Originally published by Totally TaeKwonDo Magazine
March 2021 Issue 145
Training at Golgulsa Temple and the Treasures of Kyongju, South Korea
By Grandmaster Doug Cook
info@chosuntkd.com / www.chosuntkd.com / www.ustaweb.com
At one time or another almost every martial artist dreams of visiting the country from which their chosen discipline has evolved. To the karateka, that region is Okinawa or Japan; to the gungfu practitioner, it is China. But, to the taekwondoist, it is a peninsula, rich in greenery with mountains masked in swirling mists that rush to meet the sky. This enchanted nation is called Korea: The Eden of Taekwondo.
Truth is, however, that the vast majority of taekwondo practitioners, worldwide, will never be presented with an opportunity to visit the homeland of their art. And that is understandable given the perceived obstacles at hand. Financial restrictions, family obligations, work schedules, the ubiquitous fear of flying, and the desire to simply remain close to hearth and home, act as impenetrable barriers to the would-be traveler. Nowadays, in the throes of a global pandemic, fear and vigilance sadly trump even the strongest of desires, making an expedition of this nature almost impossible.
Still, there are those adventurous few who, when the time is right, consciously choose to endure thirteen-hour flights wedged into the seemingly shrinking confines of an economy-class airline seat, heat intense enough to fry a raw egg on pavement, and a culture filled with strikingly unfamiliar customs, sights, sounds, and smells.
When considering a martial arts training and cultural expedition to remote destinations, where physical training in conjunction with the revelation of spiritual landscapes is paramount, the virtues of courage and tenacity take on real meaning. Torn from the comfort of the living room, from the bemused familiarity of a daily routine, the mind, body and spirit are acutely awakened and stand at attention, ready to accept new and exciting enterprises. From the very beginning, during the preparatory stages of such an adventure, anticipation is palpable. Yet, once the student takes the first, key step of accepting the challenge in the first place by committing to participate, there is little chance of turning back. Already, the door to great possibilities opens, albeit from an imaginative perspective, and images of far-away lands and venerable teachers prepared to impart an ancient wisdom, materialize.A Martial Pilgrimage
Realizing full well the value of root knowledge – that is, knowledge drawn from the source rather than through secondary research – the United States Taekwondo Association has consistently offered avenues of adventure through expeditions to the epicenter of the Korean martial arts. Across nine separate occasions we have exposed hundreds of eager voyagers to the wonders of the Republic of Korea. So, when practitioners commit to visit the cradle of their art in search of authenticity, it truly can be defined as an adventure of singular proportions akin to those endured by the great explorers of the past - both religious and secular - and, in a spiritual sense, a pathway to excellence; in essence, a martial pilgrimage.
A pilgrimage, by definition, often entails elements of suffering, sacrifice and discomfort in search of enlightenment or higher realms. They are often long and arduous requiring great courage and tenacity. A genuine pilgrimage is not for the faint-of-heart. Moreover, a pilgrimage may relate to a person’s faith. In fact, many belief systems attach mystical significance to particular locations such as a place of birth or death pertaining to founders or saints as in the case of the El camino de Santiago. Journeys of this kind generally lead to a locus of spirituality, shrines, places of worship, or locations housing sacred relics. But travels based on discovery do not need to be rooted in religious dogma in order to provide a transformative experience. Indeed, a pilgrimage based on secular intention can promise to impart as much impact on the individual as those aimed at Mecca or Lourdes.
And now, I must ask you - the reader - to engaging the imagination by joining me, clad in dobok (uniform) and ti (belt), as a full member of a martial pilgrimage.
Kyongju, South Korea
Following three days of training at the Dongyong Taekwondo Center and then the Jeju Taekwondo Instructor Association, we depart Jeju - the island paradise just off the Korean mainland - travel north by air to Daegu, and then on to Kyongju. Once the capital and political center of the ancient Silla Kingdom, over 1,000,000 inhabitants called Kyongju their home marking it, at the time, as one of the largest cities in the world. Located in North Gyeongsang Province, Kyongju is bordered by the East Sea and the Taebaek Mountains to the west.
Originally known as Seorabeol, in AD 940, following the unification of the Korean peninsula for the first time in recorded history, King Taejo rebranded the thriving metropolis, Kyongju, meaning “Congratulatory District”. Moreover, just as a typical museum features important relics of the past, Kyongju, today, houses a vast array of shrines, temples and sacred districts that would prove impossible to contain within anything short of its natural boundaries; certainly, no mere walls could surround its plethora of cultural treasures.
No doubt, Columbus, Marco Polo or Livingstone stood in awe upon first viewing the wonders of their diverse and profound discoveries. The USTA group, while in Kyongju, is no different. Exploring the grounds and incense-filled meditation halls, the vast courtyards, inspecting the crystalized remains, or sarira, of the Buddha himself at Bulguksa; walking the lanes of a folk village braving a pelting rain to witness a master craftsman create celadon, the primeval pottery of the Koryo kingdom; and, perhaps most dramatically, standing within reach of the three-pronged Gold Crown of King Soji, National Treasure No.188, excavated from the Heavenly Horse Tomb, leaves one and all with a sense of unbridled wonder. For our eager group of martial pilgrims these discoveries were no less magnificent than those uncovered by the world’s renowned explorers who had come before.
Our first stop is Tumuli Park where great mounds of earth mark the tombs of ancient Sillian royalty. It was here in 1974 that Chon’mach’ong, or the Flying Horse Tomb, was excavated yielding more than ten thousand treasures including a golden crown adorned with kidney-shaped jade, traditionally worn by the Sillian royalty. Upon the monarch’s death, he and many of his worldly possessions were placed in a room-like enclosure. Gravel, rock, and then earth, were piled on top eventually creating the fifty foot, hemispherical shapes before us. This
ingenious method of construction discouraged looting since the only safe entry was from the crest of the mound thus eliminating surreptitious entry from below. A short distance from the tombs, we find Ch’omsongdae Observatory. Built during the seventh century, this bottle-shaped building is thought to be the oldest structure of its kind in the world. Legend has it that Sillian queens would be lifted through the small, south facing portal, there to gaze at the heavens.
Next morning, we venture to Bulguksa Temple, a stunning monument to both the skill of Silla’s architects and its Buddhist faith. Originally built in AD 535, we are humbled by the splendor of the tiled roofs supported by timeless timbers painted in the brilliant blue, green and red hues unique to temple art. Although the sun is blazing down, we seize the moment and pose for a series of dignified photos depicting the beauty and strength of traditional taekwondo technique. Later, to our delight, we discover that the monks in permanent
residence have invited us to join them for a period of meditation. Removing our shoes, we bow and enter the relative dark of an ancient meditation hall. The surrounding air hangs heavy with a sense of peace mixed with the twisting wisps of sandalwood incense. A great, gold statue of the Buddha sits before us and time disappears as we attempt to relinquish all thought.
Golgulsa Temple
The martial pilgrimages sponsored by the United States Taekwondo Association are not limited to any one location. They include a number of essential destinations such as the Kukkiwon – the great cathedral of taekwondo - the Taekwondowon, the International Kumgang Taekwondo Center and the World Taekwondo Instructor Academy under the direction of Grandmaster Kyu Hyun Lee, to name a few. Yet one sacred venue in particular tends to leap off the pages of National Geographic as being a nexus of high adventure that kindles the imagination.
In what can only be compared to a scene borrowed from the epic martial arts movies of the past, we enter the gates of Golgulsa Temple perched high in ancient mists atop Hamwol Mountain, Kyongju, South Korea.
Golgulsa, or Stone Buddha Temple, is home to a small community of Buddhist adepts from the world over who marry their religious beliefs with martial skill in the practice of Sunmudo, or Traditional Zen Korean Martial Arts. Formally known as Bulgyo Kumgang Yyeong Kwan, Sunmudo mirrors the native combat discipline practiced by Buddhist warrior-monks during the 16th century. Once reserved exclusively for clerics, the layperson can now participate in this ancient practice revived and systemized by Monk Yong Ik in the 1970s. The core syllabus of Sunmudo revolves around the twin aspects of still training, including breath control, seated meditation and yoga, and active training involving martial arts peppered with an element of gymnastics.
With a lifelike statue of Zen-patriarch Bodhidharma acting as sentry, our luxury motor coach parks alongside an ornate welcome center where we are provided with the distinctive clothing worn by the martial artists in residence. Not far, in an open space similar to an expansive deck beside the central training complex - an area I am intimately familiar with having practiced there on multiple occasions - we are divided into two groups by Master Doo Seob Yang, tenant monk and head instructor. My group, composed mainly of high ranking adult black belts, engage in the basic motions, meditation, ki development and kicks of the art. Following two hours of intense practice in the noonday sun, with pools of perspiration surrounding our feet, we alternate with the second group for an in-depth introduction to Korean Zen Archery, a component of our itinerary I always anticipate greatly. Given the important role played by the bow in the military history of Korea with many illustrious rulers being highly proficient in its use, our instructor passionately points out several aspects of the art that make it uniquely Korean. One after another, arrows whistle through the air as we endeavor to hit the bull’s-eye of a target many meters distant.
Following a short rest, we gulp down what seem to be buckets of mul, or water, in a feeble attempt to hydrate ourselves. Then desperately trying to ignore the record summer heat, we struggle up a dangerously steep flight of 108 stone steps leading to a picturesque temple precariously cantilevered over the side of the mountain. After being invited to find seats on the massive granite steps, several practitioners begin a spirited demonstration of Sunmudo skill put to music, leaping and spinning in midair while executing a blindingly fast array of hand strikes supplemented by high kicks.
Afterwards, several of our group tenuously skitter across the sheer rock face, grasping safety ropes, to the pinnacle of the mountain. Carved into its surface, protected from the elements by a massive glass overhang stands the four-meter high, bas-relief sculpture of Maya Tathagata Buddha, carved into the mountainside over 1500 years ago, overlooking the underwater tomb of King Munmu. From this vantage point the view of the valley below and the sea beyond is nothing short of breathtaking.
A short while later, after making our way down a nearly-vertical serpentine trail to a spacious indoor training hall gratuitously graced with a robust air-conditioning system in contrast to the 90+ degree heat outdoors, we continue our training with yet another session of Zen meditation and yogic stretching as a prelude.
The remainder of the afternoon is given over to a more complex series of kicking and striking drills that require great balance and stamina. Our teacher, Master Doo Seob Yang, is stunningly capable, punching, twisting into various stances, executing hook, lunging and spinning kicks high in the air. It is clear that many hours, days and years – like taekwondo – are required to satisfy the requirements of Sunmudo.
Later, famished from our exertions, we are led to a long, spotlessly clean dining area, where we eat seated cross-legged on the floor - silently and with great ceremony - a wholesome vegetarian meal consisting of broth, picked vegetables and steamed rice.
As an epilogue to our day-long training at Golgulsa Temple, Chief Monk Jeog-Un has arranged a special tea ceremony in our honor. Seated at a rustic log table in a newly-constructed teahouse, he speaks of the importance of poomsae and seated meditation, lamenting that many Western schools have forfeited these practices altogether in favor of competition and commercialism. In the end, he smiles at me knowing, from my books and many visits, that our group is not one of those who have sacrificed tradition since our devotion, ingrained by my teacher Grandmaster Richard Chun, is to the art of taekwondo and not merely the sport, forging martial artists rather than athletes.
Grandmaster Doug Cook, 8th Dan Chang Moo Kwan and 7th Dan Kukkiwon-certified black belt, is owner of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy located in Warwick, New York, a senior student of the late Grandmaster Richard Chun, president/CEO of the United States Taekwondo Association, and an Advisory Council member of the World Martial Arts Alliance. He has authored four best-selling books entitled: Taekwondo…Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Warrior, Traditional Taekwondo - Core Techniques, History and Philosophy, Taekwondo–A Path to Excellence, and Taekwondo Black Belt Poomsae: Original Koryo and Koryo. Grandmaster Cook has been a monthly contributor to Totally TaeKwonDo magazine since 2009, and can be reached for seminars, Korea training tours, online ZOOM workshops or questions regarding USTA membership at www.chosuntkd.com, www.ustaweb.com, on Facebook, or through email at info@chosuntkd.com.
