Hong Kong: Too Many Kwan Yins

Now, I am gonna start sharing my spoils from Asia.

Two things became evident during my three full days in Hong Kong:

1. The Koreans may love Kwan Yin, but those along the South China Sea love her even more.
2. It's impossible for me to get an overload of Kwan Yin. But it's possible to get close.

Here are my Hong Kong photos, with emphasis on our beloved transgender matron saint.

Day 1. I am at a Taoist temple near my hotel in Kowloon, in the Yau Ma Tei district. The temple is dedicated to Tin Hau (天后, Heavenly Empress), an actual historical woman of supernatural powers who is the guardian of South China Sea's sailors.

Kwan Yin is also attributed with the protection of the South China Sea sailors, and Tin Hau and Kwan Yin are often considered one and the same. And as the above temple hall attests, yes, there is a statue of Kwan Yin inside to represent Tin Hau.

I am not allowed to take photos inside, but here is what I can tell you. It's possible to buy a huge whirlpool-shaped cone incense for a nominal sum. When it is lit and burns overhead, suspended from the ceiling, it will take two weeks to burn completely; my wishes and dreams will come true as long as the burn continues. The entire ceiling is lined with suspended burning incenses. (A more practical, mortal consideration: watch your head - ashes are falling on your head and may burn your hair!)

Also at Tin Hau Temple. This is another hall dedicated to Kwan Yin, but this is more of an information hall and less of a worship place. No incenses, statues, or altars here, but rather writings and books for sale.

Outside the temple: plenty of statues for sale, including some white-robed Kwan Yins. While the Koreans tend to gold-plate their Kwan Yins, the Chinese tend to put her in white robes and give her a nice makeup job.

I still need to see someone make a Kwan Yin clad in a pink miniskirt suit.

After hours of grueling sightseeing, I am finishing up on Hollywood Road, across the harbor on the island, and Hong Kong's antiques district. This shop has several traditional Chinese statues; the shorter, lit one in front is, yes, Kwan Yin.

Day 2. My day started at the Hong Kong Museum of History, where I not only got to see the juicy bits from Hong Kong's modern history (Opium War and British colonization to return to Chinese rule), but also the general tradition and culture of the entire Guangdong area as well. And here is one Tin Hau altar that I can actually photograph.

Still at the museum. Another Tin Hau, with a nice caption of her significance in southern Chinese culture.

Later in the day, I decided to visit the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas (萬佛寺). It's located in Sha Tin, in the New Territories, on the rail line leading to mainland China. (Sha Tin is also where 可口可樂 - Coca Cola - is manufactured and bottled/canned for the Hong Kong market.)

A common mistake for many tourists is to end up at a crematorium next door, which offers good views of the temple but has NO access to the temple itself. The temple trails themselves are very hard to find.

The crematorium has no English signs (and employees there do not speak English), so it's very difficult to figure out for the non-Chinese speaker, but it does offer a peek into the Chinese spiritual world.

These Buddhist statues - apparently a Maitreya flanked by two Kwan Yins - stand in one area of the crematorium.

I have now found one of the two trailheads. I am about to start the climb up to the temple. Here are lots of statues brought in by the faithful - mostly white-robed Kwan Yins.

The "Ten Thousand Buddhas" don't refer to these statues. Rather, they refer to the various life-size golden statues, mostly arhats, that line the rest of the trails.

The only female statue among the hundreds lining the trail up to the main courtyard.

And yes, the caption in Chinese says "Bodhisattva Guanshiyin." It's our transgender matron saint alright!

Main courtyard. Kwan Yin in the middle, flanked by four arhats.

The Kwan Yin pavilion. Yes, she's wearing the white robe.

My guidebook told me that this temple became famous after a young Andy Lau (a very famous Hong Kong movie star, who had sent millions of ladies drooling throughout East Asia in the 1980s) filmed a movie here early in his career. Lau's native Cantonese name is Lau Tak-wah (劉德華), and that's the name that's more likely to ring bells in Asia. I don't quickly recognize that pronunciation, but I do recognize the Mandarin pronunciation (Liu De-who) and the Korean one (Yu Deok-hwa, 유덕화). In fact, my guidebook, as it was purchased in Seoul and written in Korean, used the Yu Deok-hwa name throughout.

Christy - thanks for introducing me to Netflix. I have queued a number of movies from Hong Kong's 1980s cinematic golden age, starring the likes of Andy Lau, Chow Yun-fat, and the late Leslie Cheung. And as South Korea is in its own cinematic golden age today, I queued a few Korean movies too. Looking forward to watching them!

There is a tea house in the main courtyard. And yes, it is named after Kwan Yin.

There is a smaller, upper courtyard. I had to take the trail, as it was marked with some reference to Kwan Yin in Chinese.

The trail starts with figures representing the Chinese zodiac; apparently, they guard the upper courtyard. This is the first - the Rat Man. Note the eye sockets; instead of eyes, he has two little arms sticking out, and his eyes are on the palms of the hands at the ends of those little arms.

As it turns out, the upper courtyard is dedicated to Kwan Yin, and all its statues are those of her.

Here is the first one: Kwan Yin of the Southern Seas. Lovely cleavage despite her rather flat boobs.

I've shared this photo before - two topless Kwan Yins. The right one is the fabled Eleven-Faced Kwan Yin, baring her left boob.

And as I said before, the smallish boobs are even more proof that Kwan Yin is transgender.

Two more Kwan Yins. The left one carries a fish in her basket, and stands for abundant fishing. The right one carries a baby, and stands for fertility and protection of children.

Yes, seek Kwan Yin's mercy if you are trying to conceive a child - especially if you want a boy.

As stated in a previous post, Kwan Yin statues at this courtyard are all unique, but all fall into one of several pre-determined themes. And all Eleven-Faced Kwan Yins expose their left boobs.

Here's another photo I shared before. The courtyard has Kwan Yins stretching as far as my eyes can see. This is truly priceless.

Day 3. I traveled to faraway Lantau, which is the largest island in Hong Kong, and located next to the airport. Its claim to fame is Po Lin Temple, located in a very remote hilltop but easily accessible by a number of methods, including a 25-minute cable car ride from the subway terminus.

At the temple's main hall (Hall of Great Treasure Hero), I saw this set of four statues, placed 90 degrees apart. As far as I can tell, these are examples of the Thousand-Armed Kwan Yin.

Kwan Yin will work tirelessly to save the entire humankind before she saves herself. To better do her job, she can and will grow a thousand arms and eleven faces.

That's it for now. All other Hong Kong art should follow in a few days (hopefully). But before I sign off - let me share two more unrelated photos.

Hong Kong has a branch of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum - the first Asian branch. While you will find plenty of Asian wax figures (including Chinese politicians and movie stars), there are plenty of Hollywood figures too, including that homewrecker Angelina Jolie.

Here is the most popular: Marilyn Monroe. Yes, those vents under her really work. If you are a woman, come here in an Ally McLesbian mini and brave the vents. If you are a man, look left; put on the wig and the dress, then brave the vents.

Seen on Lantau Island: a souvenir shop specializing in Buddhist paraphernalia. Yes, the Happy Buddha reminds me to be happy. A look inside the window reveals a very rare gem: a red jade Happy Buddha. Didn't even bother to check the price, though being jade AND red - two great symbols of luck in Chinese culture - he ought to bring the bearer TONS of good luck.

I popped inside, where a very repetitive song, sung by a children's choir, was playing for over 20 minutes without end. As it turned out, it was a chant to Kwan Yin! By the time I left this store, I was HKD $300 poorer; I had purchased a lovely Kwan Yin statue of my own. It was also a way for me to dump my excess Hong Kong dollars, as I didn't really look forward to being saddled with them (or selling them to buy either fast-depreciating South Korean won, or US dollars I wouldn't need for another two weeks).

Happy Valentine's Day, Christy!

For Christy...

Doesn't get better than this. With the holidays gone, the vendors are scrambling for Valentine's Day sales already - and this mall kiosk has none other than the Happy Buddha wishing you a romantic day!

Photo taken at Puente Hills Mall, City of Industry, California. This mall is in a very Chinese area, only a mile from Hsi Lai Temple, where I had taken tons of Buddhist photos last spring.

I'll be returning to Hsi Lai when my new car gets its vanity plates. Until then, I'll have to get back to my Korea/Hong Kong photos, edit them, and actually upload them. Sorry for the continuing delays.

Hong Kong teasers

I am taking too many photos, sightseeing too much, and blogging too much to do any meaningful posts on this blog just yet. Please wait until I return to Seoul, at which time I will dramatically slow down and cut out all my activities, except meditation, until I return to the US, therefore giving me lots more blogging time. I just can't stand sitting in a Seoul subway train and looking at the colonial government propaganda anymore - so I'll do as little of that as possible, and suspend most sightseeing while at it too. On the other hand, Hong Kong's subway kicks some behinds - it's the best I've ever used.

Just two photos as teasers for you. And you know what I post the most at this blog - and these are no exception. Photos were taken from the Monastery of Ten Thousand Buddhas (萬佛寺), which is located on the main train line linking Kowloon to Shenzhen, mainland China, but requires a lengthy stair climb.

Here are two statues, and yes, both are our beloved transgender matron saint, Kwan Yin. The right one is the fabled Eleven-Faced Kwan Yin, whose stone statues I had posted from Gyeongju the last time. The left one is a variety that I can't identify.

Note that both Kwan Yins have their breasts exposed. The left one exposes both, while the Eleven-Faced Kwan Yin exposes her left breast. The nipples are not portrayed, however. Also, the breasts are a bit smaller than one would expect, but perfectly reasonably sized for a transwoman; transwomen are told to expect bra sizes which are a cup smaller than those of their genetic female family members. More proof that Kwan Yin is transgender.

Christy - maybe you might get an idea for a portrait. You could do me dressed in something feminine, but with a boob hanging out. And as the boobs are reasonably sized, I won't mind you doing this portrait, even though I'd kill you if you did the flat-chested topless portrait. At least these statues are properly captioned as Kwan Yin, and not as Avalokitesvara, the male name. Oh, and unlike these statues, you are also welcome to draw the nipples in. :)

There are two courtyards at this monastery. And one of them, as seen above, is lined exclusively with Kwan Yin statues, as far as I can see. There are more Kwan Yins here than I can count - and this is priceless. I feel that this photo alone is worth all the money I spent on this Hong Kong trip - then some more.

Every Kwan Yin here is unique, though they all follow one of several major variations. Some of them are:

• The Eleven-Faced Kwan Yin. Every one of them exposes her left boob.
• Kwan Yin of the Southern Seas. She ensures safety for the sailors of South China Sea.
• Kwan Yin of Abundant Fishing. Carrying a basket with fish inside, she is the matron saint for the commercial fishermen.
• Kwan Yin of Fertility. She holds up a child, to connote that (1) she will help you conceive one, and that (2) she will protect your child once s/he is born. Predictably, this is one variety that always keeps her boobs covered.

In addition, there are tons of porcelain Kwan Yin statuettes at the base of the hill, at the trailhead to the monastery. Even more Kwan Yins at the other courtyard as well. I had even more Kwan Yin sightings elsewhere in Hong Kong today.

I don't think it's ever possible for me to get an overload of my transgender matron saint, but I think I got close today. You'll get a look at everything once I have time to actually blog here.

Greetings from Hong Kong

I decided that I was no longer going to take any more of South Korea turning itself into a cut-rate colony of a failed, discredited US political movement. I took the next flight out to Hong Kong.

I'm sleepless this morning; it's 5AM now. Six hours ago, I flew over the world-famous harbor and saw the lovely Kowloon lights and the distinctive Hong Kong Island skyline. I still can't believe that I'm in Hong Kong. This is the farthest I've ever traveled from my home - 7,300 miles at least - though from my current Seoul base, it's only 1,300 miles taking 3 1/2 hours.

The sun should rise in 1 1/2 hours. I'll get as much sleep as I can now. My Hong Kong agenda will not include much art, but it will definitely include the huge bronze Buddha over at Lantau Island as well as a Taoist temple right in front of my hotel (both supposedly have more Kwan Yins that I must check out). FYI, in Cantonese, Kwan Yin is pronounced Gun Yam. I'll post those photos first, then take care of my South Korean road trip photos later.

Kwan Yin throughout South Korea

After ten exhausting days and 2,600 kilometers, I've given up driving. But I am very glad to have spent time on the road - my first-ever drive on the Eurasian landmass, and one that took me to lots of different Buddhist sites and art.

Now that it's less hectic, it's time to start sharing the spoils of my hard work. I'll start with things that are related to our transgender matron saint. These photos are only a small teaser of tons of great art photos I've taken during the road trip.

Before I start, however, let me introduce you to my travel companion. This is a silver 2006 Hyundai Sonata N20, which is as common and anonymous as any car can get in South Korea. The N20 trim denotes that the car has a 2.0L gasoline engine, which powers almost all domestic market Sonatas. By contrast, the US-market Sonata starts at 2.4L.

With this car, Hyundai becomes the first manufacturer whose cars I've gotten to drive on two different continents.

Also, this is also the first car that I ever get to name. I will refer to it as Gwaneum Zero. Gwaneum, of course, is the Korean pronunciation of Kwan Yin. Gwaneum One will be the Hyundai Genesis that I'll buy when I return to the US next month. Its future replacements will be Gwaneum Two, Gwaneum Three, and so on.

In this photo, I've just taken possession of Gwaneum Zero, and have brought her to my Seoul apartment, so that I can load her up and get going. Here are some specifications for her:

• 16-inch wheels
  
• 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS
• 4-speed automatic transmission
• Heated leather front seats
• CD player with MP3
• Fog lights
• Trip computer
  
• Dual-zone climate control
• Power folding mirrors, power windows, power locks
• Full-size spare tire and tool kit - just like BMWs costing over twice as much
• South Korean governmental fuel economy rating of 10.7 kilometers per liter, combined. South Korea uses the old US EPA test simulating 1970s Los Angeles; multiply by about 2.5 for a ballpark figure in miles per US gallon.

One downside: South Korean rental cars can get quite high-mileage. Gwaneum Zero already has 85,000 kilometers (53,000 miles) on it. But given that South Korea sees almost no violent crimes, and that the nation is compact enough that roadside assistance can reach you anytime and anywhere in a hurry, it's not as bad as it sounds. At least I rented from the nation's most reputable rental agency (Kumho Rent-A-Car, which is a Hertz franchisee and owned by Asiana Airlines), so roadside assistance is excellent, and the car is maintained well enough that breakdown is unlikely anyway. As you know, a Hyundai with 50,000 miles on it used to be a pile of junk, but now it's much better than a Chrysler or a Ford with 50,000 miles on it, and feels good as new - in fact, Hyundai's US warranty is now 60,000 miles for the whole car, and 100,000 miles for the engine and the transmission.

If I really want to pinch pennies, I can even specify a previous-generation Hyundai Sonata, with even higher odometer readings, for a discount, though that's more than I can take. At least all cars are reservable by make, model, and fuel type (gasoline, diesel, and liquid propane gas), and all cars at this rental agency come with automatic transmission and unlimited kilometers.

In fact, if you want to save money, take a diesel-powered car, as diesel costs slightly less than gasoline, is available at every gas station, and is far more efficient, though you'll probably suffer on the expressways. LPG is dirt-cheap, clean, and common, but inefficient, and must be bought at designated charging stations; it also tends to kill your trunk space, and explodes and fries you when your car gets rear-ended. Don't rent fancy foreign cars (BMWs, etc.), as they are prohibitively expensive, and require premium gasoline, which can only be found in major cities.

I am visiting Naksansa, a temple on the eastern coastline dedicated to Kwan Yin. Naksansa is located in the township of Yangyang, a 4-hour drive east of Seoul.

This fairly tall statue (about 60 feet) proves the point. Her name is Haesugwaneum (Seawater Kwan Yin), and she stands on top of a cliff overlooking the Sea of Japan (or as the Koreans prefer to call it, the East Sea), facing east and greeting sunrise.

It's an awe-inspiring sight. I went up to the offering box, put in a 1,000-won (70 US cents) banknote, and asked Kwan Yin to send her mercy to me as I continue to drive away on US interstates.

This is Naksansa's Gwaneumjeon (Hall of Kwan Yin), which is unusual. Normally, a Gwaneumjeon houses a gold-plated statue of Kwan Yin. But this one doesn't. Instead, it has a glass roof to the rear, so that when you walk up to the altar (open door), Haesugwaneum statue, visible in the upper left corner here, simply towers over, and looks down at you through the glass roof.

I also visited a point an hour north of Yangyang. I am at the Unification Observatory, the northernmost point in South Korea, with a great view of North Korea's scenic Diamond Mountains. A number of religious figures stare north and pray for a peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula, and among them is this Kwan Yin.

This place is so far up to the north, that I am north of the Civilian Limit Line. To get here, it was necessary to do some simple paperwork, stating my name, passport number, local address and telephone, and vehicle information. Even then, they managed to guide me to a wrong road - which would've blasted me right through South Korean immigration, the Southern Limit Line (end of South Korean jurisdiction), the inter-Korean border, and into North Korea, causing a major international incident. North Korea is already pissed about South Korea's current right-wing government, and will find any excuse to pick a fight with both South Korea and the US.

A long drive (six hours from Yangyang, to be exact) brought me down to the ancient thousand-year capital of Gyeongju, in southeastern South Korea. I stayed at the luxurious Hilton, and while my room came with the requisite Gideons Bible, it also came with a Korean/English Buddhist scripture book, reflecting Gyeongju's strong Buddhist heritage.

The next morning, I started off at Bulguksa (Temple of Buddhist Kingdom), the nation's most famous temple. This is the back side of Daeungjeon (Hall of Great Hero), the main hall; it's a close-up of Kwan Yin riding a blue tiger. I don't know what the significance of blue tiger is in Korean mythology, though a blue dragon is traditionally the king.

I walked toward the far right corner of the temple. This sign, from the Korea Tourism Authority and the Korea Buddhist History Society, hangs on Bulguksa's own Gwaneumjeon. It states that among the thirty-three pilgrimage sites to Kwan Yin scattered throughout South Korea, this spot is No. 23.

And here's a good look at the rest of Gwaneumjeon, as a monk shows his devotion to her inside.

It's absolutely forbidden to shove my camera inside, so I had to keep my distance. Here's a description of the gold-plated Kwan Yin statue inside. She has a feminine hourglass body shape, but her torso is masculine, with nearly flat breasts. Her robe has a very open bodice front, and her torso - including her nipples - are exposed.

Christy, I tell you again - I don't want you getting any sick ideas from this description!

Nearby signs remind me that Kwan Yin has the ability to grow a thousand arms and hands, as well as eleven faces, in order to better do her work.

Later in the day, I am driving into downtown Gyeongju. Right now, I am visiting Bunhwangsa, another temple just southeast of downtown. Aside from a partial restoration of a brick pagoda, there is little standing here. But I was very inspired by this sight. Stacked rocks, placed there for good luck, surround the rather small statue of a seated Kwan Yin, who, in this application, is certainly NOT guilty of indecent exposure.

Let me backtrack for a minute. Before I headed for downtown, I drove another 5 miles from Bulguksa, over a treacherous mountain road, to reach Seokguram, a very famous grotto. It's a 20-minute drive; my alternative was a 1.5-mile steep walk taking 50 minutes.

In the very back of that grotto is this image of the Eleven-Faced Kwan Yin.

This is a replica whose photo I took at a private museum elsewhere in the city. At the real grotto, I am not allowed to enter the interior of the grotto itself, nor take any photos. All I can do is watch the whole thing through a glass wall.

I also spent lots of time and took lots of photos when I got to the city's National Museum, with free admissions for this year.

Here's a fairly tall (10 feet) statue of the Eleven-Faced Kwan Yin. The other ten faces grow from her crown.

Also at the museum: two bodhisattva statues. The left is generic, while the right is a Kwan Yin, only a few inches tall.

A bodhisattva is basically a Buddha-in-training, someone who has gained some enlightenment and has some of the powers of a Buddha, but not quite there yet. All Buddhas are male, and so are all bodhisattvas. At least they originally were. Then China decided that Kwan Yin should be female instead, creating the one and only (transgender) female bodhisattva.

Also at the National Museum. The museum owned the head of this Kwan Yin for decades. But the body remained half-buried on a nearby mountainside for years. In 1997, it was determined that the head and the body came from the same statue, so the two were mated together and erected on the museum grounds.

Many of her features have worn away, but the few remaining features do identify her as Kwan Yin.

A few miles to the south of the museum, there is a series of hills with lots of hiking opportunities. I took one of the hills' rugged trails.

This is a Kwan Yin carved into a boulder, about as tall as me.

These hills are strewn with Buddhist relics all over. And every one of them has an enclosed altar where the faithful light candles, make offerings, and pray.

Time to leave Gyeongju and spend 13 hours driving back to Seoul (including rest stops, and sightseeing at three Buddhist temples).

This is the first of the three temples. It's Haeinsa, located 1 1/2 hours west of Gyeongju, and most famous as the home of Tripitaka Koreana. Temperature is well below freezing this morning, and I had to walk a mile from my car to get here. It's brutal.

This is Haeinsa's Gwaneumjeon. It's kind of plain, but that's the way I like it. Unfortunately, I can't take a look inside, or even approach the building.

About an hour to the north, there is Jikjisa, my second temple stop. It's located exactly halfway between Seoul and the southeastern extreme corner of Busan, the nation's largest port city. This is a fairly well-appointed temple, and as it is off the beaten path, it's quite nice in its ambience.

Here is Jikjisa's Gwaneumjeon, with a glimpse of its own gold-plated Kwan Yin. Again, she has plunging necklines and exposed masculine breasts, though fortunately, her nipples are covered. She also sports a lovely necklace.

Another hour north, and getting closer to Seoul (though still two hours away at least), is Beopjusa, the most unique temple I've ever visited. Here's Beopjusa's own Hall of Kwan Yin, though its name is not the typical Gwaneumjeon. It is, in this application, called Wontongbojeon.

Unfortunately, it's closed too, and I can't get a look at my matron saint.

The banner across the front does say, however, that Kwan Yin has been given a new gold plating.

A look at Beopjusa's courtyard, with a tall 5-story wooden pagoda to the left (the tallest pagoda in South Korea, and the last surviving wooden pagoda in the nation) and a 100-foot Maitreya Buddha in the center. Again, this is the most unique temple I've seen, and I loved being here.

You may ask where Kwan Yin is in this photo. Look right; there is a peak behind the Maitreya. It rises 985 meters above sea level (not all that tall, as the courtyard is already several hundred meters above sea level). The peak's name is Gwaneumbong (Kwan Yin Peak). A few altars exist at its base.

An entry gate of Beopjusa has this interesting wooden statue of Kwan Yin guarding the temple. Interestingly, she sports a mustache. She also rides an elephant - and you know I hate elephants due to their status as a symbol of a certain American political party.

Several days later, the day before I returned Gwaneum Zero to the rental agency, I took her over to the large island of Ganghwa, on the Yellow Sea coast and an hour from Seoul. While Ganghwa can be accessed by a pair of bridges from the mainland, another large island to the west of it, Seongmo, requires a ferry ride. It cost 2,000 won (USD $1.40) for me, and another 14,000 won (USD $10) for Gwaneum Zero, to reach the island, and visit its Buddhist temple - Bomunsa.

Here is an altar made of a grinding stone. You can see baby monk figurines, Buddhas, and even a statue of harubang (phallic human figurine made of volcanic rock) from faraway Jeju Island. But most importantly, on the lower right, there is a lovely Kwan Yin portrait.

Bomunsa itself is yet another temple dedicated to Kwan Yin.

By now, I've seen so many turtle tombstones around South Korea that they no longer look exotic at all. But this one, also at Bomunsa, is special. Its head is that of a monster I can't identify. More importantly, it also states that I am headed for yet another Kwan Yin pilgrimage site.

This turtle tombstone guards the entrance to a long staircase that starts at the back of the temple courtyard. It is a 419-step climb to the pilgrimage site, or about 30 stories. And it's already been another 30-story steep hike to the courtyard already. Try climbing a 60-story skyscaper on foot in a hurry!

This is the pilgrimage site. Yet another image of Kwan Yin. This one is fairly recent - it dates from only 1928 - and it's more symbolic and less artistic. Kwan Yin looks very genderless here. As she is being scrubbed, I am not allowed to enter the altar area, and must suffice with this view.

This tuxedo cat is Kwan Yin's companion here. Cats are not a common sight in South Korea, as most Koreans, unlike me, don't seem to like cats.

They do like dogs, however, but sometimes for the wrong reasons. Dog meat soup - boshintang - is considered by some to be a delicacy and an aphrodisiac. However, plenty of people are appalled at the very concept - me included - so the only places to eat it are in clearly marked restaurants in rural areas. You won't eat dog meat unless you actively seek out for it. And in any case, meat-grade dogs are different from pet dogs anyway. Contrary to urban legends, they won't kidnap your beloved Fido, cook him, and serve him on your table.

Looking west from Kwan Yin's vantage point. Near the shoreline is the temple's entryway village - where I parked Gwaneum Zero at a pay lot - about the equivalent of 60 stories below. Beyond lies the Yellow Sea. Since 2001, however, some unwelcome changes have happened, as Incheon Airport opened as South Korea's main gateway, and the flight path to/from the airport passes right over here. On the other hand, if you fly into Incheon, you'll probably share some of this wonderful view.

It was also special to walk back down to the courtyard, passing by an elderly woman who was chanting "관세음보살" (Gwan-se-eum Bosal, or Bodhisattva Kwan Shih Yin, the full name of Kwan Yin) repeatedly as she took every step.

Remember - even though these are all the Kwan Yin-related photos I have, they nevertheless are only teasers, really, for the rest of the art photos I am about to share. You'll be in for a treat.

Korean art update

Everyone,

I've had two exhausting yet exciting days in Korea's thousand-year ancient capital, Gyeongju. Even though there is an Arctic blast of cold air that is freezing my butt (literally), I am loving it here.

I am too exhausted to blog about it, however, as a long drive back to Seoul awaits me tomorrow, and I must visit even more Buddhist sites on the way. I need to get going the first thing in the morning (it's 10PM right now).

In the meantime, I've made my latest post on my personal blog, and it took me two hours. Lots of art in that post, as well as yesterday's post. 110 photos in total.

• Gyeongju, Day 2 (National Museum, hiking, Exposition Park, King Munmu Underwater Tomb)
  
• Gyeongju, Day 1 (Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Bunhwangsa Temple Site, Anapji Pond, Cheomseongdae Observatory, Banwolseong Fortress, Tumuli Park, King Muyeol Tomb)

I will make an official post of highlights at this blog a few days after I return to Seoul, when I have some time.

I must tell you this. Gyeongju is an amazing city, and even though it's less than optimal for the English speaker (you are strongly encouraged to hire a guide or bring a Korean friend), to miss it out is to really deprive yourself of some serious art and history. While I did the city in two days, it was possible only because of my rental car and my breakneck pace; otherwise, even a week may not be enough depending on your tastes.

Sure, Gyeongju is difficult to get to from overseas, unlike Seoul or Busan. Gyeongju doesn't even have an airport (though two neighboring cities have domestic airports, and the nearest international airport, in Busan, is only 50 miles away). But you know what? Xi'an in China is much less accessible than Beijing or Shanghai, and Nara and Kyoto in Japan are certainly less accessible than Tokyo or Osaka. To see real art and history, you do need to get off the beaten path.

P.S. I came across a Kwan Yin statue sporting a robe with an open front bodice. Sure, the body shape was feminine, but the exposed torso had definitely male breasts. The English-language caption continues to use Avalokitesvara, her Indian male name.

Christy, if you ever take a sick clue from this, and do a portrait of me in my infamous pink mini, but topless, sporting flat male breasts, and captioned with a male name, I will never forgive you!

A teaser for the upcoming Korean road trip

In a week, I am answering the call of the open road - my first-ever drive on the Eurasian landmass. My drive will have a very Buddhist focus, so expect a lot of Kwan Yins, Maitreyas, and more.

For today, I have some teasers. These photos were taken at Bongeunsa Temple in southern Seoul, next to COEX Mall, Asia's largest shopping mall. Due to the mall (which is also attached to Hotel Intercontinental), many Westerners visit here. I am pretty sure that many of them, particularly Americans who are used to the Christian extremism in the Korean-American community, find the resilience and the influence of Korean Buddhism surprising.

Entrance stone for Bongeunsa, which is topped off by an elephant. Of course, this American cringes at the sight of an elephant, which also symbolizes a certain political party as well. The elephant is the work of a German sculptor named Markus Kuehn.

Two traditional Korean drums. Yes, that fish is a drum too.

The left drum has a symbol called Samtaegeuk (삼태극). Normally, a Taegeuk (태극) is a two-part yin-yang symbol, which is red and blue in the Korean application (as evidenced in the South Korean national flag). The "sam" prefix means three, and Samtaegeuk is a three-part Taegeuk which also adds yellow.

Other uses of the word "sam" to denote the number three (三) include:

• Samsung (三星), "Three Stars," the neoliberal corporation best known for its electronics division
• Samseong (三成), "Three Accomplishments," same pronunciation as Samsung, and the name of the district this temple is located in
  
• Sambo (三寶), "Three Gems," officially written as Trigem in English, a major computer manufacturer that sells in the US under the EMachines brand
  

Every Korean Buddhist temple has its own main hall, named Hall of Great Hero (Daeungjeon, 大雄殿). Here's Bongeunsa's Daeungjeon. The banner identifies this year as the Year 2552 in the Buddhist calendar.

The faithful pray here today for good scores for their children's college entrance examination, which will be in five days. The score from the exam (which plays the role that SAT does in the US, but carries far more weight) pretty much determines your eligibility for admission to a 4-year university. Ideally, you want to enter a Seoul-based university. And if at all possible, you want to enter a prestigious university, like Seoul National University, Korea University, or Yonsei University, to guarantee yourself success. It all comes down to your exam score.

The result is that your high school years in South Korea are a living hell, as every waking moment must be dedicated to your success in the college entrance exam. Even meal breaks and bathroom breaks waste precious seconds that can better be used to boost your score by a point or two. Once in college, however, your undergrad years are party time; university neighborhoods in Seoul have plenty of karaokes, bars, and PC rooms, but very few bookstores. After all, you have to unwind and reward yourself for all the crap you had to endure in high school. Graduation is nearly automatic anyway.

As there is so little focus on actual academics, South Korean universities - even the most prestigious - tend to be little more than the paper the diplomas are printed on. The true academics will enter graduate studies and/or study abroad, preferably at a prestigious Japanese university, in the US Ivy League, or at Oxford or Cambridge in England.

The Maitreya tends to be the biggest statue in Korean Buddhist temples. This stone Maitreya in the back of the temple is about 50-60 feet tall. When I go on my road trip, I will visit a 100-foot bronze Maitreya.

The expanse of marble in front is the praying area. You must take off your shoes to enter.

In the middle of a circular pond is this circular island with a life-giving water spring, guarded by none other than our beloved transgender matron saint, Kwan Yin. You may drink the water (though you'd bow to the statue first). I didn't drink, and feel really bad about it.

DiAnne will also love to see the presence of two turtles flanking the lotus pedestal.

Now that I have decided to name my new car after Kwan Yin, and carry her spirit onto the American interstate highways, every sight of Kwan Yin here in South Korea carries even more meaning.

Christy: I bought a cheap wooden mini-statue of the Happy Buddha, just for you. I could've spent more money for a bigger version, but don't think he would survive the journey to Louisiana. If you can email me your Louisiana address, I will talk to a local post office or Fedex-Kinko's to arrange shipping to you.