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(60) How to Read Marital Harmony (Gunghap 3)

By Janet Shin ``Gunghap,'' one of the most frequently consulted subjects in saju, deals with the relationship of a couple. It can be about a relationship between two parties who start a business together, or that of an employer and employee who work together. Gunghap tells about the compatibility of a couple through saju. Though gunghap often causes conflict when it is not good for a couple in love, people still rely on it because Korean marriages are centered around families rather than just the couple themselves. Instead of just relying on gunghap, or simply denying it, let's continue our exploration of how gunghap applies to celebrity couples. Below are the saju of Gil, a member of the Korean hip-hop group Leessang, and Park Jung-ah, a member of the girl group Jewelry. They recently announced that they have been dating for a year. Gil was born with the energy of eul, yin wood, and Park was born with the energy of gye, yin water. Gil, born in the month of knowledge star and taking root in myo wood, shows flexibility with a eul wood-flower-personality. Gil also

Sep 17, 2009

Tips on Planning Pregnancy

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter Women planning for pregnancy should get a health examination first. A mother's health condition can affect the baby, and so it is best to test for and attend to disorders ahead of conception, experts say. Ildong Food Is, a baby food maker, suggests a few pre-pregnancy tests for those thinking about becoming mothers. 1. Hepatitis Test: Hepatitis viruses can be carried into the fetus through blood from the mother. Many people are unaware of their infection and the best way to know for sure is to take a test and also receive vaccination once a month, three times before pregnancy. Hepatitis B patients and carriers should receive an injection of globulin and get their babies vaccinated right after birth. 2. Syphilis Test: Because it is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) many people here consider it a "secret disease" and are reluctant to get tested for it. However, carriers of the disease can protect their babies from infection if the mothers get treated 14 weeks before conception. Mothers-to-be who are infected with the syphilis

Sep 13, 2009

(59) How to Read Marital Harmony (Gunghap 2)

By Janet Shin ``Gunghap,'' which deals with the harmonious relationship of a couple, can be one of the most important topics for those who fall in love. We see many couples get married amid opposition from people around them. Some get married, despite concerns from others that their marriage won't last long. Love, and marriage itself, is a personal affair, but in Korea, the marriage is linked to family affairs. A couple must seek a harmonious arrangement from the day one of the members is introduced their girlfriend or boyfriend's to their parents. Once they start considering marriage, their parents visit a fortune teller for a consultation regarding the gunghap of a couple. However, It is not a ``must'' nowadays. Even the couples themselves consult a fortune teller to talk about their relationship in terms of the Oriental concept of yin and yang, and the five elements. When they decide to get married, their parents try to fix the best date for the wedding, which is called ``Taek il,'' meaning ``fix the date.'' Then the ``Saju danja,'' in which the four pillars of the bride

Sep 10, 2009

Explore Divinely Inspired Sinhung Temple

This is the first in a 10-part series on templestays. ― ED. By Roger Shepherd Contributing Writer Sinhung Temple has been running their new templestay program in outer Mt. Seorak National Park for the past four months. So far 700 persons have used the program mostly on the weekends; only a few foreigners are aware of the new program. I had been asked to go there and take a look at the new program and take in the surroundings. The temple has a history dating back to the 7th century. Sinhung Temple is also affectionately known as the temple of "frequent change" and it is the main temple of the area known as outer Mt. Seorak, or the eastern side of the National Park area of Mt. Seorak, Gangwon Province. The temple was first named Hyangsong Temple and built on another nearby site in 652 A.D. by Master Jajang-yulsa. In 1645, the temple was burnt to the ground. The last three remaining monks had a vision in which they were ordained to rebuild the temple behind the original site, where it stands now, giving the temple protection against the three main disasters of fi

Sep 10, 2009

(58) How to Read Marital Harmony (Gunghap 1)

By Janet Shin By looking at someone's saju, we may understand their personality, life goal, family and social relations, stability or dynamics of life path, etc. Although it seems that money is currently the most pursued thing in society, people can also look for love, a career, recognition, relations, knowledge or anything else that one values more. While we appreciate the individual variations, there is one thing that everybody is concerned about: marital harmony or "gunghap in saju terms. It can be marital harmony itself literally, but more importantly, it can be the harmony in relationships with friends, business partners, colleagues and loved ones. We may apply gunghap to read the relation between mother and son: for example, son and girlfriend, me and my boss, you and your business partner and so on. As we reviewed combinations, assemblies, clashes among stems and branches during past few weeks, we may apply them to gunghap. Here is an interesting saju of a celebrity couple: Jang Yoon-jung, a popular trot singer, and No Hong-chul, an entertainer,

Sep 3, 2009

Hwagye Temple: Home of Orthodox Zen Buddhism

Kim Chun-sung Contributing Writer Are you seeking a place to discover who you really are, away from the bustle of your daily life? Hwagye Temple seems to be a good choice, a nearby yet peaceful site where you may take refuge and attain wisdom that lasts for not only a day or two, or even a month, but, if fortunate, for the rest of your life. Korea has preserved and succeeded Buddhist traditions since they arrived here in the 4th century. It is a wondrous story to hear that only Korea has preserved the orthodox Zen ("Seon" in Korean) tradition ― even through the Joseon Kingdom era (1392-1910) in which Buddhism was generally suppressed due to the designation of Neo-Confucianism as the state religion. Monk Pohwa, direct disciple of Ven. Myoyong who succeeds the 78th patriarchal lineage of Zen Buddhism, said the spirituality of Korean Buddhism has been seeking an acute awakening according to the orthodox Zen practice, more than the other neighboring Buddhist nations. It is a blessing to Seoul citizens that anyone may reach the Hwagye Temple at will within an hour or so, a

Sep 3, 2009

Reskin, High-tech Skin Care Towel

"Reskin" is a brand-new cleansing towel for skin that is very different from other existing products. Called an acne towel for vulnerable and sensitive skin, the brand-new cleanser contains high-tech science never before imagined. "Reskin" removes all excess from the epidermis, such as dead skin, blackheads, acne, toughened skin patches and make-up residue that have long been accumulating deep in the hair follicles. This is done without enlarging the pores and its non-invasive technique protects skin from any unexpected allergic hypersensitivities, leaving you looking and feeling more vitalized. As a result, the skin becomes smooth and as clear as crystal. The Reskin towel is specifically designed to never stress out the skin, needing only warm, soothing water and gentle rubbing to cover the applied area with a foamy cleanser. "Reskin" towel is a high-tech product and uses a top-quality fiber specially engineered in Germany and Italy. This special item has only been registered and approved in Korea and can be bought from the official Web site, www.reskin.co.kr.

Sep 3, 2009

Lifestyle Can Help Fend Off Influenza A

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter Fears of Influenza A (H1N1) are growing as the death toll from the virus has reached three people. The government has confirmed that more than 3,000 people here have contracted the virus since May. However, health experts say there is nothing to panic about yet. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) admits that the virus could kill some people in cases in which complications prevail, but says maintaining a certain level of individual hygiene and nutrition could drop the infection rate. Here are some guidelines for prevention from the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. 1. Avoid crowded places Since the virus is transmitted from human to human, the best way to prevent infection is to avoid going to places where patients, or possible patients, gather. "For ordinary healthy people, the virus contraction could mean a simple, serious flu. But certain people could develop complications and become critically ill," Dr. Park Ki-dong at the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region said.

Aug 30, 2009

Templestay Gaining Popularity With Creative Ideas

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Koreans, like most holidaygoers in the world, look for new ways to spend their summer breaks every year. In 2009, the vacation goers' sense of adventure has turned toward the zen, at templestays aimed for families. The templestay, which began as a national campaign to provide accommodation during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup Games, has evolved over the past years. The basic templestay is simple: Getting up early in the morning to practice Buddhist ceremony services, the "balwoo-gongyang," or meal ceremony, the meditation and the 108 bows. But now, temples have come up with creative ideas to attract more visitors, both adults and children. Numerous temples arranged programs fit for children and students this year, offering them a calming experience in the temple, plus some interesting educational gains as well. One of the most popular was the Chinese Character Schools offered in Mihwang Temple in South Jeolla Province, Buseok Temple in north Gyeongsang Province and Geumseon Temple in Seoul. The schools consisted of classes that t

Aug 27, 2009

(57) Year of Gi-Chuk Ominous for National Leaders

By Janet Shin In January, we reviewed the fortune for 2009 based on the 60-year cycle. This is the year of gi-chuk (yin earth for both stem and branch). In previous articles, we briefly described that gi-chuk means both a cold-swampy field and a cold-dark grave. This year, Koreans have grieved heavily over the deaths of the country's first Roman Catholic cardinal, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, in February, then the former President Roh Moo-hyun in May, and former President Kim Dae-jung this month. With the successive deaths of national leaders, the year of gi-chuk has lived up to its billing, causing widespread concern. By observing the birth year, month and date, one can learn the four pillars of a person's life. In studying saju, we need to understand astronomy and statistics. How the movement of the sun, the moon and the earth affect the shade and brightness, coldness and warmth, dryness and wetness of human living conditions and how it contributes to the generation and restriction of the five elements ― wood, fire, earth, metal and water, in connection with yin and yang theory

Aug 27, 2009
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