The hatted Buddha

By Yi Woo-won

Throughout the year, rain or shine, day and night, the steep, rugged mountain path is always teeming with people. They want to offer a prayer to the Buddha on the mountaintop at an elevation of 830 meters. They are mostly women, carrying on their shoulders a little backpack or a cloth-bag containing candles or rice for offerings.

Quietly, immersed in their thoughts, they plod slowly up the rocky trails, some murmuring sutras and some running their fingers along prayer-beads. Their social backgrounds may be as diverse as their looks and appearances, but their minds are equally preoccupied with one thing: the success in the college entrance examination of their children or grandchildren about this time of the year, preferably into prestigious universities.

The Buddha statue is on the southern peak of Mount Palgong of the magnificent Taebaek Mountains. Geographically, it is located in Daehan-ri, Wachon-myeon, Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province. It's a little less than an hour's bus ride from downtown Daegu, where the bus leaves every five minutes and gets to the foot of the mountain by way of the picturesque suburbs.

The sculpture of the Buddha statue looks a bit clumsy and rough compared to images of the Buddha elsewhere. Neither does it have the kindly, compassionate smile which is the universal symbol of Buddha. However, the large, thick trunk, the long, thoughtful ears and the firmly closed lips together make him look impressive and dignified. He is believed to be Yaksa-yeorae-bul, the Healing Buddha or the Buddha of Medicine, who is in this world to help the sick and relieve their pain.

Another intriguing feature of the seated Buddha statue is a hat-like piece of stone on his head, which is very unusual and strange. In addition, the hat-stone is determined to be different from the stone of his main body and unavailable in the region, adding more mystery as to why and how it got there and by whom.

Though the specific year is unknown, it is reasonably assumed that the Buddha statue was erected during the Unified Silla Kingdom period of the 8th century. The statue was designated later on as National Treasure No. 431. Whatever secret the Buddha might have about his hat, those who come to visit the Buddha seem to simply admire the odd-looking but charming headgear and also the romantic nickname, the Hatted Buddha or “Gat Bawi.”

Furthermore, an astounding fact about the Buddha is that rumors have long been circulating among worshippers across the country that “the Buddha does listen to the wishes of prayers, if their wishes are genuinely sincere and honest, fulfilling their desires eventually.” Hence the number of visitors doubles around the early part of each lunar month which is believed to be spiritually sacred. Also when the college entrance scholastic ability tests begin nationwide in December, many earnest worshippers climb the precipitous peak before daybreak.

There is a little, old shrine perched on the hill beneath the statue. The large stone altar in the shrine is crowded with people bustling about to offer rice or to light their wishing candles. Some drop a generous wad of money in the alms chest. Every five minutes or so, the two huge brass bowls on each corner of the altar brim over with rice and two female attendants are busy emptying them into what seems to be an underground storage room below.

The open ground opposite the altar is packed with dozens of worshippers, sitting cross-legged on the cold concrete floor, some without a cushion, to say prayers to the Buddha. Some of them are offering deep bows by bending their knees countless times. Some sit in the posture of meditation and others sit quietly with their palms joined together to make a wish. They are all here to win the heart of the merciful Buddha for their loved ones.

In January, it is bitterly cold and breezy up on top of the mountain. However, absorbed in most earnest and solemn prayers, they don't seem to mind the icy winds blasting across the mountains ― the time-honored tradition of tough “Korean mothers” and their tenacious and devoted zeal for their children's education.

Yi Woo-won (yiwoowon1988@gmail.com) lives in Waegwan, North Gyeongsang Province, and has been writing since 1986.