July 6, 2011

The Myth of July 7th (견우와 직녀)


I presented a copy of this story in Korean today to my students. I was born on the 7th of July and always wanted to learn this story. The following is the myth of 직녀 (Jiknyeo) and 견우 (Kyeonu) translated by several students and pieced together as best I could:

Long ago in a place among the stars lived Jiknyeo. This beautiful princess was daughter to the King of the Sky. Jiknyeo was a talented weaver of hemp and could make all sorts of beautiful things. Her work ethic was second to none. The King despised idleness and was proud of his daughters diligence. One day, the Sky King recognized her beauty. He decided she must marry and began searching for a worthy husband. Soon after Kyeonu was chosen as her mate. Like Jiknyeo, Kyeonu was hardworking. Although a simple cow herder, his animals were always well tended. He was also a prince!

The couple married and continued to excel in their diligence and hardwork. They were the most famous couple in all of the universe and loved each other very much. As time passed they began to enjoy spending time together more than their work. They would lay together for hours on end and stare at the stars. Jiknyeo's loom became covered in dust. Kyeonu's cows roamed freely and even trampled the King's garden. Their laziness displeased the Sky King greatly.

The angry King chose to separate the couple. He sent Kyeonu to a distant land in the East to tend his herd and Jiknyeo to a remote land in the West to continue her weaving. The couple cried and cried. They wept so many tears that the King, moved by their affection, agreed to let them view each other  once a year from opposite banks of the silvery river in the sky.

After a year of waiting the couple met alongside the river. The torment of seeing their love but unable to meet drove their weeping to torrents. They cried many tears which fell to Earth and flooded the planet. The inundation was so severe on Earth that the animals feared for their lives. The animals gathered together in search of a plan. A wise bear noted that if the rain was going to stop the couple must meet face to face. Suddenly a magpie came up with a plan. The bird asked all of his kind and all of the crow cousins to work in tandem and create a bridge over the silvery river in the sky.
On the seventh day of the seventh month the birds flew off and turned the sky to blackness. With their wings spread these birds created a span over the river for the couples to meet.


The couple rushed toward one another and remained in embrace all night. They talked about the happy life they had and how painful it was to be separated. As dawn approached, they cried a few tears and walked back to the riverbanks.

According to the legend no crow or magpie has ever been seen since on July 7th. It is also said that after this day each summer you will notice many of the birds have fewer feathers on their heads due to the couple walking and resting upon them. There will also always be a sprinkle of rain as well from the lover's parting tears. Jiknyeo is the star Vega, Kyeonu is Altair, and the great silvery river is the Milky Way. On the night of July 7th these two stars are truly visible overhead on either side of the Milky Way!



I am aware that the original myth must have regarded the date as the seventh day and seventh month of the lunar calendar. However, July 7th is the day of the event in modern practice. There are also similar myths from China and Japan which occur on the same day. As in many items of mutual tradition, the original source is not known.

June 24, 2011

Yeondongjin (영동진)


The Northeastern coast of South Korea is a remarkable place. I recently spent a weekend just north of the famed Jeongdongjin beach. It was a world unlike any other I had experienced on this peninsula. The ocean was a clean crisp blue which reminded me of the tropics. It just begged for me to take a swim. Turns out the water temperature is anything but tropical; more at arctic. It reminded me more of Lake Superior. I honestly couldn't stand it long. I guess I am getting old.


The trip consisted of three trains and roughly ten hours each way. It was a grind but well worth it. When you exit the train you are right on the beach! Most hotels offer pick up from the station as well. Our hotel was about two miles north of the station. There was no access to a store for groceries or supplies. Thankfully the woman who ran the hotel drove us to a large market roughly a half hour away. The next day her husband drove us into "town" and we spent a few hours walking along the beach and exploring the town proper. Unfortunately, when we were ready to return his car was occupied. The taxis were nowhere to be found which left only the choice of walking. We set out along the beach and a half mile later were unable to continue. The military is everywhere it seems! Guardposts and barbed wire fences stand aplenty in stark contrast to the natural beauty.


One U-turn and forty minutes later we decide to go underneath the railroad line which parallels the coast and walk along the fenceline rather than risk the speedy traffic along the rather narrow road. Another half mile later we reached another impass. An impenetrable spaghetti of barbed wire and metal. By now we are roasting. I coax my companion onto the railway where must first cross a 100 foot bridge. Thankfully no trains came! I knew that if we continued along the track it would be the quickest way back to the hotel and fifteen minutes and another degree of sunburn we arrived safely to our room.


The reason Jeongdongjin is famous is the sunrise. We happened to be here on the Summer Solstice so a four in the morning wake up was necessary. As we awoke the sky was lightening and we scampered across the railway toward the beach. But, wait, are you kidding? The gate to the beach was locked. We simply sat on a bench as the sky brightened and I snapped a few photos throught the fence. It must have been around five when the sight of soldiers appeared out of nowhere unlocking the gates and patrolling the beach.




With the gates open on to a completely deserted beach we went and were treated to a truly fabulous sunrise. All in all a great trip for me personally. If you are not so rugged I would recommend you book a hotel directly in town. Ours sat in an enclave of homes and small farms with no dining or market access. I liked the isolation. I had a great trip. Korea has so many layers and it was fun to be exposed to a new one.

June 16, 2011

Baek JiYoung (백지영) wants me!

This recording comes from a TV show here in Korea where several of the best vocalists performed in an elimination contest for best pipes. I love this woman. I know she loves me. It is only a matter of time before we meet. Enjoy my loose translation annotations!