My father

Most of us have at one point contemplated on death and what happens once we die. How will I die? Where will my remains be buried? Will I go to Heaven? Or be reincarnated? If so, as what?

My father has often talked about such questions since I was little. He believes that living is, in a way, a long preparation for death. I think he has a point. Now in his early 70s, my father has taken care not only to arrange for his own burial site, but those of his family and descendents across several generations. In fact, he has built a family cemetery. 

My father bought a fairly large parcel of land to build a family tomb. It's an indoor vault where the cremated remains of the deceased‐‐over 200‐‐will be stored. This is the largest private tomb in Jeju. Dad took my husband and me to see the vault. Outside the vault, my father lays out fruits and wine for a simple ancestral rite.

 

It was a hot day, but inside the vault it was much cooler, perhaps as it is inside a pyramid. The vault is made of marble and allows for ventilation and sunlight.

Inside the vault there are over 200 drawers. Each is designated for a particular family member, from my father's ancestors to posterity. On the front surface of each drawer is attached an individual tablet.

This family cemetery is for the males of the Yang family and their wives. Women who marry are considered no longer a Yang but a member of their husband's family. Therefore, I am a "Lee" instead of a "Yang," and am not eligible to be buried here. 

However, my dad said if I wished to be buried here‐‐with my husband's consent‐‐that I would take drawer number 51 and my hubby number 52.

Visiting the family cemetery my father has built, I come to think that it would be nice to be buried in Korea, the country of my birth and upbringing. If my husband and I were buried here, that would give our son, Russell, who was born in the U.S. and will likely live in the U.S., an extra incentive to visit Korea‐‐I hope.Korea is overpopulated for its territorial size; hence, burial land is in short supply. By law, most public cemeteries‐‐where the majority of Koreans are buried‐‐can keep the remains for only 50 years. Thereafter, it is up to the descendents to transfer the remains to another private site. 

Otherwise, they are moved and destroyed. My dad built a permanent family cemetery in consideration of these realities on land that by law cannot be converted into something else. So as long as the Korean state exists, so will this family cemetery. Our descendents will be able to participate together in ancestral rites at this site.  Ancestral rites are essential to the Confucian civilization and my family, including my two brothers, are strict adherents to this practice.

My husband visited this family cemetery more as a tourist, but is quite moved by the surroundings and is quick to help my dad set up the impromptu offerings to his ancestors. My dad also mentioned that he intends to build a playground off on a corner for children to play in.   

My dad has planted eucalyptuses by the entrance to the site. These flowers are not natie to Korea but were imported sometime in the 1980s by the then first lady. Eucalyptuses purportedly have antioxidant properties and represent the will to survive. They adorn this private land quite nicely.

Returning home we picked up my mother and went to a popular naengmyun (buckwheat noodles in cold beef broth) restaurant. Naengmyun is a favorite food in Korea, especially in hot weather. This is the oldest naengmyun restaurant in Jeju. Slurping in the cold noodles, it occurs to me that noodles are a traditional symbol of longevity. 

My Roots

My roots

My last name, Yang, is a Korean family name that's native to Jeju. According to the founding myth of the people of Jeju, three gods, respectively named Yang, Ko, and Bu, arose from the ground and founded the island kingdom of Jeju. These three last names are the most common last names in Jeju. In fact, all Koreans named Yang can trace their genealogical roots to Jeju.

One can visit the mythical grounds bearing three large holes from which these three progenitors of the people of Jeju purportedly arose, called Sam Seong Hyeol. Each year the governor of Jeju leads an ancestral rites ceremony on these grounds, which is a major celebration for the entire residents of the island. My father is a former head of the association of the Yang clan and makes sure to attend this event each year. He led us on a tour of Sam Seong Hyeol.



                          (The courtyard where the ancestral rites to the three progenitors are performed)

Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market

Dongmun Market in mid-June. Stopped by several times on visiting my parents.The most famous open market in Jeju Island, and perhaps all of Korea, Jeju Dongmun Market boasts some of the freshest local foodstuffs, from prized native Jeju seafoods like red tilefish, abalone, and hairtail fish to black pork, tangerines, and dried Mt. Halla black mushrooms, to clothing, shoes, and all kinds of gadgets and souvenirs. This sprawling market opened in 1945 in the aftermath of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. It was the island's center for everyday shopping until large-scale corporate stores and mega-supermarket franchises like E-Mart opened a decade ago. 

Still, many residents remain loyal to the vendors they've known for years and insist on shopping for all their needs at the Dongmun Market. My mother is one of them. My parents live literally within a stone's throw of the market and my mother shops there everyday for the freshest produce, seafood and meat. When I was in grade school I fell in love with Dongmun's ddeok bokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes). The combination of the chewy rice cake, explosive fermented chili sauce, sugar, and spices is unforgettable. I always return to my favorite stall whenever I visit Jeju. Still the same yummy goodness after all these years!

(The famed Jeju hairtail fish)

It's glistening silver hue is simply dazzling. Never have I seen such fresh hairtail fish anywhere else in the world. I just love the taste of hairtail fish (think of a mix between sardine and snapper) and am always eager to get my hands on the fish when it's fresh. The big Korean supermarket nearby carries it frequently. But compared to what I am used to in Jeju, it's all invariably blueish and limpid. I would tell my husband about the super-fresh kind readily available in Jeju, and he, having never seen it with his own eyes, would say, "This looks pretty fresh to me." Well, never again! He was simply amazed by the freshness of the Jeju variety and exclaimed that henceforth we can never be satisfied with what's on the market back in the US!

                                                                    (Red Tilefish of Jeju)

Also known as red horsehead in Europe (the head of the fish resembles that of a horse), it's a type of sea bream or sea bass. Also known as Japanese tilefish, the glistening scales on the fish are reminiscent of shiny new reddish tile. The fish is usually sold dried. It retains its unique flavors when it's dried. The deep flavors of this delicacy are hard to describe. They remind me of Stilton cheese and black mushroom tempered by the freshest kind of cod. And they are not inexpensive! While red tilefish from China sell for about $10 per fish, the Jeju variety sells for $70! Connoisseurs claim that the native Jeju fish has incomparably deeper flavors. To all fish-lovers, I would highly recommend you try it on your next visit to Jeju.

                        Recordings of Korean "trot" music, much loved by middle-aged Koreans

                         Steamed whole pig head, Korean blood sausage, and pig's feet on display

Fresh live sea cucumber at Dongmun Market. One of my our favorite seafoods. My husband and I just love to eat it raw, sashimi-style. We were able to take care of our craving on this trip. On can find the freshest live abalone at several stalls in the market. Live, raw abalone is one of my favorite foods in the whole world. With each chewy bite you can taste the briny wholesome goodness of the sea.