By Bernard Rowan
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In the hwatu deck, four of the cards represent the maple. I always had good luck when I played and held these cards! Hwatu or Go-Stop has made a comeback of late. The game shares something of many interesting things Korean with all who play it. The cards popularize further the beautiful Korean maple tree.
I've admired many artificial maple leaves decorating my Christmas tree this year. They remind many of fall and a time of change and renewal.
Americans love maple syrup, but we should trust Koreans to do even better. I read a 2009 New York Times article discussing the practice of maple sap drinking in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province. People drink large quantities, gallons of Korean maple sap, as a form of detox or cleaning after the winter.
The sap contains concentrations of calcium. Curejoy.com says maple sap also includes potassium, zinc, and manganese, amino acids, oligosaccharides, organic acids, phenolic and bioactive compounds. It aids digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, fights inflammation and has cancer preventing effects. Wildfoodism.com notes the sap also staves off osteoporosis, reduces gastric ulcer formation, decreases blood pressure and aids hangovers. It also increases healthy immunity and contains dietary antioxidants.
It's something I don't know I'd try with the sheer amount of liquid consumed. It doesn't sound practical. However, many swear by sap's benefits. The maple tree relates to gorosoe or "good for the bones." The name comes from a story about Doseon, a Buddhist monk who'd meditated for so long beneath a maple tree that he couldn't stand. After drinking the sap, his stiff legs limbered up to normal.
Beyond maple sap, I found several other countries that enjoy drinking maple tea, including Canada, Sri Lanka and the United States. All of this interested me. I've thought maples are trees for syrup, wood and leaves alone. Maple syrup is sweet and delicious. However, it's not considered especially healthy in the States. It's good to know the pure sap has better properties for health.
The Korean maple grows in China too. It can reach about 25 feet in height. The beautiful leaves of this classic tree draw tourists in the droves. In fall, the beautiful mountains of Seorak and Naejang are two places to view the trees in their autumn splendor. I've not visited either mountain yet! However, I've seen so many beautiful maples when I've visited Seoul, Busan and other places in autumn months.
We shouldn't romanticize the maple for its fall appearances. Each leave that brightens for fall is dying, and its shedding heralds the approach of winter. But the maple tree's seeds, flying like little helicopters to spring, show the continuous renewal of life. The maple bespeaks a deeper truth about Korea and humanity. What's it mean? To me, Korea reflects the maple leaf and tree in its national and historical existence. Korean people, a national construction, exist in time across various strands of identity. As a single group, they've succeeded more than most nations in history. The key: following the truth of the maple's life. Hardy existence and giving of self to others for a greater good. That's the maple's meaning, I think. It's a meaning of Korean life and example to humanity.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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