| Endorsement by 'Do-ol' Kim Yong-ok |
At his lecture to Seoul's foreign ambassadors in March 2004, I gave him an English copy of my book; he
looked all through it with pleasure, and during his lecture recommended it to the audience. Eight months later
he called me up, saying that he had finished reading the whole book, and wanted to tell me that he thoroughly
agrees with my general perspective on the San-shin and its central place in Korean culture. He especially
liked my conclusions in the out-on-a-limb fourth chapter, on neo-traditionalism, eco-piety and national
reunification. Declared that I ‘hit the nail right on the head’, and wrote something fresh and important that
Korea and the world needs to hear.
He invited me to drop by his office for a deeper discussion of these matters, and when I did in late November,
he made this traditional brush-&-ink painting-with-calligraphy for me in recognition of our meeting of the
minds. He put five seals on it, three of his and two of mine (upper-right-corner is my pen-name ‘San-lang’ or
“Mountain Wolf”; that seal was made for me at the Hwang-shan or ‘Yellow Mountains’ of China in 1983):
looked all through it with pleasure, and during his lecture recommended it to the audience. Eight months later
he called me up, saying that he had finished reading the whole book, and wanted to tell me that he thoroughly
agrees with my general perspective on the San-shin and its central place in Korean culture. He especially
liked my conclusions in the out-on-a-limb fourth chapter, on neo-traditionalism, eco-piety and national
reunification. Declared that I ‘hit the nail right on the head’, and wrote something fresh and important that
Korea and the world needs to hear.
He invited me to drop by his office for a deeper discussion of these matters, and when I did in late November,
he made this traditional brush-&-ink painting-with-calligraphy for me in recognition of our meeting of the
minds. He put five seals on it, three of his and two of mine (upper-right-corner is my pen-name ‘San-lang’ or
“Mountain Wolf”; that seal was made for me at the Hwang-shan or ‘Yellow Mountains’ of China in 1983):
He then typed out the inscription in both
Chinese and Korean for me. It's in poetic
classical Sino-Korean text, and roughly
translates to:
“I painted this for David Mason 'Master
Mountain-Wolf'. This Tiger is the Mountain-
spirit; by it the clear-&-strong powerful energies
that emanate from Heaven-&-Earth are
purified. It serves as the fundamental heart of
Joseon's religions [the source of the Korean
people’s religiosity]. 'Mountain-Wolf teacher'
has shown this as the basic means of
harmonizing all religions, and as the axis for
South & North Korea to find unity (with his
research). This Tiger is the Baekdu-daegan,
the Korean people’s eternal hometown."
"Drawn when he visited my Nakhanjae office,
Winter of Gapshin Year, by Stone-head, 2004
November 25th afternoon"
Chinese and Korean for me. It's in poetic
classical Sino-Korean text, and roughly
translates to:
“I painted this for David Mason 'Master
Mountain-Wolf'. This Tiger is the Mountain-
spirit; by it the clear-&-strong powerful energies
that emanate from Heaven-&-Earth are
purified. It serves as the fundamental heart of
Joseon's religions [the source of the Korean
people’s religiosity]. 'Mountain-Wolf teacher'
has shown this as the basic means of
harmonizing all religions, and as the axis for
South & North Korea to find unity (with his
research). This Tiger is the Baekdu-daegan,
the Korean people’s eternal hometown."
"Drawn when he visited my Nakhanjae office,
Winter of Gapshin Year, by Stone-head, 2004
November 25th afternoon"
drawing and inscription on the flyleaf of
the copy he gave me of his 2005 book
on the Joseon-Dynasty-founding
philosopher Jeong Do-jeon (1342-1398)
.
the copy he gave me of his 2005 book
on the Joseon-Dynasty-founding
philosopher Jeong Do-jeon (1342-1398)
.
"This Tiger is the Mountain-spirit....
This Tiger is the Baekdu-daegan..."
Below are typical drawings of a tiger
in the shape of the Korean Peninsula,
a common Korean- nationalist artistic
theme. The first examples of it were
drawn in the late Joseon Dynasty, so
as a theme it has deep roots.
This Tiger is the Baekdu-daegan..."
Below are typical drawings of a tiger
in the shape of the Korean Peninsula,
a common Korean- nationalist artistic
theme. The first examples of it were
drawn in the late Joseon Dynasty, so
as a theme it has deep roots.
Dr. Kim Yong-ok [literally "Gold Dragon Jade"], best known by his pen-name “Do-ol” [Stone-head
-- a Daoist/Zen reference] is Korea's leading "public philosopher." Once a leading professor of the
Oriental Classics at Korea University (after graduating from there with BA in Philosophy, then an MA from
Taiwan National University and another from Tokyo University, and finally a PhD from Harvard -- his dissertation was
on the late-Ming Neo-Confucian philosopher Wang Fuzhi), he became a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and
playwright and movie-director, and is now professor emeritus of Chung-ang University. Now close to 60
years old (born 1948/06/14 in Cheonan), he is a celebrated expert on all Oriental doctrines and medicines,
a multi-lingual genius with a great sense of ironic humor about it all.
He has been putting out several very successful series of books and lectures on KBS-TV covering his
relevant modern interpretations of classical Daoism (Lao-tzu), the Analects of Confucius and Zen
Buddhism (the Diamond Sutra). When he met with Dalai Lama in Dharmasala, India, it was supposed to
be for just a one-hour interview – but their conversation lasted for a full two days, and became the content
of his latest three-volume book, and a new lecture-series entitled “Do-ol’s Special -- Who We Really Are”
running on MBC-TV. His mind rapidly ranges over vast territories, and he doesn't hold back on enthusiastic
vehemence; whenever he speaks it’s very interesting to listen to.
-- a Daoist/Zen reference] is Korea's leading "public philosopher." Once a leading professor of the
Oriental Classics at Korea University (after graduating from there with BA in Philosophy, then an MA from
Taiwan National University and another from Tokyo University, and finally a PhD from Harvard -- his dissertation was
on the late-Ming Neo-Confucian philosopher Wang Fuzhi), he became a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and
playwright and movie-director, and is now professor emeritus of Chung-ang University. Now close to 60
years old (born 1948/06/14 in Cheonan), he is a celebrated expert on all Oriental doctrines and medicines,
a multi-lingual genius with a great sense of ironic humor about it all.
He has been putting out several very successful series of books and lectures on KBS-TV covering his
relevant modern interpretations of classical Daoism (Lao-tzu), the Analects of Confucius and Zen
Buddhism (the Diamond Sutra). When he met with Dalai Lama in Dharmasala, India, it was supposed to
be for just a one-hour interview – but their conversation lasted for a full two days, and became the content
of his latest three-volume book, and a new lecture-series entitled “Do-ol’s Special -- Who We Really Are”
running on MBC-TV. His mind rapidly ranges over vast territories, and he doesn't hold back on enthusiastic
vehemence; whenever he speaks it’s very interesting to listen to.
