마라난타 스님과 함께 간다라 불교의 세계로

▲ 간다라 건축양식으로 만들어진 간다라 유물관
ⓒ 이상기 간다라 유물관





간다라 유물관은 사면대불상, 부용루, 탑원과 함께 백제불교 최초도래지에서 가장 중요한 네 가지 시설물이다. 이들은 모두 2000년에 공사를 시작해서 2006년에 완성되었다. 그러나 이들 시설물이 학술적인 고증을 토대로 만들어진 것이 아니어서 정체성에 약간의 문제는 있다.


하지만 간다라 유물관에 전시된 유물이 기원후 2세기에서 6세기경 간다라 지방에서 만들어진 것이어서 이런 문제점들을 훌륭하게 보완해주고 있다. 유물관에는 불상, 불두, 부조 등 진품 유물이 전시되어 있어 간다라 불교 예술의 특징을 보고 느낄 수 있다. 유물관 건물도 간다라 건축양식이라고 한다.





▲ 마라난타 존자의 손을 잡고 기도를 하는 회원
ⓒ 이상기 마라난타 존자




유물관에 들어서면 가장 먼저 마라난타 존자상이 우리를 맞이한다. 3층의 낮은 기단 위에 등신대로 만들어진 스님이 인자한 웃음을 짓고 있다. 회원 중 일부는 스님의 손을 잡고 뭔가 기원을 한다. 중앙의 로비를 지나 왼쪽 전시실로 들어가니 먼저 ‘마라난타의 길’이라는 지도가 눈에 들어온다.





▲ '마라난타의 길' 지도
ⓒ 이상기 마라난타의 길




지도에 보니 마라난타 스님은 간다라에서 실크로드의 오아시스 도시 쿠차와 돈황을 지나 장안에 도착했다. 이때 중국은 동진(東晉)의 효무제가 통치하고 있었다. 스님은 이곳에서 인도의 불교를 전파하고 후학들을 가르친다. 그러나 천성적으로 한 곳에 머무르지 못하는 성격을 가진 스님은 동쪽 절강성으로 가 불교를 전파하기 위해 애썼다. 마라난타 스님은 위태롭고 험난한 땅을 찾아 인연이 닿는 곳이면 어디든 가기를 마다하지 않았다고 <해동고승전>은 적고 있다. 그는 384년(백제 침류왕 원년) 다시 절강성을 떠나 이곳 법성포에 이르렀고, 백제에 불교를 전해 준 최초의 스님이 되었다.


다음 전시실에서는 간다라 지역의 불상과 불두, 부도 등 불교 유물을 꽤 많이 볼 수 있었다. 이들은 모두 간다라 지역 출토유물로 최근에 구입한 것으로 여겨진다. 먼저 6세기에 만들어진 불두가 보인다. 제목에는 소조불상 불두로 되어있다. 여기서 소조란 점토로 만들었다는 말이다. 점토로 만든 불상으로 그 중 부처님 머리만이 이곳에 전시되어 있는 것이다.





▲ 2-3세기에 만들어진 석조불상 불두
ⓒ 이상기 석조불두




그 옆에는 돌로 만든 석조불상 불두가 있다. 이 석조불상 불두에서 간다라 미술의 전형을 보는 것 같다. 물결모양의 머리는 위로 올려 묶었고(육계) 이마에는 백호가 양각되어 있다. 얼굴 표정도 이상적인 서양형에서 원만한 동양형으로 바뀌고 있다. 물론 옆에 있는 불두들은 다른 표정과 다른 양식이어서 간다라 미술을 하나의 통일된 형식으로 볼 수는 없을 것 같다.


또 부처님도 입상이 있고 좌상도 있는데 형식과 표현 기법이 하나같이 다 독특하고 다양하다. 입상은 왕자 시절의 고타마같고, 좌상은 깨달음을 얻기 위해 고행하는 모습 같다. 이들 입상과 좌상에는 정교한 옷주름 장식과 광배가 있어 불상이 예술적으로 한 차원 높아졌음을 알 수 있다.





▲ 부처님이 첫 출가 후 선정에 드는 장면
ⓒ 이상기 부처님의 선정





이들 불상 외에 부도와 부조가 있는데 이들 역시 비교적 정교한 조각 솜씨를 보여주고 있다. 먼저 눈에 띄는 것이 부처님이 출가 후 첫 선정에 드는 장면이다. 좌대에 올라 두 손을 무릎 위에 모으고 결가부좌한 자세이다. 주변에는 제자들이나 중생들이 두 손을 모아 부처님의 깨달음을 기원한다.


그 옆에는 과거칠불을 조각한 부조가 있다. 과거칠불이란 과거 장엄겁에 나타난 세 분의 부처와 현재 현겁에 나타난 네 분의 부처를 일컫는 말이다. 그래서인지 세 분은 뒤에 상대적으로 작게, 네 분은 앞에 상대적으로 크게 만들어져 있다. 현겁의 부처님 중 한 분이 석가모니불로 그는 우리에게 다음과 같이 말하는 듯하다.





▲ 과거칠불 부조
ⓒ 이상기 과거칠불





모든 악을 짓지 말고 諸惡莫作
모든 선을 받들어 행하라. 衆善奉行
스스로 그 뜻을 깨끗하게 하라, 自淨其意
이게 모두 부처의 가르침이다. 是諸佛敎

칠불통계게(七佛通誡偈)





간다라 미술


▲ 2세기 간다라의 대표적인 불두
ⓒ 이상기 간다라 불두





간다라 미술은 기원전 1세기부터 기원후 5세기까지 인도의 북서부 간다라 지역에서 번창했던 불교미술을 말한다. 간다라 지방은 동서 교통로의 한 가운데 위치하고 있었기 때문에 서쪽의 페르시아와 그리스, 동쪽의 인도와 중국 문화가 혼재하는 양상을 보여주고 있다. 간다라 지방은 인더스강 상류로 현재 파키스탄의 페샤와르, 아프카니스탄의 카불을 포함하는 지역이다.



간다라 양식의 미술은 파르티아 왕국(B.C. 50-A.D. 75) 때부터 형성되기 시작하여 쿠샨왕조(1세기-5세기) 시대 절정을 이루었다. 카니시카왕(A.D. 128-151)은 페샤와르와 탁실라 지역을 중심으로 벵골만과 중앙아시아 지역까지 영토를 확장하였다. 그는 불교의 후원자로서 불교문화의 번성과 전파를 위해 노력했다. 당시 불교는 파미르 고원을 넘어 중국에 전해졌고, 384년 마라난타 존자에 의해 이곳 법성포까지 들어오게 된다.



간다라 미술의 가장 두드러진 특징은 불상의 제작이다. 그때까지 부처를 상징하는 것은 보리수, 탑(Stupa), 법륜 등이었으나 간다라 지역에서 인간의 모습을 한 불상이 처음으로 만들어진 것이다. 이후 불상은 불교의 상징이 되었고, 중국을 거쳐 우리나라로 전해졌다. 간다라 불상은 그리스 조각의 영향으로 눈이 깊고 코가 높으며 머리카락도 물결 모양이다.






ⓒ 2011 OhmyNews



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출처 : 마라난타 스님과 함께 간다라 불교의 세계로 - 오마이뉴스

간다라, 파키스탄

오래된 포스트!
간다라!

“실크로드 중심 동서문명 교차로 간다라 미술은 퓨전문화의 원조”

실크로드 중심 동서문명 교차로 간다라 미술은 퓨전문화의 원조”


파키스탄의 간다라 사진전이 지난달 서울 견지동 조계사 내 나무갤러리에서 열렸다. 이번 전시에서는 독일하이
델베르크연구소의 호프트만 박사가 촬영한 암각화와 파키스탄 사진작가 굴레이즈 고우리가 찍은 유적지와 불
상, 풍경 사진 등이 소개된 자리였다. 무엇보다 전시를 마련한 이가 파키스탄에 거주하고 있는 한국인 박교순
(52)씨라는 점에서 관심을 모았다.

“크리스천이었던 제가 1999년도에 파키스탄으로 여행을 떠나면서 인연이 만들어졌습니다. 이슬람국가지만 박
물관엔 간다라 불상들이 많았어요. 저도 모르게 그 불상에 빠져들어 버렸습니다.”





동양과 서양을 이어주는 실크로드의 허리였던 파키스탄 간다라 문화의 전도사를 자임하고 있는 박교순 교수. 그
는 “간다라 지역은 동서양 문명을 비롯해 다양한 민족과 종교가 만나는 가운데 ‘간다라불교미술’이라는 화려한
문화의 꽃을 피운 지역이라는 점에서 인류평화의 교본이 되고 있다”고 강조했다


그는 현재 수도인 이슬라마바드 인근에 소재한 파티마진나 여자대학에서 간다라미술사를 가르치고 있다. 향기로
운 땅이라는 뜻을 지닌 간다라는 대승불교가 시작되고 불상이 만들어지기 시작한 곳이다.

“간다라 미술은 비교종교학, 고고학, 미술사를 아울러야 비로소 제대로 이해를 할 수 있습니다. 백제에 불교를
전한 마라난타도 간다라에서 왔지요.”

박 교수는 실크로드중심으로 동서문명의 교차로 역할을 한 간다라가 퓨전문화의 원조라고 말했다. “그리스와 헬
레리즘 문화가 동양문화와 만나고, 다른 민족과 종교가 만나 불교예술을 꽃피운 곳이지요. 경제적 번영과 함께
문화교육 수준이 높았고 동시에 종교적 화합이 이뤄졌습니다.”

97%가 이슬람 신앙을 하는 파키스탄에서 그동안 간다라 불교문화는 무관심의 대상이었다. 서구학자들의 연구
발길만 이어져 왔을 뿐이다. 근래 파키스탄에서 간다라문화예술협회가 출범하면서 상황은 변하고 있다. 협회 회
원으로 학자는 물론 언론인과 기업인들도 대거 참여하고 있다. 현재 협회 회장은 파키스탄의 유력 기업인 사이프
(saif)그룹 앤버 사이플라 칸 회장이 맡고 있을 정도다. 박 교수도 협회 총무로 살림을 총괄하고 있다.

“파키스탄 정부는 간다라불교문화유적을 한국 등 극동의 불교문화국가들과 문화교류의 끈으로 새롭게 인식하
고 있습니다. 관광자원으로서의 가치에 대해서도 뒤늦게 눈을 뜨고 있지요.”

협회에선 간다라연구소 설립을 추진하고 있다. “그동안 파키스탄에선 간다라미술을 공부하기 위해선 영국, 프랑
스, 그리스 등에 유학을 해야 했습니다. 연구도 서양학자들과 일본 등이 주도하고 있지요. 미술사적으로만 편중
된 간다라 연구도 탈피돼야 합니다.” 문화란 흘러가고 흘러오는 법인데 서양중심으로 흘러옴에 치중했다는 얘기
다. 간다라가 그리스 로마문화에 끼친 영향이 제대로 조명돼야 한다는 것이다.

파키스탄 간다라엔 불상 성립 이전 부처를 상징했던 ‘스투파나 부처님 발자국’ 등의 유적이 여전히 남아 있다.
2000여년 전 세계 최초의 대학인 탁실라 대학도 간다라를 배경으로 탄생했다. 실크로드 카라코람엔 옛 순례승
들과 카라반들이 남겨 놓은 암각화들이 산재해 있다. 암각화에는 다양한 문화와 종교가 등장한다.

박 교수는 간다라의 교류와 화합의 문화정신에 주목한다. 한국전통사찰과 간다라 절의 건축을 조화시킨 명상센
터 건축을 추진하는 배경이다. 한국불교도 가르칠 예정이다. 이른바 간다라 르네상스 프로젝트다.

“간다라를 통해 파키스탄이 세계와 소통하고 그것을 통해 경제발전과 평화회복이 가능해지리라 믿어요. 이슬람
이 배타성이 강하다는 것은 오해예요. 특히 간다라 연구를 사상적 차원으로 끌어올리는 데 간다라대승불교에 빚
을 진 한국이 역할을 할 때입니다.”

세계일보 편완식 선임기자

출처 : http://www.segye.com/Articles/NEWS/CULTURE/Article.asp?
aid=20110801003523&subctg1=&subctg2=

....more in Korean here

Pakistan Buddhist art shines light on links..

Korea links up Pakistan through Buddhism...

The best way to gain the attention of visitors and attract business to one’s country is by making connections and creating invisible bonds.

“I came to my homeland,” Jeon Woon-Deok said, Chief Monk of Cheon Tae Sect of Korea, when he visited Gandhara of Pakistan.

“We are so close, yet so far away,” said Park Kyo-soon, a research scholar of Gandhara art of Pakistan. “The Korean traditional culture is Buddhism-centric and Korean Mahayana Buddhism comes from Gandhara. Therefore, speaking of culture, Korea has a natural bond with Pakistan.”

To revive the ancient link, a photographic exhibition of Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan was presented by the Pakistan Embassy, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Pakistan and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Namu Gallery in the Jogye Temple on July 22.

Gandhara art has a very important place in the world’s art history because the first Buddha statues in human form originated there, amalgamating both Western and Eastern cultures. The realistic and beautiful depictions of Buddha statues caused the Buddhist art to flourish.

Also, Park Hee-do, chairman of National Buddhist Council for Security of Korea, said “Korea will help to revive Pakistan’s Buddhism (artifacts) and make Gandhara a Mecca of Buddhists.”

“Through this exhibition, I want people of two countries to be closer in understanding their cultural heritage and furthermore, both countries would find new potentials of each country and actively invest.” said Shuakt Ali Mukadam, Ambassador of Pakistan to the Republic of Korea.

By Kim Hee-jung (hk1001@nyu.edu)


The entire article can be read here at Korea Herald.

Presentation on ‘Gandhara Renaissance’

The Gandhara Art and Culture Association (GACA) organised a presentation on ‘Gandhara Renaissance’ in the context of revival of peace, prosperity and interfaith harmony in the region here.

Three years ago, GACA, through the chief Buddhist Monk of Korea Jeon Woon Deok, shared a proposal with President Asif Zardari for revival of the oldest university in the world at Taxila. The president immediately issued a directive for donation of 100 canals of land next to Dharma Ra Jika stupa in Taxila. This proposal may now be close to fruition as the chairman of GACA Anwar Saifullah Khan, in his welcome address on the occasion, urged Salman Faruqui, secretary general to the president, to implement the president’s directive. He also requested the business and diplomatic communities

to donate for the worthy

cause.

Three eminent professors and a research scholar made presentations on Gandhara. Dr. Abdul Rehman gave a detailed account of Gandhara art and how it started in this region. He said Gandhara means the ‘Land of Fragrance.’ “Even though the fragrance has unfortunately disappeared, the importance of reviving this region to its original form and fragrant glory can hardly be over-emphasised,” he stressed.

Professor Saeed Akhtar analysed an eminent Gandhara relic (the fasting Buddha), which is a unique, 2,000 years old masterpiece of art which has never been promoted in the past. Gandhara art scholar from South Korea, Esther Park, who is living in Pakistan, feels that with proper promotion, this work of art can attract tourists in large numbers, especially from Buddhist countries.

Dr. Amineh Hoti, professor from Cambridge University, delivered a lecture on the ‘Significance of knowledge in interfaith harmony.’ She already has to her credit, the start of an interfaith institute in Cambridge University, and now intends to carry on this important work in her own country.

Esther’s presentation on ‘Gandhara Renaissance’ primarily focused on the development of Kyung Ju, a Koran city similar to Taxila. She shared with the audience, the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs of the city to show how seriousness of purpose led to its transformation. Referring to a UN report released after the Korean war, Esther mentioned that the said report predicted no hope in the future for Korea. “But through persistent hard work by the Koreans, their country is now among top-three most developed economies in the world,” she stated with a sense of pride.

Esther said, Pakistan has greater potential than Korea and urged the country’s government and business community to unite for the cause.

More on that can be read here

The Jogye Order's Buddhist School of International Studies

It is the first of its kind in Korea, opened its gates on Friday at Hwaunsa temple in Gyeonggi Province.

This special two-year training school is aimed at further propagating Korean traditional Buddhism to the rest of the world by fostering specialized monks with bilingual skills which is necessary when preaching Korean Buddhist teachings to foreigners.

This special two-year training school is aimed at further propagating Korean traditional Buddhism to the rest of the world by fostering specialized monks with bilingual skills which is necessary when preaching Korean Buddhist teachings to foreigners. "Up until now when Korean monks go abroad they really don't feel comfortable with foreigners, they don't know what to do, foreigners don't know what to do with them. But many people are actually very interested in and curious about Korean Buddhism. So that's one of the main motivations." In line with the purpose of this establishment, the school offers a wide range of courses from fundamental Buddhist doctrines and practices to technical English. The newly opened school has nine Bhikkuni monks and these women are eager to spread their words of wisdom. "I enrolled because I wanted to deepen my understanding of Korean Buddhism and preach the teachings in my own voice to many others around the world and help them cure their minds." The nine student monks vary in age and experience, but their goal is the same -- to liberate people across the globe from suffering by enlightening them through Korean Buddhism.


[Interview : Mujin Sunim, School head ] "Up until now when Korean monks go abroad they really don't feel comfortable with foreigners, they don't know what to do, foreigners don't know what to do with them. But many people are actually very interested in and curious about Korean Buddhism. So that's one of the main motivations."

In line with the purpose of this establishment, the school offers a wide range of courses from fundamental Buddhist doctrines and practices to technical English.
The newly opened school has nine Bhikkuni monks and these women are eager to spread their words of wisdom.


[Interview : Un-Seong Sunim, Bhikkuni monk] "I enrolled because I wanted to deepen my understanding of Korean Buddhism and preach the teachings in my own voice to many others around the world and help them cure their minds."

The nine student monks vary in age and experience, but their goal is the same -- to liberate people across the globe from suffering by enlightening them through Korean Buddhism.


[Reporter : Han Da-eun
daeun@arirang.co.kr ] "Jogye Order Buddhist School of International Studies is expected to pave a new road in fostering specialized Buddhist experts, as well as contribute to globalizing Korean traditional Buddhism.
Han Da-eun, Arirang News."

Gandhara Art Exhibition in Seoul

Esther Park, who has settled in Pakistan since 1999 and has never looked back she is pursuing her PHD. She has many a feathers in her cap in boosting the soft image of Pakistan all over the world.

She has written poems and co-authored books about Gandhara culture home of world oldest civilization. The selected photographs taken by Gulraiz Ghouri and German professor Dr Hauptman will be displayed during the month at an art exhibition at Na Mu gallery inside Jo Gye temple and will continue for 10 days.

The most interesting thing about the photographs is that it depicts the peace and tranquillity in Swat region in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province which has been disturbed since long owing to militancy.

The exhibition is done with the sole objective to give an insight off the area to Buddhist community in Korea which Esther Park believes can attract large numbers to Pakistan.

Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan has its birthplace in Pakistan and Monk Maranantha born in Chota Lahore, Mardan in Khyber Pukhtoonkwah was the person to spread Buddhism in all these three countries.

“The exhibition is special,” said Esther adding,” It is displayed in Seoul with Buddhist perspective in mind and its importance to Buddhism religion as a whole.”

The idea is to show the world that Pakistan has great religious tolerance and Buddhist religious places in the region are safe and there is no threat.

Esther Park has plans to write a book about the region covering the Buddhist perspective as there is no literature to date available about the area covering the Buddhism religion. The material available has been written by western writers and it lacks the Buddhist philosophy and faith.

The Mahayana Buddhism originated from Pakistan and Esther Park documented many a sites that are off great spiritual importance to Buddhists in Korea. She aspires to write the book for all Buddhism followers in China, Japan and Korea and is working on getting funding for the project.

Esther in her endeavours has also formed Gandhara Arts and Cultural Association which is headed by Anwer Saifullah Khan and association member Zulfiqar Rahim needs special mentioning who played a vital role in Esther Park endeavours in pursuing her passion about Gandhara civilization.

Pakistan: Hub of Tourism not Terrorism

Islamabad - Pakistan should become the hub of tourism and not terrorism by promoting the rich cultural heritage of the country. This was stressed at a conference on “Gandhara: Road to peace, prosperity and interfaith harmony” arranged here on Saturday by Gandhara Art and Culture Association (GACA).

Anwer Saifullah Khan, chairman of GACA urged on “restoring and reviving the cultural glory of the region through the establishment of a Buddhist University in Taxila – a city which is as important for Buddhists as is Mecca for Muslims. “This step will greatly improve the image of Pakistan in the international world” he added.

Taxila, one of the oldest cities of Pakistan, was an ancient seat of learning (5th to 2nd century BC) where world’s first University was established in the Buddhist era. Ms. Esther Park, director of GACA said that GACA aims to revive the oldest university in the world by establishing a Buddhist University at the same site. “The institution can become one of the best research institutes on Gandhara, attracting a large number of religious tourists and scholars from across the world, especially China, Korea and Japan.” She also gave a video presentation on Gandhara renaissance.

The supporters for the proposed the university told that they are seeking funds from Pakistan government as well as private donors at home and abroad.

Speaking to the audience, Masood Ali Khan, a guest speaker pointed out that Pakistani scholars only educate students about 65 year old history but neglect the fact that Pakistan is home to 5000 years old heritage.

Mian Imran Masood, former provincial minister Education said that “the government of Pakistan has provide land for the establishment of the Gandhara university but the project still face a huge financial support to see the light of the day.”

Dr Abdur Rehman, an eminent scholar and archaeologist gave a detailed presentation on Gandhara art and shared the story of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha.

Saeed Akhtar, a famed artist discussed in detail the critical review of a classic Gandhara relic – “the fasting Buddha” when Buddha was merely reduced to skin and bone after six years of fasting. Tauseef Zaman, Vice President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) extended his full support to Gandhara Art and Culture Association.

Gandhara region, comprising Taxila, Peshawar and Swat valley is very rich in cultural heritage and is a sacred land for the Buddhists. With the development of the Gandhara region, the area could become preferred place of visit by the Buddhists as it contains a great component of the evolution history of this religion.

Takhat i Bhai is one of the most important Buddhist monastery in Gandhara. According to the chief monk of Korea “Takhat i Bhai is even a better than the great pyramids of Egypt” if compared as the universal energy conversion location, and “the proper restoration can make the monastery more popular than the pyramids.”

 

Original Article published in The Observer.

Seoul to support Gandhara university project in Pakistan

TAXILA: South Korea is keen to support Gandhara renaissance project in Taxila in northeast Pakistan aimed to revive the 2,500-year-old Buddhist University of Taxila with features of the 21st century.

This was stated by Choi In-Sun, the wife of Korean ambassador to Pakistan, after visiting the proposed site of the university here, reports said on Wednesday. She offered religious rituals at Dharmarajica, an ancient Buddhist stupa and monastery near the site.

Chief Monk of Korea Jeon Woon Deok, who visited Pakistan last year, has approved the site for the establishment of the institute. The government of Pakistan has agreed to provide land for the establishment of the university.

Earlier, founder of Gandhara Art and Culture Association Esther Park briefed the guest about the project.

Talking to newsmen, Sun said Taxila valley harboured one of the world’s best Buddhist sites and after establishment the institute would play a key role in reviving the oldest university and seat of learning.

She said the university would become a world research centre on Gandhara and interfaith harmony, which would not only invite scholars from across the world for study and research but would also promote tourism in Pakistan.

She said by establishing the institute, negative impact about Pakistan would be removed besides the area would become a tourist zone. She said the institute would also bridge the gap between Islam and other religions, especially Buddhism.

In response to a question, she said President Asif Ali Zardari, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Unesco, USAID and other international organisations were in touch with each other over the project. She hoped that with the assistance of Pakistan and support from the Korean public the project’s groundbreaking ceremony would be held in November.

She said the Korean embassy also planned a ‘peace karvan’ in Taxila in 2011 in which monks would perform prayers for peace in the world.

Esther Park said the aim of the establishment of the Buddhist centre of learning and research was to revive the ancient university of Taxila with the same features but with modern facilities.

Responding a question, she said the project had been initiated on the proposal of Korean chief monk who is also the chairman of his country’s Gandhara Arts and Culture Association.

Learn Chinese in Pakistan

...this post is to highlight some basics on learning Chinese while you are in Pakistan. I thought that doing this would be good since Korean has borrowed a lot from Chinese and in olden days the only method to write Korean Language was through Chinese charachters which we call Hanja (한자)  or Hanmun (한문).

Nevertheless, learning anything new and particularly a language is a good excercise for brain.

While looking for various programs being offered in Pakistan the oldest name is that of National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad. The website of NUML is not updated like every other website in Pakistan. They have webmasters and IT teams but I am clueless how things actually work. In Chinese language acquisition we have two major names of NUML and the Confucius Institute. I hope they bring forward a finctional website in a highly connected and wired world of today.

Anyhow, I ended up looking for programs on You Tube to learn Chinese and I have found an incredible website by Becky which is: http://www.baikeclass.com/.

Though Becky is very young but she is an excellent teacher so far on internet and her passion, vision and mission are great too. Best of luck Becky!

Until the universities announce admissions again: I'm Becky's student!

SAFTA

The South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) was agreed to among the seven South Asia countries that form the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

SAFTA came into effect on 1 January 2006, with the aim of reducing tarrifs for intraregional trade among the seven SAARC members. Pakistan and India are to complete implementation by 2012, Sri Lanka by 2013 and Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal by 2015.

SAFTA replaces the earlier South Asia Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA) and may eventually lead to a full-fledged South Asia Economic Union.

The road to implementation, however, is plagued by the overarching conflict between India and Pakistan.
Read here at bilateral.org

Most Dangerous Road in the World

Loralai Pass on way to Chitral...
The whole program, shot by ALjazeera can be seen here.

Brave Truck Drivers of Pakistan

Pakistan's Ambassador visits SNU

H.E Shaukat A Mukadam visited SNU.
Original story is here.

Pakistani Korean Family: Pros and Cons

This is a very interesting video of a Pakistani-Korean Family that has to deal with 2 cultures - in a monoethnic Korean society. This is a story of Mohammad Kamal - who is married to  Korean and now , that his children are growing up , he feel the need that the kids must learn Urdu (Pakistani language) besides Korean. It is not an easy task when the opportunities are much less for people with biracial backgrounds.

The story revolves around Kamals' family where his wife thinks that since they live in Korea and Urdu being too difficilcut it is not necessary to learn Pakistani language as it pressures the kids unnecessarily!

Click here to watch the video:

Video 1

Video 2

ROK's Ambassador Shin Un's Remark at a Dinner by Pak- Korea Frienship Scociety

It can be read here.

The World Today (EBS): Featuring Pakistan

An interview with a former Pakistani Ambassador to South Korea H.E Khalid Masood can be read here on their EBS website. 

Is Pakistan's Army as Islamist as We Think? - By C. Christine Fair | Foreign Policy

Is Pakistan's Army as Islamist as We Think? - By C. Christine Fair Foreign Policy

Brown Rice Import to South Korea

• Korean delegation to visit Pakistan this month; Pakistan expresses interest to export non-Basmati rice .

A high powered delegation of South Korea is scheduled to visit Pakistan for inspecting Pakistani rice for import. Korea which has started importing Pakistani rice since last year is interested to import the commodity at a large scale. According to sources the foreign delegation, is scheduled to visit Lahore, Karachi and other cities where they would inspect the quality of non-Basmati rice for import.
Confirming the forthcoming visit of the delegation Toufiq Ahmed Khan, Acting Chairman Rice Export Association of Pakistan (REAP) said that the foreign officials and experts would visit various agricultural units and laboratories to inspect the quality and standard of rice.
The state enterprises of South Korea would make a comprehensive study and visit various centers to formally start the import of Non-Basmati rice from Pakistan which has great demand in the foreign country. In reply to a query, he said that the residents of India and Pakistan in South Korea consume Basmati Rice imported from Pakistan while the other people consume non-basmati rice imported from other countries. “To tap the market of non-basmati rice in South Korea, the deal with state owned enterprises is of prime importance,” he added.
Besides the fresh developments, Pakistan, for the first time had started exporting rice to South Korea in 2009. The first consignment of 6,202 tonnes of rice was exported to the foreign country in December 2009 while the quantity of rice exported has been consistently increasing during January 2010 onwards, sources said. A Pakistani rice exporter company had won an order for more than 6,000 tonnes of Brown Rice to Korea after the rice category was included in the global quantity quota of Seoul.
As the Processed rice (Brown Rice) was included in the Korean global quotas quantity, Pakistan could avail the chance of exporting the same product that comparatively has a better standard.
According to the sources with the approval of the World Trade Organisation, private rice import to Korea is impossible apart from the quantity of ‘Minimum Market Access’ (MMA) by year 2014. The quantity of the MMA import quota is to be raised to 7.96 per cent of Korea’s total domestic consumption by 2014 from the 4 percent in 2004.
“This MMA quantity is divided into 2 quotas as local quota and global quota. Local quota (205,000 tons) is limited only to USA, China, Australia, and Thailand and table rice (white rice) is included in this quota. Global quotas quantity is increasing every year by (20,347 tonnes). Processed rice (Brown Rice) is included in global quotas which can be applied to Pakistani rice,” sources said.
These quotas, according to the sources, are supplied by a Korean trader through public bidding. Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF) has designated Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp (AT) for this purpose as an official procuring Agency. One trader does business only with one overseas rice exporter. This tender begins in September every year. It is pertinent to mention here that the rice import to Korea is strictly controlled by Korean government while at least five per cent of basic tariff rate is equally applied.

This story was covered by Pakistan Today.

Forgotten Lessons

This article was contributed by Rahimullah Yusufzai for 'The News'  after his brief trip to South Korea.

The original article can be read here.

The story of South Korea having learned and benefited from Pakistan’s experience in economic planning in the 1960s is often told and retold.
Anyone telling this story invariably adds that Pakistan faltered on the way after showing promise at the time while South Korea surged ahead by learning from others. There is now no comparison between Pakistan and South Korea. Pakistan’s economic problems are well-known while South Korea has become the world’s 11th largest economy. Its economy is the strongest among the four original Asian Tigers, the others being Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
This writer heard this story on quite a few occasions during a recent visit to South Korea, but one of the narrators, Jay Hee Oh, was particularly of interest as he had first-hand knowledge about the official Korean delegation sent to Pakistan to find out more about its five-year plan and learn from the Pakistani experience. He served as South Korea’s consul general in Islamabad in 1982 and became the first Korean ambassador to Pakistan in December 1984 when the diplomatic mission was upgraded. Leading a retired life in Seoul, the 79-year old Oh is presently the chairman of the Korean-Pakistan Friendship Association.
According to Oh, the World Bank officials in the early 1960s advised the South Korean government to send a delegation to Pakistan to study its five-year economic plan as they felt it could serve as a model for Korea. Mentally alert with a sharp memory, this is how he recalled that memorable visit: “I was at the time serving in the Korean embassy in Washington. A military coup had taken place in South Korea on May 16, 1961, and the new government of General Park Chung-hee was keen to undertake economic development by launching our country’s first five-year plan. The head of the Korean delegation that visited Pakistan was my friend and he and Dr Mahboobul Haq, who was also a friend of mine, narrated this story to me.”
Jay Hee Oh remembered that Korea had, for the first time, set up an economic planning board in its ministry of planning and economy and its director planning led the delegation to Pakistan. “We were very poor," he said. "Korea had no resources, but we were determined to change our lot. We learned from Pakistan’s experience and also of other countries, but we did things in our own way as we embarked on the mission of industrialising and developing our country.”
Oh said that Dr Mahboobul Haq was one of those Pakistani economists the South Korean delegation met. “You know Dr Haq was a top economist. He was always recommended by the World Bank and others as someone who needed to be heard. At the World Bank, he later became the right-hand man of President Robert McNamara,” he pointed out. “Korea learned some lessons from Pakistan. It is time Pakistan learned from Korea,” he remarked with a chuckle.
Recalling a meeting with Pakistan's military ruler General Ziaul Haq, Oh said the first question he asked was the secret of Korea's success as an economic power. "My answer was why don't you ask Dr Mahboobul Haq!" he said.
Times indeed have changed. Pakistanis are now trying to learn a thing or two from South Korea as one witnessed at the Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy and Management in Seoul. Students from 60 countries are studying at the school, spread over a sprawling and leafy campus. Professor Jin Park, a known South Korean economist, has 25 students from 18 countries in his class studying development economics and two of them are Pakistanis, both government officials. It was heartening to hear from Professor Park that these two were among his three top students. “Two Pakistani students are the best performers in my class. They are intelligent, disciplined and motivated,” he opined.
“Anyone with a master’s degree in economics can apply in our course, all imparted in English. We also offer generous scholarships,” he added.
Here is an opportunity that Pakistani graduates in economics should try to avail because we need to learn from the Korean experience. The Korean example is nothing short of a miracle as an over-populated country with a small territory has progressed so fast that it is now serving as a model for other countries. It was notoriously unstable politically in the past, but is a vibrant and stable democracy now. In 2009, South Korea became the first major recipient of official development assistance (ODA) to turn the corner and ascend to the status of a major donor of ODA. The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is now disbursing aid to a growing number of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. South Korea is the sixth largest exporter and the tenth largest importer in the world. It is among the world leaders in electronics, mobile phones and ship-building. South Korea has few resources, but technological advancement serves as the strength of its robust economy. The Koreans refer to their remarkable success as the ‘miracle of the Han River,’ the mighty river that flows in Seoul and bifurcates the nation’s capital into two.
The potential for Pakistan to learn and benefit from the Korean success and for the two countries to expand their economic relationship is largely untapped. South Korea’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Choongjoo Choi, told this writer that his country wanted to enhance its economic cooperation with Pakistan and enhance their bilateral trade from the existing $1.1 billion. He said Pakistan could get quality Korean products at reasonable prices that are lower than Western goods. Without naming China and Taiwan, he argued that Korean electronic and other products were of a better standard even if slightly higher in prices.
Pakistan cannot match South Korea’s bilateral trade with India, which now stands at $16 billion, and with China, stated to be an unbelievable $1 billion dollars a day. However, the potential for enhancing trade between the two countries clearly exists and needs to be exploited. Perhaps it is also time for the Republic of Korea to return the favour that Pakistan did to it in the 1960s and impart lessons that would kick-start the ailing Pakistani economy. n
The writer is resident editor of The News in Peshawar. rahimyusufzai@yahoo.com

Comaprison between Korea and Pakistan: Lessons Learnt

This article is borrowed from the blog Watandost.
It first appeared in Daily Times in June 2007 and was written by Saleem H Ali.

Emulating Korea? —Saleem H AliDaily Times, June 23, 2007

I arrived in Lahore this week for my annual family visit and while driving home in my jet-lagged daze saw a sign for “Korean language training” at a commercial plaza in Gulberg. This revelation was particularly striking, since only a few weeks ago I had visited South Korea and observed the remarkable number of Pakistani immigrants in Seoul’s Itaewon neighbourhood. A large mosque also towers above the rather shady inner-city suburb that is ironically also known for its assemblage of nightclubs and massage parlours. Halal meat shops and an enticingly aromatic “Hoor restaurant” can also be found amid these curvaceous streets.

Pakistanis are all too familiar with South Korean brand names: Samsung, Kia, LG, Hyundai, and most memorably Daewoo. What is perhaps less known and poorly understood is that South Korea has faced many of the same challenges as our country and yet followed a very different development path.

Fifty years ago, the country had the same level of poverty, civil strife and struggles with the military. Even now, a militant neighbour with an army of several million stands on its borders and brandishes nuclear weapons and inflammatory rhetoric spills forth quite frequently. Yet, the South Koreans did not let the politics of fear paralyse their development, nor did they fall for conspiracy theories of foreign intervention. Like us, they have also endured a legacy of colonialism and while wounds are still raw for many of the older generation against Japan, those legacies have not prevented them from building strong economic ties with their erstwhile “enemies”.

However, analogies have their limits and there are many ways in which the paths of our two countries have been very different. The Korean peninsula was at the heart of the Cold War’s ideological struggle, and was split asunder by secular ideologies rather than by religious difference. The South Koreans allowed American troops to be based on their land for security but also assumed their own defence responsibility with tremendous commitment.

Military service is compulsory for at least two years for all South Korean males and yet their army no longer controls the reins of power. Each Korean citizen can thus empathise with the army without being enamoured of its singularity as “the only stable force” — a phrase that many in our military elite like to vacuously repeat.

True stability, the Koreans have realised, does not come from mere fortifications but rather from lasting prosperity. The army is certainly an important means to an end but for sure not an end in itself.

Let us also consider the role that America has played in Korea’s development, for there is little doubt that without the intervention by the United States during the Korean war, the South would have become a totalitarian state. In America, the Korean conflict is frequently referred to as “The Forgotten War”. The success of this conflict that claimed more than 40,000 American lives is often eclipsed by the failures of the subsequent Vietnam war.

Perhaps, though, the military strategists at the Pentagon did not forget Korea altogether, because the future they had naively envisaged for Afghanistan and Iraq was modelled after South Korea. However, what they neglected to consider was that the level of suspicion and cultural resentment in Muslim countries is so high against the United States that any attempt at “imposed benevolence” would be rejected. Furthermore, the high level of civilian casualties that the US air strikes strategy caused in Iraq and Afghanistan has been a far cry from the more human battles of the Korean war. Thus, the level of sacrifice between the Americans and their South Korean partners was considered far more parallel and equitable than the current conflicts.

Thankfully, Pakistanis have not had to endure military conflict of this kind and our relationship with the United States should proceed without paranoia and Orwellian notions of hegemony. We should consider that despite its many follies in foreign policy, the Americans can be friends of countries without colonising them. South Korea is perhaps the most stark success story in this regard.

At the same time, the US should also learn from its experiences in South Korea. There is growing anti-American sentiment even there because of perceived paternalism that is audible from many US leaders. Helping countries in the role of a superpower must be offered with gracious humility and not with dismissive pride.

Let us turn to specific development lessons for Pakistan as well. First, the infrastructure development that occurred in South Korea was so rapid that there was tremendous environmental damage that is only now being realised. As one Korean professor informed me, some of the rivers in the industrial southern provinces are so polluted that the water cannot be used even for industrial purposes and this is harming regional economies. In this regard, South Korea has followed a more problematic development path and Pakistan is better suited to learn lessons from Taiwan or Malaysia, where environmental performance has been far better.

I visited the peninsula on the invitation of the South Korean government which has been trying to promote the establishment of an environmental conservation zone for peace and reconciliation along the demilitarised zone (DMZ) with its Northern neighbour. I had an opportunity to travel for over a hundred kilometres along this unique ecological region which cuts across the entire length of the Korean peninsula. Undisturbed by human activity, the region is rich with indigenous flora and would be a valuable ecological reserve. As for the fauna, they must still endure the legacy of over 2 million land mines that sadly haunt the landscape.

I was reminded of efforts to establish a similar ecological peace zone between India and Pakistan along parts of the Line of Control or in the Siachen region, which many of us have tried to promote as a scientific reserve. Neither side should feel threatened by such efforts since the environment which we share is a common asset whose destruction cannot benefit either side. It is high time that the Siachen peace park effort be revitalised by both Pakistan and India just as the DMZ peace park effort is being given national prominence in Korea. As the Koreans have realised rather lately, ecological conservation is not just a soft issue for peace-mongers and Green activists but a vital strategic priority.

Saleem H Ali is Associate Dean for graduate education at the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment. He is the editor of the forthcoming book Peace Parks: Conservation and Conflict Resolution (published by MIT Press, September, 2007). Email: Saleem@alum.mit.edu