Se-yeon and I were playing house when a monk opened the door to the studio and stepped inside.
[Creeeeeak—]
He looked about the same age as Grandpa, wearing Buddhist robes with a small alms bag slung over his back.
Why would a monk visit a Saju studio? I wondered.
The monk scanned the room as if looking for someone, then his gaze fixed on me and he began to approach.
Looking at his face, I noticed he possessed the fourth of the Eight Methods of Physiognomy, a classic Go-goe-ji-sang (a peculiar, unworldly face with a refined aura). His features had a strange, bone-deep quality, yet they radiated a remarkably clear energy. This particular face is often found among religious figures or philosophers. If such a face doesn't radiate a clear energy, the person is likely a fraud or a cult leader.
Without thinking, I blurted out.
"A classic Go-goe-ji-sang, huh?"
The monk stopped and looked at me with a serious expression.
"This little squirt has quite a mouth on him. How dare you judge me with the petty tricks you've picked up?"
He stepped closer and started sniffing me.
[Sniff, sniff, sniff—]
"I smell that old Dosa on you," the monk said. "Are you that fellow's hidden child?"
That annoying rumor again. The one that had caused me so much heartache for months and that everyone in the village already knew. I couldn't believe he was bringing it up again. Naturally, my reaction wasn't pleasant.
"No, I'm not."
"Did the Dosa tell you to say that?"
"No."
I stopped looking at him altogether. As the strange monk and I were going back and forth, Grandpa saw us and came over. The monk turned to him and asked.
"Dosa, what is this thing? I don't recall seeing a son in your Saju..."
Grandpa put a finger to his lips and hushed him.
"Keep it down. The customers will hear you. Why have you been like this since the old days? And he's not my son. You know my situation well enough."
The monk looked back and forth between me and Grandpa.
"Then why does he smell exactly like you?"
"He's staying with me, so of course he smells like me. Just like you smell like a temple because you live in one. Isn't it obvious?"
"Smell is one thing, but blood doesn't lie. My eyes don't deceive me. This boy shares your blood."
"I told you, he's not my son. You always seem to see everything, yet you always miss the most important detail. You were always barking up the wrong tree back when we studied together. You haven't changed a bit."
From their conversation, it was clear that the monk and Grandpa had studied under the same master.
"Say hello. This monk's name is Ja-un. He lives at Yeongmu-sa, that big temple way up on the mountain."
"Hello, Monk," I said, greeting him.
Ja-un... I've heard that name before.
I had heard the customers who visited our studio mention him. He was quite famous, not just in Yeongmu Village but throughout the entire region. People said he performed Saju readings and gave names to newborns. I figured that was how he became so well-known.
When Grandpa refused to give a straight answer about me, the monk spoke up.
"You funny fellow. Are you trying to test me after all this time? Fine, give me the boy's Saju."
Grandpa chuckled and looked at me.
"Hyeon-jin, tell him yourself."
So, I recited my birth details.
"It is the Year of XX, the Month of X-Sul, the Day of X-Hae, and the Hour of X-Myo."
The monk looked surprised when I recited my details directly as Saju pillars.
"Ho! This squirt knows Myeong-ri too?"
The monk began to analyze my Saju. Soon, he spoke.
"Yuk-hae (The Six Harms) and Hwa-gae (The Shining Overcoat) are playing well together. This boy has the Saju of a monk."
Yuk-hae refers to six types of harm, including illness, poverty, loss of fortune, punishment, separation, and death. In ancient methods, it was believed that if this star appeared, it could only be overcome through prayer and discipline. Hwa-gae is a Saju of enlightenment, representing a nature that hides its own brilliance. In the past, it was seen as a sign of entering a religious life, but in modern times, it frequently appears in celebrities and artists.
"Wait a minute? And he has Gwimun-gwan-sal (The Gate of Spirits) in both his Year Pillar and Day Pillar? There's no way this boy is the Dosa's son. Is he my son instead?"
* * *
Each pillar of a Saju is called the Year Pillar, Month Pillar, Day Pillar, and Hour Pillar. The Year and Day pillars refer to the year and the specific day one was born.
Gwimun-gwan-sal indicates a highly sensitive nature. Its strength is the ability to perform precise, meticulous work. In the old agrarian society, people with this trait often became fortune-tellers or shamans. Back then, the evaluation of this trait wasn't very favorable.
But today is the world of precision. It's a Saju often seen in IT professionals or those in high-precision engineering. These days, you can't really say it's a bad thing.
* * *
After babbling to himself, the monk looked at me with a serious face and asked.
"Is your mother sick? Or is it your father?"
"My mother."
"Namu-Amita-Bul (May the Buddha protect you). Everything will be fine. Do not worry."
Suddenly, I felt like I was going to cry. I tried to leave the room, but the monk stopped me.
"You have the Six Harms, but the power of the Hwa-gae is stronger. Because of that, women will flock to you. Your grandfather says the 'Monk Saju' is far from luck with women, but my opinion is a bit different."
I couldn't understand what he was talking about. I hadn't learned that part yet. But I figured it would be helpful later, so I just kept my mouth shut and listened.
"What Dohwa (The Peach Blossom/Attraction) likes most is Hwa-gae. So, if pretty girls start approaching you..."
Just then, Grandpa cut him off.
"Stop talking nonsense to the kid! If my wife catches you, you're a dead man. And if he has a monk's Saju, he can't have them anyway. Only girls with 'flower Saju' like yours will flock to him."
The monk protested.
"I disagree with you. Hwa-gae actually enjoys more brilliance and popularity than Dohwa. Once people see the true nature of a Saju so brilliant it must be hidden, everyone falls for it."
The two of them chatted for a long time. Grandma sliced some fruit and placed it in front of the monk, Grandpa, and me. That was when Grandpa revealed the real reason he had called the monk over.
"I see you monks have been causing a stir lately with Saju readings. It's not your field, so why are you messing with it?"
The monk just gave a hollow laugh.
"A while ago, a customer brought me a talisman they said they got from a 'miraculous monk.' When I looked at it, it wasn't Buddhist but a Taoist talisman. Is it okay for monks to scam people? Use your own stuff. Why use Taoist talismans?"
The monk replied.
"Buddhism has always been like that. We accept this, and we study that. We even study the Bible. It's laughable that you'd complain about Myeong-ri or Taoist talismans."
As he spoke, he looked at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was the one the pub owner had given us. The calendar was filled with photos of women in different swimsuits for every month.
Grandma hated it and wanted to take it down, saying it didn't suit the studio. But Grandpa had kept it, insisting he couldn't throw away a gift from a customer.
What kind of monk is he? He's staring at pictures of scantily clad women!
As I was thinking this, the monk spoke.
"If one can gain enlightenment even by looking at an erotic magazine, then that person is a Buddha. Namu-Amita-Bul."
What a load of nonsense. He was a total fake.
"Didn't you say that we also play the role of 'intermediate mediators'?"
Grandpa remained silent as the monk continued.
"Reconciling enemies, and warning the villagers about dangerous people."
I couldn't understand what the monk meant.
An intermediate mediator?
"Haven't we already seen them through their Saju? We know who the scammers are and who the neighborhood philanderers are."
Grandpa tried to say something, but the monk didn't let go of the lead in the conversation.
"We meet and talk about it every time, don't we? Looking at the present and giving advice for the future. That is our job."
Grandpa seemed to give up and didn't respond.
"People don't listen if you tell them directly, so we borrow Myeong-ri or other studies. And if that doesn't work, we even borrow the help of ghosts."
Once the monk finished his piece, Grandpa finally spoke.
"Do you think I'd forget what I told you? The reason I called you is that some monk near your temple, who claims to be your disciple, told my client's son that his Saju shows he's destined for prison. That punk told them they must buy a talisman and offer expensive prayers to avoid jail. That's why I brought you here."
The monk looked a bit surprised.
"He told them the boy would go to jail if they didn't pay for those prayers? I didn't call you here for a drink; I called you because of that."
The monk's expression froze completely.
"Can you show me the boy's birth charts?"
The monk carefully examined the charts. And then...
"His chart shows he's destined to become a civil servant. I don't know why that monk would say such a thing."
Grandpa burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! I guess you're not a fraud after all. You're right. This kid is in Seoul preparing for the civil service exam. But that monk spouted such nonsense that the boy hasn't been able to study at all."
The monk looked flustered. Grandpa took the opportunity to push him into a corner.
"The exam is coming up, and looking at the boy's face, I can tell he's in no state to pass. My words aren't enough to fix this mess. Since this trouble was caused by someone on your Buddhist side, you're the one who has to resolve it."
"Why me! It's not my fault! I've never taught my techniques to anyone else!"
The monk, who had been speaking with such dignity until now, suddenly raised his voice in a flustered outburst.
"It happened because someone used your name, so you have to take responsibility. Didn't I tell you? If you become famous, your head will ache because of your Mangshin-sal (The Star of Humiliation)."
Just as it became unclear whether they were fighting or just talking, the very people we were talking about appeared.
[Creeeeeak]
"Excuse me... Is anyone here?"
A whole family walked in—a father, a mother, and their son. All of them looked like they were at death's door. Grandpa led them to the consultation room.
"Come this way, please."
The monk tried to sneak out of the studio, but Grandpa caught him.
"You need to come too, Monk. Where do you think the root of this trouble is going?"
Grandpa spoke firmly, and the monk put a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet, before following them into the room.
* * *
Once the customers were seated, the monk pressed his palms together and spoke.
"Sir, you have the face of someone who will raise a great figure. Namu-Amita-Bul."
The man who appeared to be the father asked.
"Do monks perform physiognomy and Saju readings too?"
Grandpa spoke up.
"He's quite good at it. This rascal learned Dalma-sang-beop (Bodhidharma's Physiognomy) instead of my style."
The man looked at Grandpa and said.
"Is that so? But isn't our Dosa-nim here the best at reading faces?"
Grandpa couldn't hide his smug expression. However, he quickly corrected his posture and spoke.
"Well, he's a bit famous too. Don't you know Ja-un from Yeongmu-sa? This is him."
"What? You're the great Monk Ja-un?!!"