The Noryangjin Buddha

The fish market in Noryangjin-dong is world famous, for they serve various exotic dishes like sashimi and ikuzukri. Even though I never had an opportunity to visit the fish market as such, I have passed through the place perhaps many a dozen times.

The Noryangjin metro station, lies on line1 of the Seoul metro. While going to Seoul station from the South, it comes just before you cross the Han river to reach Yongsan.

The Noryangjin-dong area is one of the comparatively lesser developed part of Seoul. Thus, even though it has its own fair share of high rises, it cannot be compared to the nearby areas of Yeoido or even Yongsan.
Hence the metro station itself is quite small, without the usual shopping mall, posh stores and costly restaurants, it is only basically a platform and a roof.

I have passed through this station many many times. I don't exactly remember from when, but for the past many times I have been through this station, I have started noticing an old white building adjacent to the station.

Now, the building itself is nothing much to talk about. If I remember correctly, it is a three storied structure, with its age showing clearly on its outside walls, with the white paint missing in many places to reveal the mortar and brick beneath, and huge cracks running along the walls, threatening to tear the building apart, and iron rods protruding from the roof, as though they are crudely designed lightning conductors.

For the past few times I have passed through this place, this building has come to my notice; not so much for its architectural genius or its aesthetic appeal, but for three paintings that hang on its outside wall.

These three identical paintings, that adorn the wall of the building, which is visible from the train, are hung just below the windows of the first floor, in a neat row. The paintings, which appear to be as old as the building, are drawn in grey canvas, and have the picture of Buddha.

Now, of course, in a country like South Korea, where approximately half of the religious people are Buddhists, it is no big deal to see a painting of Buddha being hung outside a house.

But these paintings have struck me,each time I have seen them, which I have now come to call 'The Noryangjin Buddhas'.

First of all, the paintings are those of a very young Buddha, if one knows the story, perhaps that of Gauthama the prince, rather than Buddha the enlightened. Thus this Buddha is not the mature omniscient man, who has found all answers and is in deep thought or in meditation, but that of a young prince, who is asking many questions, and hoping to find answers.
Which is why, perhaps, the paintings depict Buddha in a posture that is perhaps very rare for Buddha to be depicted.
This Buddha is not meditating, with his hands in a dhyana mudra, nor is he sitting or standing with his hands in an abhaya mudra. These are the common postures we see Buddha being depicted. But the Noryangjin Buddhas are different. It is perhaps the only representation of Buddha which I have seen where the face of a young boy, with long curls, with his pensive eyes looking upwards in deep thought. The head, little tilted towards the left, and the eyes looking upwards, with the hands not depicted, left to be interpreted as being wide open, welcoming all.

Which brings me to the exact reason why I am now looking forward to observe the Noryangjin Buddhas again. They distinctly remind me of Jesus Christ. The posture, the look and face-cut. The long hair. Add a beard to the person in the paintings, and they will resemble 'the anointed one'.

May be this is just my imagination pulling tricks over me, but it does give something to think about on those long monotonous metro journeys ;)

My rendition of the Noryangjin Buddha