Royal Asiatic Society - Korea activities of potential interest to M-Holers:
Tuesday September 11th, 7:30 pm: Lecture by our own MH occasional-commentor Dr. Andrei Lankov (specialist on North Korean political and social history, and its relations with the Soviet/Russian and Chinese governments; his bi-weekly column “Dawn of Modern Korea” appears in the Korea Times) on “North Koreans in the Borderland: Chinese North East and North Korea, from the 1980s to the Present”. He will discuss the situation in the borderland areas and the role of the Yanbian region — including the ups and downs of the North Korean refugee flow, the current situation of refugees, roles of smuggling and legitimate trade with Korea, as well as the current state of the Korean-Chinese community and it role in dealing with North Korea; special attention will be paid to the region’s role as the major conduit of unauthorized information into the DPRK. As usual, in the 2nd-floor Resident’s Lounge of the Somerset Palace, Anguk-dong, downtown Seoul. Tonight!
Sat-Sun Sept 15-16th: WANDO and JINDO ISLANDS TOUR — a great weekend spent in the unspoiled and rural extreme southern tip of the Korean peninsula, visiting the scenic islands of Wan-do, Bogil-do and Jin-do. On the return trip, we will visit the venerable Daeheung-sa Temple.
Sat Sept 15th: 1-day TOUR TO BUSAN CITY by KTX train — this trip takes us to Yongdu-san Park which offers great views, then the famously dynamic Jagalchi Fish market, the Taejongdae Cliffs Park, the UN Memorial Cemetery, the City Museum and Haeundae (Sea-Clouds Platform, the most famous beach in Korea) with a visit to the APEC Conference Hall located on a very scenic peninsula near the beach.
Sat~Tues Sept 22~26: Chuseok Tour to Beijing, Xian and Shanghai — last chance to make good use of your 5-days-off in this excellent way! – We’ll visit “Olympic City” Beijing and around it, including the Great Wall, and then fly to Xian, home of the 7000 life-sized terracotta soldiers and the heart of Chinese civilization until the Song Dynasty, and finally to Shanghai, the city which was once called the “Paris of the Far East”. This time is usually ideal weather to visit northern China, a great opportunity.
No other Lectures or Tours during Chuseok-time — because it’s Chuseok-time. Contact Info: http://www.raskb.com/ 763-9483 or raskb@kornet.net and yet more Fall activities are listed in comment #1…
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Sun Sept 16th: Walking-Tour of Samgak-san Doseon-sa Temple in Bukhan-san National Park — Still on the website schedule and supposed to be guided by my own bad self, but unfortunately the date for this has been postponed, as something urgent has come up.
Sat Sept 29th: BUKCHON WALKING TOUR in Seoul
Strolling for a few hours through the neighborhood of traditional (old or remodeled) Korean houses (hanok) just north of downtown, guided by an expert in its history. We will visit the new Bukchon Culture Center to learn about the preservation projects, the Gahoe Folk-Art Museum, a few great old hanoks and some traditional artisans who operate workshops there. Led by Professor David Mason.
SEPT 29-30 (Sat-Sun): JEOLLA PROVINCES TOUR: BYEONSAN-BANDO NATIONAL PARK, TAMYANG BAMBOO MUSEUM and UNJU-SA PAGODA VALLEY - We will spend the first day in Byeonsan Peninsula National Park with its spectacular scenery, fine views of the Yellow Sea and lovely Byeonsan Beach, and near here we will also be able to visit the famous Seonun-sa temple. The next day we will go to Tamyang for a visit to the bamboo museum before continuing our journey to mysterious Unju-sa in Pagoda Valley, with its dozens of unique-styled millennium-old stone Buddhist artworks.
SEPT 29-30 (Sat-Sun): CHUNGMU PORT (TONGYEONG CITY) and GEOJE-DO ISLAND TOUR - A chance to learn and explore some of Korea’s most outstanding scenery, with some interesting history behind it — the beautiful island and seas of Geoje-do and the Hallyo Waterway National Park.
OCT 5-8 (Fri-Mon): HONSHU JAPAN TOUR - This trip to Japan’s main island focuses on the industrial and historical Kansai region. The tour begins in Osaka, moves on to Asuka and Nara, the eighth century Japanese capital, and continues to Kyoto, the capital up until 1868. Castles, shrines, temples and museums insure a varied experience of Japan.
Sat-Sun Oct 6-7th: ANDONG AREA TOUR: Buseok-sa Temple, Dosan-seowan and Hahoe Aristocratic Village — An RAS favorite, this tour takes us to the most famous sites in and around Andong, the primary city of the Yangban (old aristocracy) and its values. We will visit the spectacular “Floating Rock Temple” at Sobaek-san National Park, the famous Dosan Neo-Confucian Academy of Korea’s most famous scholar (see both sides of your w1000 bill), and the traditional Hahoe Village, a collection of upper-class mansions which is famous for its Mask-dance festival and little-changed by time. If you haven’t yet been to Andong, this is your chance!
Getting to the Somerset Palace for the lecture is easy: 5 minutes walking west from Anguk Station Exit #6 (new Immig office), just off the same Yulgok-ro Avenue as that station is on — walk straight west (towards Gyeongbok-gung) right across the entranceway to Insa-dong and then across the big road (on which is Jogye-sa Temple) and just 20-30 meters more — the huge & well-lit Somerset Palace complex is on your left.
It’s also easily accessable by walking 10 min north from Jonggak Station (go thru the Jogye-sa courtyard passing behind the Main Hall, and up the alley behind it), and by walking somewhat longer NE from the Kyobo-Building Exits of Gwanghwa-mun Station.