like water and wind

It has been about one year since last visited Yeonghae 영해 and Byunggok 병곡. Got there over 2 hours and 30 minutes from Daegu by car. Drove to Yeonghae last weekend, unloaded the bicycle at the parking lot in front of Goesi-ri traditional village 괴시리 전통마을  and started cycling around the coastal regions. The village has its own historical background to attract tourists as Yi saek 이색(1328~1396), an eminent confucian scholar in the late Goryeo dynasty was born here.

It's always fun to reflect back on the days of childhood. Enjoyed cycling on the old paths along the coast, tracing the childhood memories. Byunggok used to be a tiny fishing village; however, everything has changed except the road and back alley locations, and new restaurants and accommodation facilities now occupy the space instead, its long beach and beautiful seashore landscape having become ever more popular. 

Jangyuksa Buddhist temple 장육사 was also added along the coastal road to the route this time, which is one of the popular tourist attractions among Buddhists. Seon(Zen) master Naong 나옹 선사(1320∼1376), was born in Yeonghae and founded this temple about 700 years ago. 

He left home at the age of 21 to become a Buddhist priest. Five years later, he suddenly attained enlightenment while meditating day and night. In those days, Mongol Empire, the Yuan Dynasty 원나라 established by the Mongols ruled China from 1271 to 1368.

Naong went to Yuan China to learn more in the birthplace of Seon Buddhism, and went and found some renowned Seon masters there, among whom the Indian monk Dhyana Bhadra, who then stayed in Yuan, was most popularly known as Jigong 지공, 指空 and formally recognized Naong as an enlightened master. After returning from China, he was appointed as king's teacher. 

Naong and Yi saek were from the same place, lived in the same period and sustained friendship even if Yi saek was not a Buddhist and 8 years older. Yi saek wrote his epitaph after Naong died. Naong left a poem behind, which shows to us his deep sense of unity with great nature, not separated from each other.

Blue mountain teaches me to live silently

Blue sky teaches me to live innocently;

live like water and wind and die, 

leaving love and hatred behind.

short but steep climb

Heavy downpours that occurred a couple of weeks ago struck some mountain villages in the northern Yeongcheon 영천. While cycling on a sunny, hot weekend, could find the debris left behind along the stream and lakeside. Bohyunsan optical astronomy observatory 보현산 천문대 stands atop Mt. Bohyunsan, which can be seen from the road across the nearby southern village. This mountain has attracted those who are interested in trekking and cycling. The path is paved in a zigzag pattern from the bottom to the top around the observatory.           

Cycling in the remote area makes us more refreshed, even if sometimes have to pass through heavy traffic in mountain areas and have to go through tunnels with accident risk as well. On the way to the starting point, Whanam township 화남면, barely managed to ride up a short, steep mountain pass between Gigye 기계 and Imgo 임고 at maximum effort.