metres north to south. People say that it wails at the time of a national crisis.

Kuk Jo Jeon

This weekend on the way to an end-of the-year staff planning retreat for the E-Learning Center Team at UBE, Kim Jin-Yi and I visited Kuk Jo Jeon, a temple near Youngdong.


That's a Dangun statue in the background, similar to the one at the Peace Park at Kookhakwon/UBE. You may remember that Dangun was the founder of an ancient Korean culture based on the "Hongik" philosophy, or living for the betterment of all humanity and the Earth. There were 47 Danguns who ruled in Korea. This Dangun statue is known as "Healing Dangun". It is said that the energy from this statue can heal your body.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from Korea!!!

Wishing you and your families lots of love, joy and happiness!

All the best in health and good fortune in the coming year!

Love Jenny

Let's create lots of happiness and harmony next year! Check out these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhqlmdrk5Ns

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/play/audiogallery/soundseen.shtml

A Visit with a Korean Family

This weekend I was invited to visit my classmate's hometown of Gumi. Kim Jin Yi (English name, Jenny) also invited another foreigner, a student from the Phillipines who is studying in Daejeon. Her family had never hosted foreigners before and this was the first time for both Randy and I to visit a Korean family's home so it was a great experience for all of us.

Kim Jin Yi, Randy, Kim Jin Yi's older sister, her mother, and I

First, we enjoyed a delicious meal together, with dishes prepared specially by Kim Jin Yi nim's mother. Then we played a game called Yut nori that is traditionally played on New Year's Day or Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving).

The losing team gave healing to the winning team.

Kim Jin Yi nim's father is an Oriental Medical Doctor. He did cupping and acupuncture on my lower back to help balance and stimulate the circulation of energy in the body.





The next day we visited Jikjisa Temple, a Buddhist Temple. The temple was founded in 418 A.D. The name means "Pointing straight into mind to see true self achieves Buddahood".

Gojoseon: Ancient Korean History

Nowadays, many universities are seeking to combine knowledge and expertise from different fields of study. At UBE, I am very fortunate to be exposed to a variety of fields of study, including but not limited to: neuroscience, education, educational anthropology, educational psychology, sports psychology, archaeology, peace studies, ancient Korean history, ancient Korean thought and philosophy, and politics. The breadth of the faculty's interests is a reflection of the implications that Brain Education has as a comprehensive approach that can integrate and be applied to many different fields.

One of the faculty here, Dr. Bok Gi Dae, is involved in archaelogical research. He is known here at UBE as the "Korean Indiana Jones". Last night I met some of the other researchers who are collaborating with him on this research, including professors from the Departments of Anatomy and Anthropology at Seoul National University and Dankook University.

Dr. Bok's research provides physical archaeological evidence of the ancient Korean nation of Gojoseon, which existed throughout the Korean peninsula and ancient Manchuria (now China). This research has greater implications for issues related to Korean identity, culture, North-South reunification, and Korean relations with other North-East Asian countries as Koreans attempt to recreate a history that has been distorted by those seeking to conquer them.

Lee Joon Young's Happy 1st Birthday

This weekend I was invited to a Happy 1st Birthday Party for Lee Joon Young,the son of one of the staff who work at the E-Learning Center here at UBE. It was held in a big banquet hall with a buffet and there were many other 1st Birthday Parties happening at the same time. (That's the invitation on the left).

It was quite an event, complete with fuzzy characters who led everyone in singing and dancing. The family were wearing their traditional Korean clothing (hanbok), there was a cake-cutting ceremony, and a ceremony where the birthday boy chose from different objects which predict the kind of future he will have.

According to www.lifeinkorea.com, the items and their meanings are:
-bow and arrow: the child will become a warrior
-needle and thread: the child will live long
-jujube: the child will have many descendants
-book, pencil, or related items: the child will become a successful scholar
-rice or rice cake: the child will become rich (some resources say choosing a rice cake means the child is not smart)
-ruler, needle, scissors: the child will be talented with his/her hands
-knife: the child will be a good cook

Can you guess what Joon Young chose?




He chose a pen!

According to the same website, in the past, due to a lack of medical information, Korea's seasonal temperature differences, and many childhood related diseases, the death rate for children was extremely high. Many children died before their first birthday. After the age of one year, the survival rate steeply increased, making this milestone a very happy one for the child's parents. The tradition of celebrating a child's first birthday in particular continues today.