Cosmopolitan Freedom

<거슨요법> 종이책 전자책 주문안내

2011-06-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

거슨요법의 최근 연구결과를 집대성한 완결판인

<거슨요법>을 아래 홈페이지에서 주문 가능합니다.

거슨요법 439쪽, 15,200원

전자책은 아래 인터넷 서점들의 배너 누르시면 구매 가능합니다.

거슨요법에 관한 최신의 정보를 망라한 이 책은 질병의 근본 원인을 규명하고 이를 치료하기 위해 환자와 가족이 직접 거슨요법 실행할 수 있도록 꼼꼼하게 안내한 지침서이다. 말기 암과 만성질환으로 고생하는 환자들은 이 책의 안내에 따라 스스로의 치유에 도전해볼 수 있다.

특히, 암, 당뇨, ADHD, 골다공증, 류머티스 등 거의 모든 만성질환의 원인과 대처법을 명쾌하게 밝히고 있어, 스스로 건강하다고 생각하는 현대인들이 얼마나 건강에 위협을 받고 있는지 일깨워 주고 질병을 예방할수 있게 안내하고 있다.

막스 거슨 박사, 그의 딸 샤롯 거슨, 샤릇 거슨 여사의 아들 하워드 스트라우스로 이어지는 거슨 가족 3대의 노력과 불굴의 의지가 어우러져 완성된 이 책은, 2007년 출간된 후 미국에서 이미 많은 관심의 대상이 되고 있으며 자연의학분야의 고전이 될 것을 의심치 않는다.

Global Awareness

2010-12-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

Human consciousness is on the constant evolution. With the development of technology, people on the planet came to get over the spatial and temporal restrictions. We could enlarge our boundaries of selves. Now we can be aware of the globe as we were aware of our family in the past. Our capacity and extent to love are broadened. In the negative aspect, we now can hate more and wide.
It is glad that we can see the fragrance of love and peace is spreading in some part of the world, especially in Europe. It is sorry that there are still shadows of war and conflicts in other parts of the world, as in Korean peninsula where I live. It is like a man perceiving his head as a different part of his body to confront and fight with his neighbors on the earth. An earth is a life.
As we are healthy and happy when the cells in our body are in healthy and harmonized condition mentally and physically, the earth will be healthy and happy when all the living things on the earth are in healthy and harmonized condition mentally and physically. Healthy and harmonized ideas and consciousness guarantee healthy and harmonized beings and existence.

Looking for friends from Switzerland

2010-12-01T18:06:00.001-08:00

In this global society, I am trying to understand the culture and people more.
As Korea has been attached or accustomed to the United States, which is a declining country, I, a Korean, also have been familiar with American culture. I feel our mentality is biased or ignorant of the culture and ideology of the other parts of the globe.

My inerest in anthropology seems to have boraden my view of the world. I am a psychologist, rather than a philosopher. I am quite old in physical age, born in 1967, but I am willing to study Jungian psycholigy in Swiss in the near future. In 1997, I have visited some Europen countries for trip. I stopped by Zurich and Geneva and was attracted to the nature and the expressions of the people; the streets, buildings and pastorl settings.

I believe I will have a chance to live in Switzerland. I would like to share ideas and feelings about all cosmopolitan subjects with some Swiss folks.

Ken

Buddhist Monk Seongcheol

2008-07-15T23:31:00.000-07:00

Buddhist Monk Seongcheol is one of the enlightened Buddhist leaders in Korea. He was born in 1911 and passed away in 1993. His hometown is Sancheong, a county near Jiri Mt.

Dokdo is within Korean Terriitory

2008-07-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

Japan is again trying to make an issue about Dokdo, the two small islands located on the east of Korean peninsula. The twin islalds have been under control of Korean government for the last 500 years. Now Korean defense forces are stationed to guard Dokdo and the island is being used as the harbor for Korean fishermen.

Japanese government is said to have announced to mark the islands as a part of Japanese territory in the textbook for it's secondary school students. huhu!! Japan is trying to distort the truth excited about flase nationalism. It seems the government and its people don't know how to be friends with its neighbors.

General Information

2008-04-28T21:02:00.001-07:00

South Korea -Republic of Korea

South Korea is a country containing traditional and modern life styles in mixture. People say that Korea is a dynamic country as it accompolished dramatic economic growth and the people are very emotional and active. 2002 World Cup was a typical case of such national personality.

It has a long history of about 5,000 years. Korea has always been in the conflict and ambiguous relationship with China and Japan. Ironically, this situation seems to have made Korean people strong. It has adopted Buddhism and other culture through China and created and developed in such a way that improve their life.

The culture is a mixture of Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and almost all religions. You will hardly see a country with more different religious temples and events than Korea. This is the most attractive point that you should never miss when you travel Korea.

Full country name: Republic of Korea
Area: 99,373 sq km
Population: 48 million
Capital City: Seoul (pop 12 million)
People: Koreans,
Language: Korean, English
Religion: Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, and others

GDP: US$475 billion
GDP per capita: US$10,550
Major Industries: Shipbuilding, cars, machinery, electronics, machinery, chemicals, textiles
Major Trading Partners: USA, Japan, Germany

** You can get more about Korea at http://www.kois.go.kr/

Life of Korean People

2008-04-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Life of Korean Poeple

Traditional life style of Korean people was changed and modified as the society was industrialized and urbanized. Population decreased in rural areas and sources for life has been outdated and under-supplied while industrial facilities and structures were centeralized into cities and thus urban population has increased. The crowded cities are faced with many problems such as traffic conestion, lack of housing spaces, crime and eduational opportunities.

New forms of life styles and values substituted the old ones. Kinship and locality lost its power as the organizing factor of the Korean people.
And reasonable and formal values came to be appreciated as the baisc principles of social life.

Family formats have also been modified as the birth rate decreased and the social mobility intensified.

Nuclear families became typical and patriarchical authority lost its influence in the family and women obtained upgraded social status. New modes of life have appeared in the family life, marriage, social relation and economic activities.

As was mentioned somewhere else,Korean economy dramatically developed and people have enjoyed luxurious life while less-competitive people had to experience poverty and defficiency. Unbalance between haves and not-haves, rural and urban areas caused social conflict and alienation of people. The development and expansion of mass-media provided opportunities for the people to enjoy balanced and extensive cultural life.

Korean people struggled and had severe time in the troubled history in 20C; Japanese colonial administration, Korean war and authoritarian governments opperessed the life of Korean poeple. The people had to have limited human rights and freedom in the harsh environments.

In 1990s, Korea stepped into liberalized society as the economy boomed and the political system was democratized. In 1993, the first non-miliatry originated government took power and in 1995 local government systems got into effect.

As Koreans got into the modern way of life, they face with the problems of mass society. Environmental pollution, local conflicts, consumerism and the demolition of traditional values.

East Sea

2008-04-28T20:58:00.002-07:00

The size of South Korea is 9, 9461㎢, as of 2002, the total population is 47,640,000. So 479 people live within 1㎢ size of the land. It is high density of the population. Many problems in Korea seems to be derived from this high density. Housing, traffic, competitive education and labor opportunity and others. In addition to the main land of a peninsula, it contains 3,200 islands, surprising eh?

East Sea

While the long dispute between Korea and Japan over the geographical name of the sea located between the two countries drags on, the Korean Overseas Information Service recently discovered that old Western maps from the 17th and 18th century generally used the term Sea of Korea or East Sea.

In the survey, conducted between 2001 and 2003, KOIS examined a total of 594 maps manufactured in the 17th and 18th centuries which have been kept in major libraries and museums, including the French National Library, the U.S. Library of Congress, Russian Royal Library, Berlin National Library and The British Library.

The review shows that 420 old maps, or about 70 percent of the total, had the designation East Sea, or other names such as Sea of Korea, Oriental Sea and Gulf of Korea, which it said means that the sea belonged to the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, maps which designated the ocean as the Sea of Japan only totaled 70, or just 12 percent. The remaining 104 maps either used both terms or said the sea belonged to China or Russia.
"It is the crucial evidence that the Western countries were well aware of the fact that the sea belonged to the Korean peninsula," according to KOIS.

Disputes over its designation have been raging for a long time. From the early 20th century, the Japanese government has designated the ocean as the Sea of Japan, and more countries began to use this name, instead of East Sea.

Finally, the Korean government asked the 1992 U.N. Geographical Configurations Standardization Meeting to correct the name from "Sea of Japan." Since then, efforts by the Korean governmental and civic groups have continued to regain the original name of the sea.

On the basis of the survey, KOIS recently published a book titled East Sea of Old Western Maps. About 200 pictures of old Western maps manufactured between the 16th and the 18th centuries were recorded.

As well as the publication, KOIS will begin a lecture tour to Europe and the United States from the end of this month and explain why the sea must be designated as East Sea.
Yeonhap News , April 20, 2004 Korea.net

Recycling garbage

2008-04-28T20:58:00.001-07:00

When you live in Korea on a permanant base, you should know about
the garbage recycling system. If you live in a house or an apartment, you had better check the way how to dispose garbage in the area.

You have to gather food residue in a designated container separately
from other trash and garbage. Then you dump it in the bigger container
placed at the trash point around your place usually during the night.

You have to gather and store other items such as bottles, cans, papers, boxes, clothes and metals in your house and you have to recycle them once a week by disposing them in the divided boxes or containers. So you have to check which day is the recycling day in your area. Failing to do this means another week of ' sleeping with garbages'.

Other undefinable general garbages must be sealed in a plastic bag sold by the local government. The bags are only available in your local districs. They are expensive because tax for garbage-disposal is included.

You may be fined because of improper dumping of trash and garbage. So when you live in Korea learn how to throw garbage first!

Kogureo is a nation of Korean ancestors!!

2008-04-28T20:57:00.001-07:00

China is trying to hold the hegemony in the world. Chinese leaders think China is the only nation that confront with the U.S. A, the superpoer after the Cold War.

They set-up a cyber hacker unit as a part of military forces. The soldiers are attacking key cyber servers of neighboring countires and USA.

Any they try to beautify and forfeit their history. Kogureo, an ancient nation originated from Pyungyang, the capital of North Korea, is a stick in their eyes. It is because Kogureo occupied Chinese land for a long time and, in history, Chinese nations tired to invade and conquor it, they failed.

People speaking Korean language are still living on the old land of Kogureo and the historical relics in the area verify Kogureo had the same culture and life style with Koreans.

Though the land of Korean ancestors limited to the peninsula as the Shilla Dynasty unified the peninsula in 7th century, Kogureo has controlled most nothern part of Chinese land. The name, Kogureo, literally means old Korea. If you pronounces the word carefully, you will find the phonetic similarity.

Chosun Dynasty(1392-1910)

2008-04-28T20:56:00.001-07:00

Chosun Dynasty(1392-1910)

During the late period of Korea Dynasty, the political instability and the invasions of China and Japan let to the destruction of the kingdom. Lee Seong-Kye, a military leader, took power of the government clearing the confusion and turmoil in 1392. He named the nation as Chosun.

He employed Confucianism as the basic governing principle of the new country as it was introduced from China by some pioneering schools during the late Korea period. Cheong Dojeon and some other Confucian scholars cooperated in establishing the bases of the nation.

As confucianism became the principle, Buddhism faced hard times. Buddhists moved the temples to remote areas into muntains and hided themselves from government crack-down. That's why Buddhis temples are located mostly in the mountains.

Chosun dynasty flourished until late 6th century when Japan invaded the peninsula in 1592. The 7-year-war devastated the country and Chosun lost its power. In 1632, China invaded Chosun and Chosun fought against Chinese forces for 10 years.

After the war, Chosun recovered as the two great Kings, Youngjo and Jeongjo renovated the govening systems and introduced many effective actions for the people. But during late 18c century, Chosun was not sensitive enough to open its doors to the developed western civilizations. Instead, the leaders of Chosun tried to keep their identity firm and onvolved in consumming political controversies.

Their failure to adapt the nation to the outer world led to the loss of national power while Japan was quick to equip herself with western civilization and growing dramatically. In 1910, Japan invaded Chosun again and Chosunwas not ready to fight and had not the power to do so. Japan took over Chosun, a nation flourished and fluctuated for more than 500 years.

Chosun Dynasty faded away into the darkness of history and the people had to go through the severe Japanese colonial period of 35 years until 1945 when the World War II ended.

Taekkeuki is the national flag

2008-04-28T20:55:00.002-07:00

Taekkeuki is the national flag of South Korea. The circle in the middle symbolizes Yin & Yang - the nagative(blue) and positive(red) forces of the universe. According to the oriental philosophy, the universe operates harmonilusly between the two forces. The black squares also symbolize the diversified energes of the universe. They are in beautiful balance. The flag thus represents peace, unity, creation and wholeness.

There was a debate to make a national flag in 1876, when Chosun Dynasty signed a humiliating treaty, Kangwhado Treaty, with Japan. The government needed a national flag to represent the country in international association. But it was not completed for the treaty as the government was not familiar with the modern diplomatic practices.

As the country was getting opened to the international society, the government urgently needed to design a national flag. In 1881, an official, Lee Jongwon, suggested to employ the diagram of Taekeuk in the flag and finally the flag was desinged. When the governent dispatched diplomatic representatives to Japan in 1882, the flag was firstly displayed on the ship.

Koreans use language very wierdly.

2008-04-28T20:55:00.001-07:00

Koreans use language very wierdly.
They focus on the deep meaning than surface meaning of the discourse. Sometimes the sentences expressed mean the opposite of the surface meaning in deepr sense. Koreans also say what they cannot keep.

At the end of a conversation, they often say, " Let's have dinner together soon." or " I will call you some time next week." But don't expect the person will call you to have dinner next week. The words were just for a smooth ending of the conversation. This way of using language seems developed into a social custom or a part of culture. The peson is not honest in the real sense, but in KOrea he or she is not considred so.

It's strange!! Even to me, a korean! I think it's bad culture for that matter. So people from different cultrues had better think carefully when they hear unfixed promises and ask specifically about the promise.

AIrline service

2008-04-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

In 1929, Airline transportation in Korea began as JAL(Japan Air LIne) delivered freights and postal packages from Tokyo to major Korean cities -Seoul, Daeku, Pyungyang. Real Korean air service started from Oct. 1948 as Korean National Airlines(KNA) started domestic flights from Seoul to Pusan. The first international flight route was Seoul∼Taipei∼Hong Kong.

KNA changed its name to Korea Airlines in 1962 and has been run by the state and Hanjin Inc. took over it and so privatized again in 1969. In Feb. 1988, before the 24th Seoul Olympic Games, another airline, Aisana Airline started domestic fligt service. As the government lifted restriction on the interantional travel, the only international airport, Kimpo Airport, got in short to harbor increased flights.

To accomodate increased fligts, the government reclaimed the sea
shore of Incheon in 1992 and Incheon International AIrport opened its service in 2001. The airport is the biggest size and has state-of -the-art facilities. As of 2001, 77 nations signed airline service convention with Korea. The transportation volume of airline service is continously increasing.

** Airline Reservation

# KAL(Korean Air Line) Call 1588-2001 For More Info, Click!

# Asiana Airline Call 1588-8000 For More Info. Click!

Seongmyo

2008-04-28T20:52:00.003-07:00

Koreans visit their ancestors' tomb and pay ritual service to thank for their health and happiness. Koreans seem to believe that they are connected with their gone acncestors.

Seongmyo - visiting ancestors' tomms-is the custom which shows this connection.

Korean Proverbs

2008-04-28T20:52:00.001-07:00

가난은 치욕이 아니라 불편할 뿐이다
Poverty is no disgrace, but it is a great inconvenience.

가는 말이 고와야 오는 말도 곱다
Do as you would be done by.
Love begets love.

가는 손님은 뒤꼭지도 예쁘다
Fish and guests stink after three days.

가재는 게 편이다
Birds of a feather flock together.
Dog doesn't eat dog.

간결함이 지혜의 핵심
Brevity is the soul of wit.

갈수록 태산
Out of the frying pan into the fire.

감언이설(甘言利說)
Sweet talk.

강 가운데서는 말을 바꾸어 타지 말라
Don't change horses in midstream.

같은 깃의 새는 같이 모인다
Birds of a feather flock together.

개구리 올챙이 적 생각을 못 한다
Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the Devil.

Admiral Lee Sunshin

2008-04-28T20:51:00.001-07:00

** Admiral Lee's statures are everywhere in Korea. He is the most respected leader in Korea.

Admiral Yi Sun Shin was born on the 28th, April in 1545 at Geoncheondong, Seoul.
After his father's quitting from government officials, the family moved to Asan county, Chungcheongdo province.
At first, he chose liberal arts. But he had to choose the military course, because of the systems of social class.
He passed the entrance examination of the military course at the age of 32 and was appointed as a lower officer of Hamgyeong-do province to begin his military service.

He was appointed as the naval commander of the left part of Cheollado in 1591 when he was 47 years old. He prepared to build the turtle ship and trained soldiers.
As soon as Imjinwaeran broke out in 1592, he participated in many battles and gained sucessive victories.
As a result, he was appointed as the chief commander of three southern provinces(Chungcheong, Kyeongsang and Cheolla) and the government also charged him with the position of the Cheolla left naval base commander at the same time.
Admiral Yi carried out many battles: for example, the battle of Okpo, Happo, Jeockjinpo, Sacheon, Dangpo, Youlpo, Hansando, Angolpo, Dadaepo, Pusanpo, Myeongryang and Noryang etc.
He died regrettably by the bullet of Japanese soldiers at the battle of Noryang, on November 19, 1598.
After his death, government bestowed him with the posthumous title of the Prime Minister.
Distinguished achievements of Admiral Yi Sun Shin

1. Built the turtle ships in the 16th century and defeated the huge fleet of Japan.
2. Wrote the diary in camp for 6 years and 9 months.
3. Practiced filial duty to his mother even during the war.
4. Wrote many brilliant works of poetry in chiness-letters.

Fuzzy Culture

2008-04-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

Korean culture seems to be fuzzy. It is not easy to describe this in English - an analaytic language. You'd better depend on your insight and intuition rather than on your intellect or reason when you try to understand Korean culture and their mentality. You should feel rather than think. The fuzziness is expressed in almost every aspect of Korean culture - architecture, food, clothing, life style and language.

In Korea clear cutting is not respected. Instead generous and absorptive attitude is repected. You can find the generocity and fuzziness of Korea and its people in many aspects of the culture and life styles.

You may have seen Korean traditinal clothings- Hanbok. It covers the whole body but the quality of the clothes makes the body interact with the outside. It is designed to block the sunligh and heat while the air permeates inside so that skin can breathe well. When it is cold you can wear some underwears and feel comfortable because of the loose space between the body and Hanbok. It is very adaptive to the environment.

Koreans enjoy fermented foods such as Kimchi, Toenjang(fermented soy bean), kanjang(essential elemetn distilled from soy bean0. Kimchi is the most favored food. It is spicy and gives us some remainging taste as otehr fermented foods. Most of the fermented or pasteurized foods should be reserved for quite long period to be served on the table. The food absorb natural energy during the process of the fermentation, People have to wait. The taste is hard to say in clear words. It's a kind of mixed taste with different flavors.

Some say that the taste of Korean food is like the personality or mentality of Koreans. Koreans express their inner feeling after some period of reservation. Their emotion is expressed incrementally. Hasty and clear expression is never a virtue in Korea though it is changing with the influence of many different cultures in this globalized society.

The fuzziness is also found in the use of language. Korean language is very symbolic and illogical. It is also kind of consolidating and ambiguous. Most English words have negative or positive connotations but Korean words are more value-free and have containing meanings. While English language is rectangular and logical, Korean language is trans-logical and round. One word can mean the opposite in different situations. You may need intuition and telepathic power to understand Korean conversation. 'Siwon hada' means literally 'cold' or 'cool'. When you are out in the cool area, You say this espression. But some Koreans say "Siwon hada" when eating hot soup, which means she feels fresh with the soup. They also say this when they feel free or some troube has gone.

Expressed language is not so much important as the shared information or the exchange of sympathetic feelings. So if you have any chance to express your mind to a real Korean, use connoting poetic expression rather than clear-cutting logical

King Sejong

2008-04-28T20:49:00.001-07:00

King Sejong was born in May 15, 1397 as the third son of King Taejong, the 3rd King of Chosun Dynasty. And he became the 4th King in 1418.
As in other Kingdoms, the kings were succeeded from the previous king.

He was very smart and dilligent and showed talents in many fields. He was also well trained by the Confucian scholars about the ruling principles and other subjects of Confuianism to be a good prince.

He set up an institute called Jipyunjeon to encourage academism and to train good government officials. This institute contributed to the invention of Korean alphabet-Hangeul. The invention ingnited the development of excellent culutre of Korea. The effectiveness of Hangeul made average people communicate easily.

He also established some other organizaions and facilities to foster scientific development. Many devices such as printer, Sun-clock, water-clock and weapons were invented and they contributed to the development of agriculture and increased military power.

He is belived as the greates king in Korean history. His picture of stature is printed on Korean bill (paper-money) of 10,000 won. His tomb is located Yeoju, Kyunggido.

Journey Back to Prehistoric Korea

2008-04-28T20:48:00.001-07:00

Journey Back to Prehistoric Korea
By Jeffrey Miller

AMSA-DONG, Seoul - Amid the thriving and teeming urban sprawl of Seoul with its modern skyscrapers and towering apartment complexes, it might be hard to imagine that about 6,000 years ago a small group of perhaps a few dozen nomads settled down on the shores of the Han River and created what has become known as the Amsa-dong Prehistoric Settlement.

6,000 years and over 10 million people later, this prehistoric settlement allows visitors to see how these ``early residents of Seoul’’ lived. Located in southeastern Seoul in Kangdong-gu, the prehistoric residential site of Amsa-dong _ the largest Neolithic settlement in Korea _ is comprised of a set of dwelling sites where people lived around 4,000 - 3,500 B.C., as well as an excellent museum with dioramas, displays of tools and farm implements, and films about Korea’s prehistoric past (some displays are in English).

Designated as Important Historic Place No. 267 on July 26, 1979, the prehistoric settlement site in Amsa-dong has been open to public since August 1988. Nine pit-houses have been reconstructed on the grounds to give the visitor an idea of what a village in the Seoul area might have looked like in the distant past. Developed as a park on a large parcel of land, this place has nicely laid-out paths, lawns and groves of trees, which add to its natural beauty.

This site was first discovered when a flood swept away sand from the hills in 1925, unearthing a large amount of comb-design earthenware. Earthenware of this design is characteristic of the Neolithic era. Over 20 pit sites, annexed facilities and stone mounds were found in Amsa-dong at that time, together with various kinds of pottery and stoneware. Together with the shell mound of Tongsam-dong in the Naktong estuary in Pusan, the Amsa-dong site has played a major role in determining an outline of Neolithic culture.

Based upon the discoveries of excavations at this site, the former residents lived mainly by hunting and fishing, with some rudimentary farming. The foundations of pit-houses, pottery chards, and stone tools have all been found in excavations that began in 1981.

Other Neolithic sites in Korea include Chongho-ri on Taedong River near Pyongyang and Misa-ri on the Han River near Seoul, both of which are the remains of settlements that came into existence about 6000-7000 years ago. People of the period lived by fishing, hunting and gathering wild fruits, having also ground acorns and wild grains.

People in the Neolithic era made deep dugout shelters, a number of which have been found on the broad, level land along the Han River. Evidence for the importance of fishing in the area is provided by tools that have been discovered, including weights for fishing nets and fishing spears. Arrowheads unearthed on the site also suggest that the same people practiced hunting.

Dugout shelters in the Neolithic era were built on hills and fields beside the river. Dugout shelters are representative of housing in the Neolithic era, there also being caves dating to the same period. The hollows were about 50-100 centimeters deep and were either round or square. The hollows included a cooking stove at the center and a roof above. The cooking stoves were made of stones or clay and were either round, oval or rectanglular. The stoves were used for heating and cooking.

The floors were made of clay and covered with either grass or animal skins. About two or three people are supposed to have lived in one of the smaller shelters, while five or six lived in a larger one. Typical dugout shelters consisted of floors below ground level and rafters touching together above without walls. The roof was held up by the rafters placed around the pit.

One pit-house is open to the public, allowing a visitor to gain a good idea of the living conditions of these early people as well as the construction of the shelter.

In addition to the comb-pattern earthenware, the site has also provided insights into diets and farming techniques of the time. Acorns found at the site with grinding boards and grinding stones suggest this was their staple food. The people living here are also believed to have engaged in dry-field farming due to agricultural tools unearthed at the site, including a plough and a stone sickle.

For those a little more curious about how these early residents of Korea lived, the highlights of the Amsa Prehistoric Settlement are the museum and exhibition hall located next to the nine pit-houses. This museum contains 8 shelters and one storage pit dating from 6,000 years ago. The sites have been vulcanized and the exhibition hall was built to protect them.

The exhibition hall is centered on a pit-house, and features maps displaying the distribution of other prehistoric sites along the Han River, details of prehistoric pottery, and a chronological table of the Neolithic age. It also has a diorama illustrating the lifestyles of Neolithic people in Korea.

Other exhibits include stone tools and comb-pattern pottery. Shaped like half an egg with their bases slightly rounded or pointed, comb-pattern pottery was made from clay tempered with asbestos and talcum on which the clay rings were stacked. Mostly brown in color, while the pottery is known for its geometric designs, some examples are plain without any design.

In October this year, the Prehistoric Culture Festival, organized by the Kangdong-gu Office, will be held to introduce this priceless cultural heritage to the world and to develop cooperation among the residents. During the two-day festival Oct. 8-9, visitors will be able to see unique aspects of the historic cultural heritage and vestiges of prehistoric people in Korea. Some of the events scheduled for the festival include reenactments of prehistoric life, including the making of earthenware and stone tools, traditional Korean arts performances, traditional Korean foods and a fireworks display. For more information on the festival, contact the organizers at (02) 3426-3867.

While the prehistoric settlement might be off the beaten track for travelers to Seoul, it is definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. Not far from the site are Olympic Park and Lotte World _ two destinations that would complement a few hours discovering early Korea.

Prehistoric Settlement at a Glance

Location: 155 Amsa-dong, Kangdong-gu, Seoul

Hours: March-October 9:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. / November-February 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
It is closed on Mondays and Jan. 1.

Admission: Adults 500 won, Students 300 won

Transportation: The quickest and easiest way to the site is by subway.
Take Line No. 8 to Amsa Station and use Exit No. 4. It's about a 15-minute walk to the site.

Telephone: (02) 3426-3867

--from The Korea Times

English Villalges

2008-04-28T20:47:00.001-07:00

English Villages designed to learn English by experiencing close-to-real life areattracting students and parents here in Korea.

The first one opened in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, are already booked full until March. 2005. The village has facilities such as restaurant, bookstore, dorm, gym and students have to speak only in English while they are staying in the camp. If they speak Korean you pay tp pay penalty money- kind of fake money available in the camp.

Native english speaking teachers take the role of cook, teacher, sales clerk and the students have to to their business in English. During the regular classes. The students learn cooking, art, music, play, science and ther subjects in English.

Because of the cheap fee and the effective method to learn English, it is flooded with calles from parents. As the Village is operated successfully, the local administration is planning to open 2 or more similar villages in the near future.

It was also reported that other local governments are gathering ideas to establish English villages to provide the local students with effective English leaning environment.

Oedo -An island with a botanical garden

2007-08-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Oedo is a small Island locared to the eastern part of Geojedo. It is privately owned botanical isaland. Now it is a famous tourist site.

On the way to Oedo, travellers can enjoy the oceanic views of rocks. It takes about 20 minutes from Geoje to Oedo on the ferry.

You can eat this food at a restaurant near the wharf. It is called "Meongge Bibimbop". Meongge is a sea animal-ascidian. It tastes specail. Bibimbop is one of the best well known Korean food. It has a wide range of variation according to the food source. In coastal areas like Geoje, they put this ascidian at the bibimbop.

Visa Types to Korea

2007-08-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

VISA Types to Korea
29 types of VISA and necessary documents are specified. Please ask your immigration office for detailed inforamtion.

A-1 : Diplomats, Approval letter from the Cheif of Foreign Affairs
A-2 :Foreign Government Officials, Approval letter from your government.
A-3 : Military forces ,Approval letter from your government.

C-1 : Journalists, Proper documents from your compamy.
C-2 : Temapory stay
C-3 : Documents requested by Immigration Office
C-4: Temporary WOrkㅇ Work Contractㅇ Employment Recommendation letter

D-1 Cultural activities and Artistsㅇ Invitation letterㅇ Certificate for artistis and cultural institutionㅇResume or other documentsㅇFinancial Status report
D-2 Schooling in Colleges ㅇ Entry Admission letter to schoolㅇ Research activity; proper certificates and documents
D-3 Industrial Training ㅇ Training Plan from the Insitutionㅇ Wage -pay-rolldocumentsㅇ Certificate verifying that the Institution is legal for trainingㅇ Clearance Document
D-4 General Education and Training ㅇ Exchange students in college-Documents to verify school enrollment-Financial report- Documents verifying identity
D-5 Journalists ㅇ Dispatch order, or employement contractㅇ Documents verifying the Bureau is permitted in Korea
D-6 Religion ㅇ Dispatch orderㅇ legal document of the relious institutionㅇ Financila status document of the Institution
D-7 Residing business representatives ㅇ Dispatch order,ㅇ Financial Reportㅇ Tax report related documentsD-8 Investors ㅇ Dispatch Order, Employment certificateㅇ Documents verying legal Investment
D-9 Trading and Management ㅇ Employment certificateㅇ Documents verifying legal business in Koreaㅇ Business plan, Financial reportㅇ Tax documents

E-1 College Professors ㅇ Resumeㅇ Contract paper
E-2 ESL Instructors in private schools and HakwonsㅇCollege Diploma-above 4 yearsㅇ Contract paperㅇDocuments about schoolㅇ Document verifying identity
E-3 Research ㅇ Documents about inviting instiitutionㅇ Diploma and resumeㅇ contract paper
E-4 Technical Advisor ㅇ Dispatch order, or employement contractㅇ Documents veiifying legal insitution
E-5 Specialized Workㅇ Diploma, Certificatesㅇ employment certificateㅇ contract paper
E-6 Entertainment Businessㅇ Entertainers in Hotel and cultural institutions- Identity verifying documents
E-7 Special Actitityㅇ Diploma and certificatesㅇ Contract paperㅇ employment documentsㅇ Identity verifying documentsE-8 Trainee *contract paerㅇ Recommendation letterㅇ Skill certificateㅇ identity verifying ducuments

F-1 Visiting Families ㅇ Documetns verifying that you are visiting family
F-3 Accompanying Families ㅇ Marriage certificare, birth certificateㅇ Tax and employment documents of inviting person
F-4 Korean with foreign natinalityㅇ Foreigners who had had Korean nationalities.- Documents to verify that you were Korean- Documents to verify that you obtained a foreign nationalityㅇ Foreigners whose direct famillies were Korean Nationality-Documents to verify that your direct family was Korean nationality- Documents to verify that you and your direct family became foreign natinality.- Birth certificate to veriify the relationship of you and your direct family

G-1 Others- Document to verify the purpose of your visit.ㅇ Documents to verify your financial status

H-1 Tourist - Round Trip Ticketsㅇ Documents to verify your financial status

Hong Kong

2007-07-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

One day in Hong Kong

Coincidence- synchronization

2007-03-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I translated a book about vitamins. It was about vitamin E, which is good to prevent a skin cancer- melanoma. I learned about the cancer.

I had lunch with an associate and we talked about somebody who has a cancer. I didn't know which cancer he had. But the associate said he had melanoma and was in a seroious condition.

I came across the word melanoma twice within 30 minutes- almost coincidental. Now I know well the disease. If you have melanoma, take as much as vitamins, especially vitamin E-tocopherol.

The Operation of Gi

2007-01-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

Gi is the key operating force in every activity of things in universe. Gi is prevailing and abundant in the cosmos. It is spread into every entity in the cosmos. Gi moves and changes itself and things in the cosmos. It is diversified according to the way it meets the entities.

The original cosmic Gi takes specialized forms as it is diversified inside and around the entities, living and non-living things in cosmos.The condensity and transparency of Gi is in variations according to its animation level Gi from rocks on a seaside and angels in a different dimension. Human beings may be somewhere between the continuum. Animals are the things with animated Gi. Vegetaion is generally considered to have less Gi, while some scientists argue that plants have more powerful energy and consciousness than we think and vibrate themselves throughout the cosmos.

Some mystical wisdoms and oriental philosopy have simplified the elements in cosmos into soil, water, fire, air, metal and wood. These basic elements are none other than the symbols of categories of differentiated Gi. Gi is not just a material substance which can be observed with physical senses and human measurements. It is a metaphysical and physical concept and energy. That is why Gi is not just an energy. Here soil does not simply mean the physical soil, but also all the entities with similar qualities. The same is true of other basic elements mentioned before.

Analogy is, therefore, very important to understand the qualites and ramifications of Gi. Differen qualities of Gi can cooperate or conflict when it is operated in nature. To be successful in action and life, you need to understand of the qualities and characteristics of Gi contained in things and people around you.Gi has two basic qualities; positive(yin) and negative(yang). Hence, everything has positive and negative Gi as a whole.

Everything, a part of a whole, has the inclination of one of the two qualities. So we can say somethings is negative or positive. In oriental mentality, negative and postivie is nessary part for a hamonious whole. They are equally important and necessary. Positive man and negative woman compose a whole human being. Electiricity is produced with the interactivity of positive and negative energy, a kid of Gi. Positive heaven and negative earth composes the cosmos. The cooperation of postive and negative Gi is the basic movement in cosmos.

Table below shows the counterparting qualities and expressions of Gi.- ---
feminine --- musculine
receptive --- repulsive
Oriental --- Occidental
negative ---positive
vegetable--- animal
vagina--- penisin
active--- active
introveret--- extrovert
soft ----hard
protective ----provocative
weak---- strong
brake ---accelerator

When the two qualities of Gi in a unit - person, animal, society, family, food, country, global culture, team and so on - are in harmony and balance, it is stable and healthy. A harmonious person keeps feminine and musculine Gi in balance. Animal loves the other sex to keept its balance of Gi. It is sometimes difficult to judge if a monk who is in passionate mental discipline through meditaion is female or male. It may be because the monk is radiating a harmonious Gi.It seems that well disciplined monks keep harmonious life without taking neccessary Gi from the other sex.

To keep the balance, it should be preceded to check the deficiency or excess of Gi in a unit. Keeping harmony of Gi" 道之動反者也 " "The movement of Tao is Returning."- 道德經 -Tae Te ChingThe main activity of every entity in cosmos is to keep the balane and harmony of its Gi. As the opposite sexes, animals and vegetations alike, try to get the Gi of the other sex to keep balance , the old try to get the younger Gi to keep balance of Gi. We can easily see the old remakably repospond to the cute actions of infants whose Gi is pure, full and powerful. It is because the old need the infantile Gi to compensate for their old Gi.

When the Gi within an organism or organization is distorted, twisted, unbalanced or empty, it digress from the normal condition. It may be distroyed or sick.Modern people tired in a civilized society are fiding leisure in nature. After speding much Gi in pursuing material satisfaction, they resort to the spiritual consolation. It is natural- the movement of Gi, cosmic energy, Ta0. (In chinese, Tao means the way of Cosmos.)

A wise man can read the trend and operation of Gi in a unit. A good doctor can read the condition of Gi in and around a body. A good king can read Gi in his Kingdom. A good CEO should recognize the distribution status in his or her organization. A good dad can read the condition of his kids. A skilled martial artist can read the movement of Gi in and around the counterpart's mind and body and redpond to it effectively.You, if you have not acquired ESP yet, can read the condition or status of Gi in and around a unit through its physical movements, symbols , symptoms and other expressions. It is like you can recognize there is wind by watching a fluttering flag. An arrogant and unkind government official in a local branch office can signal the downfall of an empire. A spot on a baby's body can lead to its death.

Koreans believe the singing of a magpie around the house early in the morning heralds a visit by a guest who has been missing long. Magpie, in comparison with crow, contains a good Gi and it has bright figure and expressions. A mysterious, logically not explainable, knowledge is a superstition.

When Gi is full enough, it searches for a breakthrough. When Gi is too sharp, it needs softness. When Gi is too heavy, it wants to be light. When Gi is too activated, it needs rest. A unit is destroyed when its Gi failes to return to the other extreme. That is its Gi go beyond the limit of an extreme. If the unit is wise, it has to go back. If you worked too hard to make money, you need rest and recreation to spend the money. If a country envaded many neighboring countries it has to find peaceful relationships. IF you were soaked in the rain last night, get dried today. If you ate too much meat for lunch, take vegetable as much as the meat for supper. It is like inflating a balloon to control the Gi of a unit.

What is Gi?

2007-01-06T23:41:00.000-08:00

What is Gi?
Gi(氣) is a one-letter Chinese word. Chinese pronunciation for this word is spelled as "chi" in English. However I use the Korean word, Gi, to conceptualize the different connotations and variations, developed by Korean philosophers and saturated in Korean culture and mentality.Gi means, in principle, the cosmic energy or life energy. But the meaning is as mysterious and hard to grasp as a mirage. It seems that Gi can be understood and perceived with intuitional sense . Logical reason can be supportive but sometimes it can also disturb seeing the truth. However, I will try to illuminate the illusive concept in a logical sophisticated language-English.Gi is material and immaterial. Gi is the original energy at the beginning of the universe and still fills the cosmos. It is a basic etheric energy widespread in cosmos. It is why Gi is sometimes equaled with air, a misconception. Gi is crude energy for all physical and metaphysical beings in cosmos. Gi(氣) is changed into spirit(精神) when it is distilled, elaborated and condensed. Gi is therefore the source of spirit. It is no wonder English word spirit means 'air' in its origin. Though Gi is a concept contrived by Oriental philosophers, it has been there in the cosmos!Materialized Gi composes things- human body, animals, rocks, trees, air, metal and so on, while immaterialized but distilled Gi composes spirit. When the raw material Gi is spirited, animated and crystalized further, it evolves into soul(靈魂). A tiger may have stronger Gi, so it is more energetic than a man. But the animal's Gi is less elaborated and crystalized into spirit and soul than man's. It has coarse intellectual and spiritual qualities than man. An angel's spirit and soul may be more compact, animated, powerful, vibrating.

Restoring morality

2006-08-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

Moral degradation is deepened as people are pushing accelerator for material satisfaction. Human society is speeding to a dangerous zone. It seems that the braking system must be in action. A system to control human desire.Laws and rules failed to control human desire. Eucation is focused on providing knowledge and skills for economic success.

Moral or humanistic education is far behind the practical education.Governments are driving their nations to win in the race for economic interests. Power means justice for people and nations. Some part of consciousness of the earth perceive the impending danger ahead.A tool for human life has bilateral aspects. It enhances the effectiveness of human life on one hand, it causes harm for human life on the other hand.

Advanced technology needs human discernment and moral decision. Nuclear technology brought as much sadness as happiness in human society. Cloning human embryonic stem cells may be good news for those who have serious disease, it may also cause serious problem for future society. In pararell to the development of the technology, moral codes must be put into practice to support it.The globe is closer to hell than heaven for the present.

I believe it is time to set out the braking system to slow down the car before it collides with unknown danger. First, I want to get off ' the streetcar named desire' and think about the braking system.

Logic is a vehicle to truth.

2006-07-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Language reflects ideas and logic. Ideas also reflects language. Ancient Greek and Newtonian views are based on absolute space and time. According to them, time and space are fixed and solid. There's no effect without a cause, and a cause always precedes an effect. An maxim or a theory must be supported by logical explanation, observational facts. Scientists absorbed in western intellectual tradition don't believe even a clear and true thing without logical clarification.

A logic is only valid within a certain boundary. Quantum mechanists argue that an effect can precede a cause. Future is contained in present. Things are preceived differently to a different organ. We know some things are things even though they cannot verified with concrete and logical proofs. Things just exist regardless of human verificaiton. Some knowledges are logical, others are intuitional. Western philosphers and poeple are more logical, Oriental philosophers and people are more intuitional. They compose a whole of earth consciousness.

Einstein's theories on relativity changed our logical system. He suggested everything exists in relativity. A 10-cm stick can be longer in a different dimension where light can travel faster than 300,000km/sec or when it is seen through a different visual organ- such as a bug's eyes with one-our life span. Things are not defineable under the law of Uncertainty by W. Heisenberg. Nothing is fixed. Our perception and oberservation betray the truth.

It reminds Buddha's teaching. " Nothing lasts forever. Don't hang on." Language or logic has limitation in grasping the reality and turth. But it is an effective tool for human intellect and basic communication. Human intellect and language can only touch some part of a whole thing. With normal senses, you can not see 'this', while seeing 'that' at the same time.

In addition to cause and effect, logic is possible based on dichotomy. Good and bad, man and woman, day and night, beauty and ugliness, life and death, being and non-being, aniaml and vegetable, spirit and material, ..........However, there's no clear-cutting line dividing the opposing two sides. The dichotomy is devised for the convenience of reasoning.

Sometimes goodness is reversed into badness at a certain point. Night is reversed to day at a certain point, but human organs cannot grasp the exact dividing- line. Some people even change their sex. What is spirit and what is materail? Is energy a material? Yes and no. An idea has power or energy. Then it is a materal. Some plants eat bugs and worms. Are they really plants? There is no dividing line in reality. Things exist in continuum. Logical mind needs dividing lines between things for its satisfaction.

In turth, a thing contains the two opposing elements and expresses the dominat side to survive in cosmos. A man contains the qualities of a woman. Vice versa! Without life, No death. No joy, no grief. Love changes into hatred. When the spirit of a living organ( or a dead organ) is inclined to one side, it retunrns to the other side. Every entity in cosmos strives to keep equillibrium and harmony.

Somebody said, " Language is none other than a simple vehicle of transmitting thoughts to the brains of others." Language is, as Buddhists say, like a boat to cross a river. You can not take the boat home, even in mind, when you crossed a river. You should leave it at the river for next travellers.

Out in the Spring

2006-04-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

Buhyun, 5 year-old, is happy with a cotton candy. She has a disease on her knees. In fact she has a chronic pain all around her body. A kind of rheumatoid. Her cells got crazy and attack her own body especially joints.
The joints in her knees and ankles are swollen and hardened, which make her impossile to walk. She feels uncomfortable but still enjoys her life. Of course, with our help.

Our family visited Children's Grand Park in Seoul on April 15. My wife and I took charge of each one of our girls. You see in the picture above? The kids were so happy!! See the flowers and people. We just had a fun day.

A day in Venice

2006-04-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

Ken, standing on a bridge in Venice, Italy.

In 1997, I went to Italy, visiting Rome, Florence and Venice.
Venice was the most amazing place. A city on the water! I was also amazed about human power to build such a marvelous city. I should go there once again. It's already 10 years since I was there.

Eternal life

2006-04-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

My friend took this picture of beautiful flowers while she was on the walk. Life shows its sign clearly when the environment is genial as the flowers bloom when spring is on the corner. When life is blooming, it is just beautiful! Some life, whether it is an animal or plant, grows itself even when the circumstances are hostile.
We admire the expressions of life - a flower in the crannied wall, an fortitudinous person, a crying baby from mom's womb.

When our life energy, the potential, is in bloom, we are happy, successful and beautiful. The motivator is our will and belief on the energy. Our confidence that we can bloom ourselves out of cirsumstances! The energy is intensified when the windows and doors of a life are channelled with cosmic pulse.

Life keeps going on. The plant still lives when the flowers are withered, keeping its roots under the ground. It spreads its seeds everywhere. The seeds keep the essense of their producer, the plant, in their genes even after the plant dies. The life of a plant continues all along. It never dies. Death is just another beginning of life.
Every entity has an eternal life. Even an idea has an eternal life. It loses its power, but it never dies.

Physical life is just partial expression of a total life. Every life has its soul, or every soul has its life. Your soul travels around the universe at every moment and even after your body is dissolved into lifeless dusts. A powerful life radiates its energy far and away. A selfish soul only takes care of itself while a philanthropic mind enlightens all human kind.

My life is eternal anway. How I live depends on me.

Writers and Thinkers

2006-04-11T00:36:00.000-07:00

Ken Wilber --http://www.khandro.com/kenwilber/

Fritjof Capra --http://www.fritjofcapra.net/

Deepak Chopra --http://www.chopra.com/home.aspx

Joan Borysenko --http://joanborysenko.com/html/bio.html

Colin Wilson - A brief introduction to Colin Wilson's thought
The Colin Wilson page

Lyall Watson-- http://www.lyallwatson.com/

I Admire Beauty.

2004-08-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

I put a seed of beauty in the field of my mind.
I love and admire the beautiful.
I want to spread the spirit of beauty around the cosmos,
Making all creations dance to the rhythm of beauty.

What is most beautiful in virile men is something feminine; what is most beautiful in feminine women is something masculine.
Susan Sontag (1933 - ), Against Interpretation, 1966

A Fuzzy Culture

2004-08-30T23:44:00.000-07:00

Korean culture seems to be fuzzy. It is not easy to describe this in English - an analaytic language. You'd better depend on your insight and intuition rather than on your intellect or reason when you try to understand Korean culture and their mentality. You should feel rather than think. The fuzziness is expressed in almost every aspect of Korean culture - architecture, food, clothing, life style and language.

In Korea clear cutting is not respected. Instead generous and absorptive attitude is repected. You can find the generocity and fuzziness of Korea and its people in many aspects of the culture and life styles.

You may have seen Korean traditinal clothings- Hanbok. It covers the whole body but the quality of the clothes makes the body interact with the outside. It is designed to block the sunligh and heat while the sir permeates inside so that skin can breathe well. When it is cold you can wear some underwears and feel comfortable because of the loose space between the body and Hanbok. It is very adaptive to the environment.

Koreans enjoy fermented foods such as Kimchi, Toenjang(fermented soy bean), kanjang(essential elemetn distilled from soy bean0. Kimchi is the most favored food. It is spicy and gives us some remainging taste as otehr fermented foods. Most of the fermented or pasteurized foods should be reserved for quite long period to be served on the table. The food absorb natural energy during the process of the fermentation, People have to wait. The taste is hard to say in clear words. It's a kind of mixed taste with different flavors.

Some say that the taste of Korean food is like the personality or mentality of Koreans. Koreans express their inner feeling after some period of reservation. Their emotion is expressed incrementally. Hasty and clear expression is never a virtue in Korea though it is changing with the influence of many different cultures in this globalized society.

The fuzziness is also found in the use of language. Korean language is very symbolic and illogical. It is also kind of consolidating and ambiguous. Most English words have negative or positive connotations but Korean words are more value-free and have containing meanings. While English language is rectangular and logical, Korean language is trans-logical and round. One word can mean the opposite in different situations. You may need intuition and telepathic power to understand Korean conversation. 'Siwon hada' means literally 'cold' or 'cool'. When you are out in the cool area, You say this espression. But some Koreans say "Siwon hada" when eating hot soup, which means she feels fresh with the soup. They also say this when they feel free or some troube has gone. Expressed language is not so much important as the shared information or the exchange of sympathetic feelings.

A New Start

2004-08-29T23:24:00.000-07:00

Ken with Kids

I've always been trying to feel new.
Opening a blog in English is another new challenge! I want to share my ideas with people on the planet.

I feel something uneasy is hapening on the globe. I wish we could do even a trivial thing to change the world into a beautiful star in the universe!!

Ken Ryong