I and a few colleagues used our free day after a business meeting in
Paris to go Le Marais district. Coming out from the Hotel de Ville metro
station, we were struck by the huge Hotel de Ville directly in front of the
metro station. I was wondering how
expensive it would be to stay in such a grand Hotel. But actually, it is not a
hotel, it is a Municipal Building. After some googling I found that in French ‘hotel’
could mean home, building, residence, so it does not always mean hotel as the
place to rent rooms to stay for tourists. Nowadays, in addition to its city administrative
function, Hotel de Ville is also a place of art and culture. There are many
interesting exhibitions inside the building and the at the square in front of
the building.
Hotel de Ville, the largest Municipal Building in Europe, is located on the
banks of the Seine river and the edge of Le Marais district. The streets lead
us to the fashionable district, full of lovely shops, cafes and art galleries. Today,
Le Marais is one of the best districts in Paris, a mix of medieval architecture,
trendy shops, cultural sights and lifestyle that is unique. A district of
narrow streets on the right bank of the Seine river, where you can enjoy this
historic place, the aesthetic buildings and the French culinary.
Eight hundred years ago, Le Marais was a swamp. The French word ‘marais’
literally translates to ‘swamp’ in English, thus this place was called Le
Marais because of the swampy quality of the land on the banks of the Seine. To
provide new agricultural space, the swampy areas were turned into commercial
gardening. For a long time, this area fell in and out of style due to changes
in the fertility of the land and the difficulty of building on the swampy area.
In the 16th century, king Henry IV dried Le Marais and the place became
the favourite area to build prestigious mansions, where most of the greatest
aristocratic French families lived. The golden age of Le Marais continued till
the 17th century, making
it a center of artistic and cultural life. The nobles built their
mansions (in French: ‘hotel particulier’) such as Hotel de Sens, Hotel de
Sully, Hotel de Beauvais, Hotel Carnavalet, Hotel de Guénégaud and Hotel de
Soubise. The mansions were decorated magnificently, with refined furniture and
some luxury items from this golden period.
Following the up and down of the Bourbon monarchy, the economic
depression, the French revolution, the restoration of Paris, Le Marais also
went up and down. It was raised in the 16th century, destroyed
during revolution and wars, reserved by André Malraux in 1962, then renewed by
the municipal council in 1969.
Strolling through Le Marais today we can appreciate the aesthetics of
the area as it became a popular commercial area, and hosting one of Paris’ main
Jewish communities. It also became a fashionable district, most of the mansions
turned to museum, libraries and schools, surrounded by the best clothes and food
shops, and modern art galleries.
Bangkok is one of
those places where at the moment the day slowly progresses to the night you
still have enough to see as long as you are not tired. The scenic spots, the
palaces and temples, are best visited during the day, but at night, Bangkok takes
on a whole different face. Parties, night markets, nightclubs, street food and unique
shows come to life luring the visitors to experience the night in the city.
Street shopping by day
is exciting despite the heat of the sun in this city, but as the day cools down
in the evening, the night markets opened up like blooming night flowers
offering so much more than the day markets, clothes, shoes, handicrafts, fake
designer goods, accessories, beachwear, souvenirs and of course snack and
drink. In the narrow alleyway brightly lighted with portable neon, you can see
row upon row of stalls lining the street markets. Colorful goods are displayed
on the stalls as attractive as possible, and energic vendors raise their voices
to promote their goods. When buying, don’t forget to bargain, generally you can
get a merchandise somewhere between 25% and 50% cheaper than the first price offered
by the vendor. So don’t hesitate to bargain and bring home some memorable
souvenirs from here.
Many of busiest night
markets are located alongside the popular red-light district, such as the Silom
Night market. It is in the middle of the Patpong district, a famous red light featured
in the movie The Deer Hunter and in James Bond Goldfinger movie. Patpong is two
parallel side streets, between Silom and Surawongse Roads, occupied with shady strip
bars offering adult shows and pole dancing. As the evening turns into night
those bars come alive with the start of loud dancing music. You can see through
the open doors the girls started gyrating at the poles and dancing, under
violet neon lights. The loud voices of the street vendors are replaced with the
whispering touts offering everything from “ping pong show” to “massage”.
Undoubtedly the face
of this Patpong contributes to the name of Bangkok as the Sin City. Prostitution
may take place in many places in Bangkok, massage parlours, restaurants,
saunas, karaoke, go-go bars or beer bars. The names to the bars are so bold,
such as Pussy Collection, Super Pussy, Pink Pussy… hard to miss. The original “discreet”
or “underground” nightlife in Patpong doesn’t seem to exists anymore. The go-go
bars at the backdrop of the night market even became a tourist attraction.
So what happened to
the face of Bangkok which name means City of Angels, where orange robed monks
wander the streets in the early mornings with a bowl in their
hands, where mothers since more
than 2,500 years ago have been cooking meals to give to the monks, where there are thousands of temples inside the
city, and there are altars in every crowded corner of the city to placate the
spirits….?
Does Thai Buddhism tolerate
such widely spread prostitution by not correcting the attitudes toward women
whom are regarded as inferior and even dangerous to men, or does the religion
contribute to the view that women are viewed as inherently impure and therefore
not eligible for enlightenment, and are thus locked into degraded positions
ranging from sex trade laborers to nuns as a means to generate merit for
themselves and their family?
Although Buddhism has
played a significant role in shaping law, cultural frameworks and social life
in the kingdom of Thailand, I think many factors contribute to the wide spread
prostitution, let’s say the World War 2, the Vietnam War, the poverty in the
country where prostitutes can get 10 times more than the minimum wage, and not
to mention the corruptions, the lack of law enforcement, and the Mafia that is also involved in the political parties.
Despite the wide
spread prostitution here, it is actually prohibited under Thai law. But karaoke
bars, go-go bars and massage parlours can be registered as normal, legal
businesses. Police usually treat the prostitution at such premises as an
exchange between the prostitute and the client, an exchange to which the owner
of the business was not a party. So in
practice it is tolerated, sometimes because local officials have financial
interests in the prostitution. Some corrupt Thai authorities may turn a blind
eye on this USD 6 billion industry, involving some 2 million women in Thailand.
What more to say about
the Grand Palace of Bangkok, there are so many things to see and photograph, statues
of animal-like humans, sparkling golden tiled walls and roofs, gardens, paintings,
soaring spires, golden stupas, the endless row of gold Garudas, and not to
mention the highly venerated Emerald Buddha. No wonder that the Grand Palace
has been the center of Thai art and culture for centuries and regarded as the
model of every branch of Thai art. The palace is considered the reflection of the
Thai identity.
When King Rama I
ordered the move of the capital to the Phra Nakhon District in 1782, he
established the Grand Palace as the new center of the kingdom. He drew
inspiration from the palace in Ayutthaya , the former capital of Siam, destroyed
by the Burmese in the 1767. The Grand Palace was strategically placed next to
the Chao Phraya River to emulate the palace of Ayutthaya. The layout of the
Grand Palace, which covers 213,677 square metre space, also emulates the old
palace in Ayutthaya with separate courts, walls, gates and forts. These
different zones within the palace complex include the Outer Court, the Central
Court, the Inner Court and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. In order to find
the necessary material for the construction of the Grand Palace, King Rama I instructed
his people to go to the destroyed Ayutthaya, to dismantle and remove of bricks
and stones which were painstakingly towed downriver to form the new palace.
Part of the Grand
Palace complex, Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is the holiest
Buddhist temple in Thailand and home to the Emerald Buddha. Chaophraya Chakri, who
became King Rama I, brought the Emerald Buddha from Vientiane when he captured
the city in 1778. He built the temple and enshrined the Emerald Buddha there as
a symbol of Siam's regained nationhood.
The mythical and
historical past of the statue created an important belief surrounding the
Emerald Buddha. It is believed that it protected a monarch, their city or
capital. If a king was dethroned or defeated in battle, the Emerald Buddha was
taken as a hostage and kept in the capital of the victor. It is thought to have
spiritual power and is an extremely important icon to the Thai people.
But I was surprised to
see the legendary Emerald Buddha looked so tiny, 66 centimetres in height, perched
high on a nine-metre pedestal that reaches almost to the ceiling of the temple.
The Emerald Buddha, carved from a single piece of grey-green jade, is elevated
above the heads of visitors as a sign of respect. You also must sit with your
feet pointing away from the Emerald Buddha as a sign of respect.
I found the most
breathtaking aspect of the Emerald Buddha Temple is its decorated outer walls.
The walls are covered with 178 colorful mural panels painted during the reign
of Rama I showing scenes from the Ramakien, which is Thailand’s version of the
Hindu epic, Ramayana. In the Ramakien, names, dress, customs, weapons and even
the topography all relate to the Thai kingdom. Rama being incarnated from the
Hindu god Vishnu, in Ramakien he is a reincarnation of the Buddha. His kingdom Ayodhya
in the Ramayana epic is changed to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand.
Along the
roads of Bangkok, we can see that this city is a heaven for consumerism. Billboards
are everywhere, huge and bright, advertising big companies from Samsung to
Toyota. Even high-rise buildings are
also stuck with huge billboards. In a way it looks awesome.
Also at the sky
metro train stations, you cannot be bored waiting for the trains as there are
many colorful billboard screens with happy pretty artists offering cosmetics,
fruit juices, and, of course, all kind of clothes.It seems that these ’influencers’ are
following us everywhere like street vendors offering their goods, and chasing
you if you don’t pay attention to them, starting from the time you wait for the
sky trains till you reach your destination. And yes, even inside the trains there are many
tv screens showing advertisements. They are the virtual street vendors, but
with broad smiles and white teeth, dancing and jumping dynamically that follow
you everywhere, in contrast with the real street vendors with rugged clothing,
sunburnt face, sadly offering their goods as if begging.
As the
sky-train arrived at the Siam station interchange station, let’s forget about
the street vendors, as we are arriving to the Siam Paragon shopping mall, the
paragon of shopping malls. Occupying one of the busiest transit intersections
in the city, the shopping mall takes advantage of its prominent location by
serving as a critical link to the surrounding district. According to Arcadis,
the architect company of this shopping mall, the design reflects the level of
luxury envisioned by the Arcadis team with a dramatic glass atrium that serves
as the mall’s grand entrance. Perhaps the designer’s greatest accomplishment - and
challenge-is the way it addresses issues of circulation and layout of this
shopping mall.
Inside, it
is a wonderland of high-end boutiques lining up at the lobby from Louis
Vuitton, Hermes, Chanel, followed by Fendi, Bottega Venetta. The shop windows
are nicely decorated with the boutique’s latest fashion, clothes, bags, shoes,
etc. displayed to suit the season, this time the theme is ‘The year of the
Dog’.Dogs are displayed playing with
bags, shoes, wallets inside the windows. We can say that the shop windows are quite
a creative work by itself, they are really enticing our consumeristic instinct.
We can see some Chinese tourists lining up obediently in front of the Louis
Vuitton’s door.
Luxurious is
an understatement for this shopping mall, as it not only has high-end
boutiques, but also show rooms for very expensive and exclusive cars, Rolls
Royce, Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati and Porsche. The
cars look so impeccable, but inside the glass cased show-rooms they look like
toys in large scale inside glass box. And the shop attendants seemed bored by
themselves as nobody came inside the show-rooms.
But that is
not all…., there is an Ocean Aquarium in the basement, multiplex cinemas with
15 large screens, Thai Art Gallery, the KidZania for kids to learn and play, the
Japanese chain Kinokuniya bookstore, the Paragon department store, a super
market and not to mention the high-end restaurants. And it even has an Opera
Theatre on the 5th floor!
On the way
down the escalators I could hear a background music by REM in ‘Shiny Happy
People’:
Recently I followed the Japanese TV
drama “Aibou” (Partners), a detective drama series on internet. The drama is
quite interesting, like many Japanese detective movies this drama series has a
very complicated plot, so complicated that it is hard to swallow. It seems that
the story writer made it complicated in an attempt to enhance mystery, to make
it harder to guess ‘who done it’. Other than that, the stories sometimes reflect
the unique Japanese culture and tradition, like the sense of perfection,
honesty, pride in profession, honour and sacrifice for the community, which intertwined
with the criminal deed in the drama.
However, as I reached episode 9 and 10 of
Season 11 my jaw dropped watching it, as the underlying tradition of the story
was so peculiar and appalling. I could not imagine how somebody could this mysterious
practice in real life. But knowing that this drama series often include
Japanese tradition in the story, the practice must be a reality, not a fiction.
The crime took place in a remote
mountain area covered with dense forest, a place so serene and peaceful such
that it is hard to imagine a crime could take place here. The crime was
compelled by an 11th century ancient practice called Sokushinbutsu,
an act of self-mummification of a Buddhist monk to be “a Buddha in this very
body”. In Sokushinbutsu practice the monk intentionally died to preserve his
own body to become a mummy, in the quest for nirvana.
I was curious to find-out what drove
this religious tradition, how could it happen this way? So I contacted Haruki,
a Buddhist monk I know, living in the Churenji Temple in Dewa Sanzan, Yamagata
prefecture. I took a 4 hours ride on Shinkansen and express train from Tokyo to
the closest station in Tsuruoka. The travel passed through one of the most serene
places in the country, viewing the country side of Japan, mountains, marked
with temples and shrines hidden in dense forest. After arriving at the Tsuroka I
took a bus to Churenji Temple to meet Haruki, but as the temple is not open for
public that day, we went to a small tea house near there to chat.
I started the chat:
“This serene place in Yamagata prefecture
is said to be one of the most beautiful places to travel in the country. I am fortunate to see the beauty of this place
surrounded by mountains covered with tall cedar trees forming a dense forest, which
made us feel like the trees reaching over us to give us a shelter and
protection from the storms. The towering mountains are regarded as hostile,
dangerous places for human beings to venture, while the forest gives us an
overwhelming peaceful feeling.
So I think, we can understand that in
the remote past the old Shinto (Koshinto) worshipped the nature, known as
animism in the Western world. The beauty and serenity of this place is so
overwhelming that they consider every element of nature as divine. Mountains,
seas and rivers are all divine spirits or god (kami in Japanese), as are the
sun, the moon, and the North Star. The wind and thunder are also kami. In
short, Koshinto holds that nothing in this world or this cosmos is devoid of
divine energy; the kami are present everywhere.
This mount Yudono where the Churenji
Temple is located, is also considered as one of the sacred mountain of the 3
mountains Dewa Sanzan. Can you elaborate about this please.”
Haruki:
“Mountains
have played a prominent role in Japanese religion since ancient times. Tall mountains
were regarded as hostile and dangerous, but they were worshiped as the source
of the life-giving rivers that nourished the farms and villages below. Soaring
into the heavens and often hidden in clouds, such mountains were viewed as heaven
and treated with awe and respect. Without being a Shinto, all human being could
have the same image of the mountains like these.
Mount Yudono is one of the centers of
mountain worship in Dewa Sanzan ("three mountains of Dewa") in
Yamagata Prefecture. The 3 mountains are Haguro-san, Gas-san and Yudono-san;
Haguro-san represents birth, Gas-san represents death and Yudono-san represents
rebirth, the mountains are usually visited in that order.
Dewa Sanzan is a center of Shugendo, a religion
based on mountain worship, blending Buddhist and Shinto traditions. Shugendo
practitioners, perform deeds of sacrifice as a way of transcending the physical
world. Training includes such tasks as long pilgrimages and severe meditations.”
I said:
“So how is this mountain and the worship
became the center of Sokushinbutsu, a practice of self-mummification of a monk?”
Haruki:
“Sokushinbutsu is a severe ascetic
practice of Shugendo, monks tried preserve their own bodies as mummies through
extreme diet and meditation. The monks believed that enlightenment could be
reached in the current world, and they believed that leaving behind a trace of
Buddha in this realm in the form of a Sokushinbutsu, they could provide
salvation to the townspeople even after their death.”
I said:
“How did they do self-mummification?”
Haruki:
“The ritual of self-mummification is
very long and very painful. It is not a simple sacrifice and the monk put an
end to his life following a long process of mortification with a last stage
lasted about 1.000 days. The monk’s diet was limited to only to those that can
be found on the mountain, such as nuts, buds, berries, tree bark and pine
needles. This diet was called
mokujikigyo, which literally means “tree-eating training”. When the monk was
not searching for food he spent his time in meditation on the mountain. This
diet was intended to toughen the spirit and from a biological point of view,
the severe diet intended to remove fat, muscle and moisture. The expected effect
was to avoid decomposition of the body after death. The monk also drank a toxic
tea made from tree bark (toxicodendron verniculum) which was expected to
hastened death and made the body even less hospitable to the bacteria and
parasites that would decompose his body after death. The tree bark contains the same toxic compound
that makes poison ivy so poisonous.
After this, the monk would cut out all
food, drink a limited amount of salinized water for a hundred days. At the
completion this cycle, the monk was considered spiritually ready to enter ‘nyujo’
or meditative stillness. When the monk felt death approaching, his disciples
would lower him into a pine box at the bottom of a pit 3 meters deep with its
walls lined with stone, a tomb just big enough him to sit in the lotus position.
Empty space would be filled with charcoal to remove humidity.
Once the pit was secured shut, two
bamboo tubes would be inserted to funnel down drinking water and act as air
vents. Bells would be attached on both ends of one of the tubes, a device used
by the monk to signal that he was still alive. Once the ringing stopped for
good, the bamboo tubes would be pulled out to seal the pit.
For the next three years and three
months, the corpse would be left in the underground cell. On the final day, the
body would be unearthed. If no decay was found, the body was determined to be a
true Sokushinbutsu and enshrined.”
I said:
“Wasn’t the process considered as a
suicide?”
Haruki:
“Although it resembled as suicide on the
surface, the Buddhist considered it as "abandonment of the body".
Having already extinguished in himself any desire, the monk could in all
clearness pass into nirvana by the process of death. The death was the
sacrifice of himself out of compassion for the benefit all living being, for
instance during an era of serious epidemic. But anyway this practice was
outlawed by the Meiji Restoration, when Shinto was separated from Buddhism and
declared the official religion of Japan”.
I said:
“How did this Sokushinbutsu practice
started?”
Haruki:
“It appeared in China during the 4th
century and in Japan in the beginning of the 9th century.According to Japanese legend, the monk Kukai,
also known as Kobo Daishi after his death, entered in deep meditation, or
‘Samadhi’, at the end of his life till he died, at mount Koya in the south of
Osaka. Monk Kukai was the founder of Shingon, the exoteric school of Buddhism.Some 70 years after his death, another high
level monk went up on imperial order to the top of mount Koya to open the
burial and found the body was intact. Legend has it that Kukai had not died but
entered into an eternal meditation and is still alive on Mount Koya, awaiting
the appearance of Maitreya, the future Buddha.”
I said:
“So where is Kobo Daishi’s body kept? Is
it displayed to the public?”
Haruki:
“The mausoleum of Kobo Daishi is located
in Mt. Koya and is the most sacred place in the mountain. The door of the
mausoleum was not reopened except every fifty years by the Archbishop of mount Koya
to cut the nails and the hair and to change his clothes for him which will then
be used to manufacture amulets for the faithful. Kobo Daishi is known to be in
meditation in his mausoleum but his body is absolutely not displayed or
visible. The body must be considered closer to the relics which represent the
pure "Essence of the Buddhas” who are in reliquaries like the stupa.“
I said:
“But in Churenji temple visitors can see
the body of Tetsumonkai, although taking photograph is not allowed.”
Haruki:
“Yes, the famous body of Tetsumonkai is
displayed in this temple where it sits in its own altar. With his cupped palms
facing upward, he is set up for perpetual meditation, just as he intended as he
was dying nearly two centuries ago. His dead body with a grinning like skull is
clothed in orange robe, purple and saffron scarf and a golden hood, like a
high-ranking monk cloth. It offers a proof of someone who succeeded in his
effort to become a respected mummy.”
I said:
“Who was Tetsumonkai?”
Haruki:
“Tetsumonkai, is the most famous of all
Sokushinbutsu. Born Sunada Tetsu in 1759, he was a river worker who dug wells
and floated lumber, and was known for his stormy temperament. One day,
according to one story, he pierced the leg of an official in charge of river
construction as he was angered by his arrogance. Another story describes him
killing a samurai during a fight over a favorite prostitute. In any case, Tetsu
fled to escape his pursuers and joined the seminary at Churenji in his 20s to a
life of austerity and named as Tetsumonkai.
During his live as a monk, records
indicate that Tetsumonkai was a widely traveled and respected holy man with
numerous legends to his name. Once when he was visiting Edo, he witnessed the
outbreak of an eye disease that caused great suffering. He proceeded to gorge
his left eye out and offered it to the Sumida River in prayer for a cure. Later
research found that his left eye in the mummy is indeed missing, which in a way
confirmed the story.
Tetsumonkai’s missionary work centered
on the Shonai region, but the monuments show it extended from the Kanto region
up through Hokkaido. He is remembered for gathering 10,000 volunteer workers to
build a new road through a mountain connecting Kamo Port to Tsuruoka, to
facilitate trade. He left an enduring impact on many people of that time. Till
now, there are festivals based on Tetsumonkai’s teachings.
However, the most compelling of his
legends may be another one involving self-mutilation. At one point, Tetsumonkai
is said to have been visited by a prostitute, possibly the same one he fought with
the samurai for. The woman tried to convince Tetsumonkai to come back to the
city with her, but he refused. To prove his resolution and dedication to a life
of austerity, he disappeared and shortly returned with a small package for her.
Inside were his bloody testicles. He had sliced them off.
The object is said to have made its way
around prostitutes of the local pleasure quarters as a good luck charm, and was
eventually sent to Nangakuji Temple in Tsuruoka, where it was preserved as a
relic. Adding weight to the legend, the genitals are missing from Tetsumonkai’s
mummified body.
I said:
“ Was the temple really in possession of
Tetsumonkai’s testicles? “
Haruki:
“Yes, but they’re not for public
viewing. Tetsumonkai’s blood group is B, which was also the blood group of the
testicles found in Nangakuji, according to past scientific research. Academics
at the time concluded that it was highly likely that the dried testicles
belonged to a man who endured extreme physical abuse in the name of meditation
training before being entombed at the age of 71.”
I said:
“Are the Sokushinbutsu mummies the same
as the Egyptian mummies?”
Haruki:
“The body of the Pharaohs was embalmed
in ancient Egypt. The internal organs were entirely withdrawn and replaced by
medicinal herbs. The body was thus reduced to nothing an envelope of dried
flesh and bone.
Contrary to the Egyptian mummies, those
of the Sokushinbutsu mummies preserved their internal organs because the
process of mummification began while they were alive and the internal organs
were regarded as centres of vital energy. The bodies of certain mummies of the
Yudono mount, in order to preserve them perfectly, are sometimes also coated
with dried lacquer. So the vitality of the worship implied that the Buddhist
mummies are not simply perceived as "remains", or "empty
shells", they are animated, full with vitality; they exist simultaneously
in this world and in the plenitude of Nirvana.
I said:
“It’s easy to dismiss the Sokushinbutsu
phenomenon as an obscure ritual that died out as the nation marched toward
modernization in the late 19th century. But can you elaborate the meaning of
death in Buddhism?”
Haruki:
“The Sokushinbutsu mummies provide a
fascinating window into the culture of pre-modern Japan through their practice
of passion, hardships, sacrifice and intense religious fervor culminating in
the attainment of Buddha-hood in the flesh. The Western concept of death is an
immediate and severe termination of life, while for Eastern concept death is of
a gradual process.
The Sokushinbutsu worship keeps the
saint alive and offers a unique perspective of humankind struggle in the quest
for Nirvana, before and after the death. “
THE END
This is an imaginary interview about Sokushinbutsu
Many of Bangkok’s most famous temples
and historical monuments lie on the banks of the Chao Phraya River which flows
through the city and the best way to visit them is by a motor boat. These boats offer a refreshing alternative to
the Bangkok notoriously congested traffic.
Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, is a
Buddhist temple (or ‘wat’) is the most famous temple on the banks of the Chao
Phraya river. At first I confused it
with ‘Temple of Doom’ of Indiana Jone’s movie. Actually it is called Temple of
Dawn as the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple on
the Chao Phraya river creates a wonderful cinematic vision. Also, the Temple of
Dawn derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, the charioteer of Surya, the
sun. ‘Arun’ in Sanskrit means the rays of the rising sun, thus Aruna is often
personified as the radiations of the rising sun and became a symbol of Dawn.
During the war with Burmese and Chinese
armies in the 1760’s the Ayutthaya Kingdom was essentially in ruins. One of the
Siamese general fighting the war, Phya Taksin, viewed the Wat Makok temple
ruins at dawn from the Chao Phraya River and swore to rebuild it once the war
was over.
General Phya Taksin led the liberation
of Siam from Burmese occupation in 1767, and the subsequently unified Siam
after it fell under various warlords. As the King of Siam, he then established
the city of Thonburi as the new capital near the Wat Makok temple, as the city
of Ayutthaya had been almost completely destroyed by the invaders. He rebuilt
Wat Makok and renamed it Wat Jaeng, Temple of Dawn. The temple was highly revered,
and for a time even held one of Thailand's greatest Buddhist relics, the
Emerald Buddha.
Phya Taksin was overthrown and executed in
a rebellion by his long-time friend Maha Ksatriyaseuk who then assumed the
throne as Rama I, founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the Chakri dynasty,
which has since ruled Thailand.
Rama II restored the Wat Jaeng temple abandoned
after Phya Taksin was overthrown. He embarked on an ambitious building project
that raised the central pagoda higher and redesigned the aesthetic of the
temple. He also renamed it Wat Arun, keeping the theme of dawn but connecting
it with India, homeland of Buddhism. Construction began under Rama II was
completed by Rama III around 1847. This is the temple we see today, towering
over the Bangkok skyline as one of the most iconic structures in Thailand.
Keeping with Thai architectural styles
of the time, Wat Arun is full of ornament. Its massive pagoda in the center,
called the prang, a stupa-like pagoda, was inspired by Khmer architectural traditions.
The central prang is about 80 meters tall, inlaid with seashells and colored porcelain.
It is considered the tallest prang in Thailand and is surrounded by four
smaller prangs. Each of the four corners of the temple contain images of guardian
gods of the four directions. The grouping of five pagodas represents Mount
Meru, the central mountain of Buddhist cosmology, based on Hindu cosmology as the
home of the gods and the center of the physical and spiritual universe.
I have been a few times to Bangkok, and this was my second
time to visit Wat Pho temple. Although it was my second visit, it refreshed my
memories from long ago about this impressive temple. The hot humid summer did
not deter me and the tourists coming to this temple that morning.
After passing the Chinese Giant Guardians, the Tha Tian
entrance gate, I went straight into the Temple of Reclining Buddha. Like any
other temple, you need to take your shoes off to enter, and all visitors must
wear appropriate clothing, that means no exposed shoulders or skin above the
knee. Then, straight from the entrance the first thing I found was the side of
Buddha’s head sitting nicely on his right arm. The size of his head is amazing,
and the elongated reclining body made the statue even more impressive. It
stands 15 meters tall and 46 meters long, covered in gold leaves shining
majestically in the rather dark room, making its presence dominating the whole room.
Not sure about the weight of this gigantic Buddha statue, but the entire statue
had a brick core, which was molded with plaster before finally being gilded.
His fish-shaped eyes made of white mother of pearl looked
like lost in a thought. The crown on his head, or Ushnisha , symbolizes his
Enlightenment, and the small dot between his eyebrows, or Urna, symbolizes
a third eye,
which in turn symbolizes vision into the divine world. His long
earlobes symbolize a conscious rejection of the material world in favor of
spiritual enlightenment.
After walking together with so many vistors along the 46
meters long reclining body we reached his feet, which are also gigantic in
scale, 3 meters high and 4.5 meters long! The base of these feet are also
inlaid with mother-of-pearl, engraved with carvings to display the symbols of
Buddha. On the soles of his feet, there are 108 auspicious signs such as flowers,
dancers, white elephants, tigers, and altar accessories by which Buddha can be
identified. At the center of each foot there is a circle representing a chakra
or 'energy point'. Many visitors were immersed in the beauty of this golden
Buddha and the symbolism it represented.
Although the reclining Buddha looks like someone relaxing on
a sofa, it is actually a representation of Buddha’s last moments on earth
during his illness. It represents the moment he was about to enter parinirvana,
the nirvana after death. He is lying on his right side with his blissful face
resting on a cushion as he supports his head with his hand.
As a way of commemorating his passage to the afterlife, his
disciples built a statue of him in this pose. This is now the grand, golden
statue that lies inside Wat Pho. Decades later, more versions of reclining
Buddhas were created all over South East Asia.
Bangkok in the Morning perhaps is a better representation of
the real Bangkok, rather than the touristic image it has during day time and
during night time. No wonder, most tourists searched for those attractive
places during day time and the entertainments at night time. Not many tourists
want to wake-up early in the morning to see the people of Bangkok getting ready
and rush to work, to beat the traffic jams.
Even less tourists wake-up earlier than 6AM to see the monks
go on a daily alms round to collect their food of the day. I happened to woke
up early in the morning one day and went with my camera to the see the early
morning roads and to visit Wat That Thong temple located in the heart of
Bangkok, Ekkamai area, that is not on most tourists itinerary.
On the streets and at the Wat That Thong temple, I saw many
monks in orange robe wandering with a bowl in
their hands. Traditionally in Theravada Buddhism, monks would get up as early
as 4 am, do some prayers to the Buddha and meditate, and then have a light morning
meal. After that, they might go for alms round in the community, return to
monastery and have the meal together before 12 noon.
Mothers have been cooking food for monks and giving alms
since the dawn of Buddhism over 2,500 years ago. Specifically, almsgiving is a
tradition of Theravada Buddhists, who are an overwhelming majority in Thailand,
Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Laos. By bringing monks food each day, the
faithful are investing in the faith, and in doing so they too make merit to
nourish their own souls.
So, on that day I felt like giving alms to the monks, but we
must remember that most of the monks are vegetarian. The food should be simple
as the monks generally must eat whatever foods are given to them. But it is not
charity as presumed by Western interpreters. It is closer to a symbolic
connection to the spiritual realm and to show humbleness and respect in the
presence of the secular society. Indeed, it was always the best food from our
kitchen, as it was intended not just to give food to the monks but also to
demonstrate the giver’s selflessness and commitment to the faith. It is the
worldly duty of the layman, as a way to maintain a direct connection with the
Lord Buddha.
The Korean popular music or K-pop has become a global
phenomenon featuring distinctive blend of catchy melodies, slick choreography
and stage effects. The success of K-pop is also attributed to the attractive performers
spending years in grueling studio learning and practicing to sing and dance in
synchronized perfection. The songs typically consist of one or a mixture of
pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, and electronic music.
In October, the ‘Hi Seoul Festival’ was going on
at Gwanghwamun Square. It was a large annual performing arts festival to
promote international unity by enabling people to communicate with one another
through music and non-verbal performances, going beyond the barriers of
language, race and age. Hundreds of performances by teams from around the world
are presented during the week-long festival.
One of the performances in the festival is of course the
Pop band. Korean pop music has been around in Korea for some time, but it’s
only in the past decade or so that it’s made significant inroads into the
mainstream music world. The Korean youngsters love their Korean pop music bands
and are proud of them gaining recognition on an international level as well.
I came straight from the Incheon airport to SM Entertainment
brand new head quarter in Cheongdam-dong area of Seoul to meet the highly
popular actress and singer, Sulli. Actually I was surprised to get the
assignment to interview this star, as our publication normally does not cover
tabloid articles like this. But, hey, the times change and we must adapt to the
times.
Anyway, it would be exciting to meet celebrities in the
epicenter of the K-Pop industry, the driver of “Hallyu“ or “Korean Wave”. If
lucky, I may also got see BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, SNSD, Shinee, f(x), EXO,
Girls’ Generation, etc. Just follow the screaming voice of the fans and I could
find them.
Sulli appeared to be a modest behaviour girl, too modest for
her stage persona. Dressed like other Korean girl, yellow with flower
embroidery pinned to the skirt, like she was going to a wedding party. Her
smile was sweet, which she covered it with her hand when she laughed, like a
shy teen girl meeting a cute boy. So much different than the way she dressed
and danced on stage, or on video clip or as a drug addict on her latest movie.
Her skin was as white as milk, like other Korean girls, her hair
bleached to pinkish blond, like many other Korean celebrities. Her eyes looked
puffy like what we can see on many of her photos and instagrams, the puffy
lower eyelids looked dark, probably because of cosmetic, not sure.
Anyway, it was very pleasant to meet her, she was very
friendly and casual, no ‘diva’ air in her behaviour. Neither did she looked like
Sulli the controversial girl that rocked the social media with her appearance
and statements, rather she was soft spoken and occasionally smiled and laughed.
So, after greeting her, I went straight to my check list
that I prepared, not to waste time:
“Sulli, you began your career as a trainee at the very young
age of 11 in 2004, and then played the young Princess Seonhwa of Silla in the drama
movie Ballad of Seodong. Further, as a young actress you played in drama movie
like the ‘Vacation’, ‘Punch Lady’, ‘Babo’.
Then you debuted as a member of the girl singing group f(x) in 2009,
while in the mean time you continued your acting career and peaked in the television
drama series ‘To the Beautiful You’. In this drama series you received the New
Star Award in 2012 for your role as a girl disguised as a boy to meet an athlete
idol, played by Choi Minho of Shinee. All
I can say, what an impressive career Sulli, you must have been under huge
pressure to achieve all that at young age.”
Sulli:
“I think because I've been active since I was young, there
haven't been many people who thought of me as young. There were a lot of scary
moments. If they told me to do something, I would, and I didn't even know the
reason why I had to. At a certain point, I started to wonder, 'Why do I have to
do this?' I don't think it was a good fit for me. I was under so much pressure. I often felt
scared. “
I said:
“You left the girls singing group f(x) in 2014, reportedly
due to mental and physical exhaustion and to focus on your acting career. What
happened….?”
Sulli:
“I had been struggling with online abuse, and struggling
with a panic disorder, social phobia my whole life …. I’ve had panic disorder
ever since I was young. There were times when close people… Some of my closest
friends have left me. People hurt me, so everything fell apart. I didn’t feel
like I had anyone on my side or anyone who could understand me. So that’s why I
completely fell apart. I was scared and unsure of my future, so I think I tried
to protect myself as much as possible. I was trying to protect myself, so there
was a sense of urgency. There wasn't anybody to listen to me when I was going
through a hard time. It felt like I was just left alone in the world”.
I said:
“It was also rumored that you took a break from the
entertainment industry due to the stress of rumors revolving around your
relationship with Dynamic Duo's Choiza. The two of you later confirmed your
relationship. The 14-year age gap with the then 20-year old you as well as
Choiza’s rough and thuggish image shattered your cutesy pop idol facade –
fueling fans’ outrage at the relationship. Is Choiza your ideal type really?”
Sulli:
“My ideal type is someone that is dependable, that doesn’t
act cute a lot and listens to everything I say. It would be nice if he is
always in the same place. And that he should be a man with straight hair, tidy
clothing, sexy, and a dignified and open mind.”
I said:
“And Choiza said in an interview that his ideal type has
never been a pretty woman or a young woman. He has never felt attraction
towards someone who is both, but he really got along well with you, Sulli. You
two have a lot in common. He also said that he takes inspiration from his relationship
with you. He said, that it’s especially true that these memories are engraved
in his songs. One of the songs that he wrote while dating you is ‘Eat, Do It,
Sleep’, received criticism from Korean listeners due to its sexual and
suggestive lyrics, and many presumed that the song was about you.”
Sulli:
“Back then I used to upload pictures of our dates. But when
I posted one of our kisses, haters flocked to my Instagram, saying ‘Did you
have to post this?’, ‘Please get married. Looks like you’ll have to.’
But I could care less what they say. I was in love and I was
proud to show it. Why am I not allowed to post a photo of our kiss?”
I said:
“You have also come under fire for your posts on Instagram,
which have been perceived by many as too revealing. In some of your photos, you
were wearing thin, see-through lingerie, no bra, showing your nipples. What
comments did you receive from the netizens about these photos?”.
Sulli:
“Something like, ‘Is Sulli's beauty real?’, ‘So beautiful in
fall’, ‘I can't stop looking even though I try not too’, ‘She's a public
figure. Can't she hold back a little bit?’, ‘You want to get naked so bad,
huh?’,
‘Who does this? Who takes pictures like this and posts
them?’, and more…..”
I said:
“In the Reality TV show Night of Hate Comments, where Korean
celebrities gathered to tackle cyberbullying by reading and discussing harsh
comments, you talked with a light laughter that you were sitting there in the
show without wearing a bra. Why did you choose no bra clothing?”
Sulli:
“It is the freedom of the individual. Bras aren’t good for
your health, they have a wire, they are not good for your digestive organs, and
I have issues with my digestion. Since it’s more comfortable not to, I don’t
wear them. I think that it’s free and beautiful. I also think of bras as
accessories. They suit some clothing and if there is a clothing that doesn’t
look good with bra, then I don’t wear one. When I first posted a ‘no bra photo’
there was a lot of talk about it. I was scared and could have hidden, but the
reason I didn’t is that I want to change people’s prejudices about that. Part
of me also wanted to say ‘This isn’t that big of a deal’. I have heard that
lately there are more people who go out without bras on.”
I said:
“Did you file a criminal complaint against those people who
wrote malicious comment about you?”
Sulli:
“I had filed a criminal complaint against someone. However,
I found out that the person was going to a famous university and was the same
age as me. If I wasn’t lenient with a student who goes to such good university,
that person would become an ex-convict. The person would have issue when trying
to find a job later on. I received a long letter from the malicious commenter.
The person said sorry and hadn’t known it would become such a big issue, and
had taken out their stress on me. I felt bad about turning someone my own age
into an ex convict and decided to be lenient. However, if I file a complaint
again I won’t be lenient ……(laughing, covering it with her hand).”
I said:
“Another controversy was about your comment in regards to
South Korea's lift on the abortion ban. On 11th April 2019 the
government ruled the 66-year-old anti-abortion law as unconstitutional. The
anti-abortion law made having an abortion a crime and punishable up to 2 years
in prison.”
Sulli:
“On that day, I shared a photo of flowers via Instagram and
stated, ‘abortion crime abolished. It's an honorable day! Give choice to all
women."
I said:
“Given that the subject of abortion has always been a
controversial one, it would have been best for celebrities to perhaps been
discreet about how overjoyed you were. While these acts aren’t surprising for
the Western world, Korea’s conservative beliefs and culture lead to your
condemnation in the public eye.”
Sulli:
“ Sorry, I do not wish to make any
further comment about my stance on this matter.”
I said:
“There are people who suspected that you were using drug by looking
at some of your Instagram posts, your pupils look dilated. Is it true?”
Sulli:
“There are people who have uploaded comparison photos of my
pupils next to the photos of people who really do drugs. I did a film called
‘Real’ and there was a scene that portrayed drug use. I did a lot of research
then and watched 5 films a day about drugs. So, my friend said: ‘Are you Heath
Ledger or something?’, I told them
‘Can’t I do methodical acting too? I do this because I want to do a good job.’
I could take a strand of my hair now to test whether I have
been using drug.”
I said:
“I see, a hair follicle drug test is the only drug test that
can detect repeated drug use up to 90 days prior to the test. But you had dyed
her hair and eyebrows….”
Sully:
“Then I do it with my leg hair….. (laughing, covering it with
her hand). I don’t do anything illegal, I act freely within the limit of the
law.”
I said:
“You mentioned the movie ‘Real’, which you starred with top-tier actor Kim Soo Hyun in 2017, but actually flopped
in the box office. Why do you think so?”
Sulli:
“Its convoluted plot and twists are hard to understand and
failed any effort to make the audiences’ mind blown. In Kim Soo Hyun words, the
film isn’t exactly the kind of movie that people will naturally like at first
so it will take some time for it to sink in. But the reviews were so harsh it
brought Kim Soo Hyun to tears when giving speech during the promotional events
for the movie. The tears didn’t last long, though, and he was quickly able to
get ahold of himself and finish up with his speech.”
I said:
“Actually, your overdosed death scene in the bathtub hugged
by Kim Soo Hyun was quite touching and memorable. Your scenes were not that many but receive
good comments from your fans. And the negative reviews that ‘Real’ has been
getting, you were able to portray an unconventional and risky role, which has
opened more doors for your acting career.
But somehow the scene that went viral is your explicit sex
scene with Kim Soo Hyun, your naked breasts visible in the scene, was this
scene really necessary to the story?”
Sulli:
“Yes, I feel the explicit sex scenes are necessary to the
story. I don’t think it was easy. It was a huge challenge for me, acting-wise
and in other areas. It was hard and I had a lot of concerns but it was fun.
I think I have a lot of ambition when it comes to acting. It
grew when I was shooting this film. I felt something like a sense of
achievement while acting.”
I said:
“After you left the girl singing group f(x) in 2014 to take
a break, as you became mentally and physically exhausted from the continuous
malicious comments and false rumors, then in 2017 you renewed your contract
with SM Entertainment for movies and other programs. Then in 2019 you returned to the K-Pop idol
scene, debuting as a soloist in the Music Video single album ‘Goblin’. You
helped to write the lyrics of the three songs.
The song ‘Goblin’ tells an internal
monologue where a lady, which you portrayed, converses with three personalities,
one good, one bad, and the other being her normal self. They want to be
accepted by the lady since she has a dissociative order. With all of the
controversies you have had in the past, people may easily assume that the song is
indeed talking about you and your experience.”
Sulli:
“The three personalities are not
monsters or goblins and the lady even comforted them saying ‘don’t be afraid, I
just wanna tell you hi.’ (she mumbled the song)….. Don’t be so
hard on me, I’m not a bad person (trying to smile through her sorrows). Please
don’t misunderstand me.
You know, my name Sulli, Sul
means snow, and Li means the flower of Callery pear tree, originated from China
and Vietnam, with small 5 petals white flowers, so I will probably reincarnate into a flower
that, though small, will be full of vitality.”
I said:
“Thank you Sulli for this interesting interview, but I have
a last request, may I …ehm…..hug you…?”
Sulli said “Sure” with a sweet smile and reached for the
hug. She smelled like the rose of the ‘Romance’ fragrance by Ralph Lauren ……
THE END
This is an imaginary interview in memory of Sulli.
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