BUSAN, South Korea – Springtime means that wisteria vines fill with an overwhelming scent. The street lines with a lavender that colors the mind. I imagine that walking through this town square in bloom mirrors the valley in Busan, thousands of miles away.
Tammy’s journey takes form through the oceanside town of Busan. The city is composed of a population diverse and in a state of constant change bridging extended periods over several wars.
In the mountains sits a Buddhist temple that is over a thousand years old. In this time, stories were passed down about its beautiful features. Beomeosa was founded at the foot of a well that constantly replenished itself. The beauty of the forest enshrouded by mountain clouds appears beautiful in my mindscape.
Busan Book Recommendations:
Pachinko
, by Min Jin Lee, 2017
This novel tells of a family living in Busan in the early 21st century. The multi-generational story illustrates the complexities of surviving in the port town.
Earthlings, by Sayaka Murata, 2020 (English translation)
Although this novel is not physically set in Busan, aspects of the spiritual illuminates a kind of back-to-nature ideal that generates an ambiance not unlike the mountain-side environment of Busan.
L.A. Times article about Busan monks, by John M. Gliona, 2011
The article discusses martial arts practiced at their temple. There is an inherent juxtaposition between passing on a tradition and the intrinsic sacredness of teaching their way of life.
postcardsfromanne.com 