A Noble Pair...
Meet Mrs. Yang... She is the matriarch of the Yun Family. The other day, Mrs. Yang, a very warm person, was gracious enough to invite us and our dinner guests over for some quince tea.
Once you enter the Yun’s hanok, 5 generations of noble family history whisper softly to you from its walls.
At 140 years old, this is the oldest home in Korea that is still occupied by its founding family. Mrs. Yang is the 5th generation of Yun matriarchs...and won’t be the last.
That night, our guests Professor Kun-Pyo Lee of KAIST and his #2 son (that’s how he liked to introduce himself), Choong-Hyo, were not anticipating such an historical after-dinner treat. Especially, since the #2 son is now studying architecture...
...We had quickly forgotten about the nifty conversation piece that Professor Lee had brought to dinner. I think the gadget is called an iPad!!! But, I digress...
...Everyone marveled at the intricate craftsmanship and the massive ceiling beams, which must be at least 20 inches thick. But the real story is not about the house...it is just a symbol. The real story lies in the hearts of the generations of Yun’s who lived there...
For instance...The Yun’s have traditionally reached out to the West. Above...Mrs. Yang is showing us a set of antique fusion-style dinnerware designed by a late family patriarch. The above dish happens to be part of a serving set designed especially to appeal to western dignitaries who often visit the Yun family. Most of whom are accustomed to passing around a serving platter rather than sharing a single dish from the center of the table.
The entire set is truly one of a kind...and a testament to the generations of creative Koreans who have been reaching out beyond their own culture.
As Mrs. Yang guided us through the rest her fantastic home, she reached for a photograph from the book shelf. It was an old photo of two beautiful Red-Crowned Cranes. The majestic pair were the Yun’s family pets for several generations. I understand that Red-Crowned Cranes can live for more than 70 years. So the photo was likely taken in the early 1900’s.
The birds were a beloved pair even though they often tormented the Yun children of past generations...
...At 1.5 meters tall, they must have been quite a terror for the kids. The above picture should give you some perspective!
For context, you should understand that Red-Crowned Cranes are symbolic of Korean national identity not unlike the Bald Eagle is to the US. And similarly the Yun’s are living symbols of Korean nobility. So that makes the next little story even more tragic...
During the Korean War, the North Koreans forcibly occupied Seoul and along with it, the Yun Family compound. During that occupation, the compound served as a field hospital for North Korea. They painted a cross on the roof of the main residence to divert the US from bombing the beautiful property. The US obliged.
Though the North Korean occupiers managed to save themselves from being bombed, they did not show the same mercy toward the resident pair of cranes. For some twisted reason they decided to kill and eat the two symbolic creatures. What a shame...
Red-Crowned Cranes mate for life. When initially excited, they pick up small sticks and grass, toss them exuberantly into the air and stab at them as they fall to the ground. Once in love, they have a spectacular courtship ceremony where they prance stiff-legged around one another, bowing and stretching alternately while their wings are half extended. The dance is accentuated by leaping high up into the air as their legs dangle beneath them.
Maybe their essence still inhabits the shadows of the Yun’s grand old residence...the stone urns that the pair used to drink from still stand guard at the gate leading to the guest house...often filled with fresh rain water...
...waiting for the majestic couple to return.
