억새풀

Even though the trees in Busan are not that colourful in October and November, there are still some beautiful natural landscapes to see in Busan in the early autumn.

On many of Busan's mountains, there grows a particular species of grass called "eulalia grass".  In Korean, it is called "eok-se-pul" (억새풀).  In mid-October, eulalia grass turns golden yellow.  And its seeds ripen, forming a beautiful white crown atop every blade of grass.  A field of ripe eulalia grass is a beautiful sight, and the wind blowing through it makes a soft, soothing sound. 

Eulalia grass on 구덕산.  The Pacific ocean is visible in the distance.

A tree on a mountain crest, surrounded by eulalia grass.

Eulalia grass with the Nakdong river (낙동강) visible in the distance.

억새풀, with Busan and the Pacific ocean in the distance.

The 낙동강  and eastern Busan.

Again, the 낙동강 and eastern Busan, with eulalia grass in the foreground.

Focusing the camera on the grass.

The ripe seeds of the eulalia grass.

It seems to me that eulalia grass is celebrated in Korean culture, at least in the area of Busan.  A few days ago, in a subway station in Busan, I noticed that the station had been decorated with placards featuring Korean poems.  Each poem was accompanied by an illustration, and I immediately recognized that one of them was about eulalia grass.

A poem about eulalia grass, in a Busan subway station.

I asked a Korean friend to help me translate the poem.  It is beautiful!  It speaks of a person, impatiently waiting for the eulalia grass to ripen in the autumn.  Once ripened, the grass covers the mountains and fields, as if greeting the person as it waves in the wind.  The ripe grass reminds the person of someone else, tending a rice field, tanned skin in the autumn sun, wearing a white scarf on her head - that is, the person's mother.