The City of Dangsan Namu: An Introduction
There is a link between how we see a tree, and how sustainable a city can be
The wind moves through her, and the tops of her limbs wave gently. On each limb, a grip of leaves twinkles with a shimmering of sunlight in between the mass of light green hues. These leaves are hoisted up by a trunk and branches that reach above the tallest of the buildings here. So, while a deep urban courtyard holds this tree, from afar you might see something that looks like a crown of glistening broccoli poking out above rows of rooftops. Down in the courtyard it is cool and peaceful. It feels like an alter of sorts. In fact, it is. This graceful giant in the middle of the city is both sacred and wise, and the order and decoration of the place around her acknowledges this sacredness and wisdom. So too, do the people. This is a place that honors not only our connection to the spirit of the tree, but to this nature and the universe.
This, is one of Korea's many Dangsan Namu.
Dangsan Namu is not a designation of any one particular species — indeed, you might variously say that a Ginkgo, a Zelkova, or a Camphor were all Dangsan Namu. Instead, this name is a designation of respect for a living being much older than any human, and for the spirit which animates this old living being. It is easy in this place, to have a sense of admiration, surprise, and above all, awe for these trees.
This is part of why the Dangsan Namu — which stand like guardian deities in many old villages and neighborhoods in Korea —have been so revered by the people as sacred beings.
Yet this tradition of fostering a close connection between trees and people has largely disappeared through modernization. So too, the idea that a tree might offer us a connection to something bigger and grander than ourselves has been dismissed as a useless, old-fashioned superstition.
Each of us likely feels in our own way, that a sense of admiration, awe, and beauty are all increasingly difficult to find in the modern city. Many of us can feel that something is missing in these places we inhabit.
But what if you and I could change that?
While this missing feeling sometimes relates to our physical surroundings, it seems more often to be an absence of a particular view and intention — one that acknowledges the miraculous beauty of this world we are so fortunate to inhabit as humans. That acknowledgement alone, is the foundation for building such places of beauty. With this anchor, we have a consistent means of tethering our architecture, urban planning, and daily lives into this beauty.
If we did have such an anchor, if people and trees, the city and nature, could coexist in a better form than now, what would the city look like?
Next week, we will explore this thought in a photo essay. As we move through the urban landscapes of the four seasons in Korea and Japan, we will enter a world where, at least in the moment of that image, people and trees are closer together, and the city and nature coexist in harmony.
Hope to see you then.
Join the Festival for Nature and Cities
A reminder that The Nature of Cities Festival starts in just a few days! This is a truly global virtual gathering of people who are all interested in making cities better for nature and all people. Join nearly 1,000 people from all walks of life in this inspiring two-week series of talks, workshops, discussions, film screenings and more! I will be speaking in the opening plenary, and am co-directing the arts programming along with Carmen Bouyer in Paris. Fellow Substacker and artist Emmy Delaine will also have work featured as part of the festival! Tickets start at just 10 euro, and if you really want to just come and can not afford it, let me know. We do not want cost to be a barrier, and I have a few comps to share.
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If you a new subscriber, you might also like this story from last year, where a sacred tree plays a main role…
