[Weekender] New Year's templestay gives peace of mind

Woljeongsa Temple, located in Odaesan National Park, in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, offers various temple stay programs, enabling participants to experience traditional Buddhist living. / Courtesy of Woljeongsa

By Park Jin-hai

PYEONGCHANG _ A night's stay at a snow-covered Buddhist temple in the deep forest, distancing a person from everyday bustling life, seems an ideal place to let go of 2017 and meet the New Year.

The late Venerable Beopjeong, a revered Buddhist monk, said, "If you'd like to know who you are, you have to look thoroughly into your mind and at what's around you. If you carefully reflect on who you hang around with, what you like to do, how you affect your neighbors and what you value most in your life, you can get a sense of who you really are." Thinking about his words, hoping to rest and empty myself in order to refill, I recently visited Woljeong Temple, in the middle of a thick forest in the eastern valley of Odae Mountain in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province.

After a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Seoul, I arrived at the temple in the clear winter afternoon. Beginning by changing into loose-fitting clothes, I was given free time before dinner. Since I made a reservation for a "relaxation"-type templestay, I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the temple.

Unlike experiencing a templestay in other seasons, where birds might tweet and streams make little sounds, a winter templestay gives one complete silence.

Stepping on snow and facing crisp and chilly winds, there are no other sound but what little sound snow makes under foot. It adds to the feeling of complete solitude.

The one-kilometer forest trail starting from the temple's front gate Iljumun is truly beautiful, lined with 18,000 snow-covered fir trees with the oldest over 600 years. The pristine forest, famous for the filming site of the hit Korean drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," offers a good 30-minute walk in contemplation through the wonders of nature.

Participants perform 108 bows at Woljeongsa Temple in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province. The 108 bows is an act of atonement for one's recognized ignorance and cravings, and the 108 kinds of afflictions that arise within. / Courtesy of Woljeongsa

After dinner, a bell-ringing and drum-beating ceremony took place, meant to awaken all living things. Following this is the evening prayer session which all participants should take part.

All kneeling down, lining up in rows, people bow in front of the giant Buddha statue inside the brightly lit temple. In a haze of sweet incense hanging in the air, the monk leading the ritual recites the Heart Sutra to the sounds of a wooden percussion instrument Moktak.

Kim So-jung, from Seoul, who also participated in the templestay program with her mother, said she wants to find inner peace of mind. "Since I am turning 30 in the New Year, I wanted to look back on my past and get a fresh start in the coming year. Thinking of earning time to utterly focus on myself, not disturbed, I decided to join this program," she said.

I went back to my room and lay down on the warm floor. With no internet, no TV, no companions to chat with, time runs slowly and tranquility comes from within. The night at the mountain temple was serene.

For those who want undisturbed rest, the relaxation templestay is recommended, but those who want to experience more of the daily life of Buddhist monks can choose experiential programs that include various activities. Participants can enjoy Seon meditation, conversation over tea with Monastic or lotus making sessions.

One of the most popular experience programs is making a set of sandalwood prayer beads. The string contains 108 beads. With each bead, people should take a bow. The 108 bows comprise an act of atonement for one's recognized ignorance and cravings, and the 108 kinds of afflictions that arise within them. Although the process is physically difficult, according to the Buddhist faith, the mind becomes less crowded with disturbing thoughts.

Cultural heritage

Woljeong Temple, one of Korea's five biggest temples, is a cultural relic built during the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. ? A.D. 935), making it over 1,000 years old.

The current buildings were rebuilt after the originals were destroyed during the Korean War. As it is a historic place, there are many cultural assets within and near the temple. In the middle of the temple's courtyard stands a treasured cultural heritage octagonal nine-story stone pagoda built during the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom.

Woljeongsa Museum within the temple is a place where visitors can see dozens of national treasures related to Buddhism on display. Currently, the museum houses Sangwon Temple's Jungchanggwonseonmun (National Treasure No. 292) which is King Sejo's personal writing to celebrate the rebuilding of Sangwon Temple, as well as a biography of Buddha Wolinseokbo (Treasure No. 745), the remains of the octagonal nine-story pagoda (National Treasure No. 48), and many other treasures.

Hiking up an eight-kilometer mountain trail north of Woljeong Temple, people arrive at the smaller Sangwon Temple, home to the nation's oldest bronze bell and the Statue of Child Manjusri, said to have been seen directly by King Sejo. Climbing the mountain 40 minutes further up, there is the Jeokmyeolbogung where Buddha's bones are said to be preserved.

The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism (CCKB) is offering a new project, "Let's Join Templestay This Year," which will run at all Templestay-participating temples throughout 2018. Diverse programs for the entire family will be offered by 56 historical temples nationwide.

Woljeong Temple provides English service but reservations are required in advance of the stay. Email woljeongsa@naver.com or call 033-339-6606 or 6607 during office hours (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.).

Visit templestay organizer CCKB at eng.templestay.com for more information.