In Korea, you have a unique opportunity to try your hand at being a Buddhist novice. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city, search for your true self in the depths of your soul, and enjoy the tranquil beauty of Songnisan National Park... If this is what you're looking for, you're welcome!
In Seoul, on the roof of the National Folk Museum, you can see a concrete replica of the famous wooden five-story Beopjusa Pagoda... It's to this temple/monastery that we're heading.
At the oldest temple, Popchusa (the name roughly translates as "Temple Where Dharma Resides"), the conditions are perhaps not even Spartan: the rooms have a shower and toilet, and the mattresses (futons) are thick and soft... But we still have to get up at 4 a.m.; after all, we're not going to a hotel, but to a functioning Buddhist temple that operates by its own rules...
Approximate schedule (subject to change depending on the season):
Day 1
2:00 PM-4:00 PM introduction to the program and room assignment
5:20 PM-6:20 PM evening konyan meal (vegetarian, of course)
6:00 PM-7:00 PM evening service (four musical instruments: bell, cloud-shaped gong, drum, fish-shaped drum)
7:00 PM-8:30 PM meditation lesson
9:00 PM lights out
Afternoon 2
4:00 AM wake-up (yes, 4 AM!)
4:30-5:00 AM morning service
5:10-5:50 AM making a 108-bead prayer rope; be prepared: it's actually quite a workout!
6:00-6:50 AM morning konyan meal (vegetarian only)
8:00-10:00 AM meditation
11:00-12:00 PM konyan lunch (vegetarian only, of course)
12:00 PM farewell to Popchus Monastery
Our guide will definitely find a couple of hours in this busy schedule to introduce you to the history of Popchus. This temple is associated with wars, love, money, kings and concubines, crimes and punishments. Popchus is also distinguished by its beautiful eclectic architecture and the unusual structure of the temple space.
