Songgwangsa, Echoes of Pine Trees

Country, year: South Korea, 2020
Genre: Documentary
Director: Lee Yeongkyu
Time: 2 x 50'
Format: FULL HD
Release date: 01.09.2020
3AM; the time when birds, underwater creatures, and all the living creatures become conscious of their sufferings. At "Songgwangsa", where 16 monks of high virtue followed the Buddhist teachings, sounds of bells, drums, wooden clapper, and gongs situated on Korea's most spiritually revered mountain, Jogyesan. Songgwangsa is home to a large community of Buddhist monks. Young monks from all over Korea, and even foreign monks, come to the temple to train. Also, a night owl catches its breath after an arduous hunt, and a hungry leopard cat falls back asleep. A young flying squirrel completes its maiden flight, and the kingfisher insistently fills up with fish for migrating back home. None abide on a single moment. Days and nights come by and seasons circle in four colors. Yet, even a fraction of moment never comes again. Buddhism describes reasons of impermanence as nature itself. This wildlife documentary portrays the emptiness of the ever changing nature and the creations within, projecting the desire of transcendence onto nature.