The Fairfax County Asian American History Project

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Cultural Landmark: The Bell Pavilion Garden in Meadowlark Park
 
 

 
 
December 19, 2007, I attended a press conference held by the Korean American Cultural Committee (KACC) at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens to discuss the progress of the Korean American Bell Pavilion Garden project based on a memorandum of agreement on April 18, 2007 between KACC and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA).  The design approved on November 15, 2007 was by David Chung, Art Professor at the University of Michigan and formerly at George Mason University.  The first phase of the Korean Bell Pavilion Garden is scheduled to open in 2010.
 
In Korea, bell pavilions are used to mark places of great significance.  The KACC sees this project as developing the first Korean Bell Pavilion Garden in an American public garden – and will mark Meadowlark Botanical Gardens as a place of cultural identity for Korean Americans in Northern Virginia.
 
KACC is funding the project that it describes on its website as follows.  The pavilion has no religious or scriptural function.  The Bell is the size of a small car and is rung with a suspended log.  It is rung about five times a year – 4th July, 9-11, the date of the end of the Korean War and other dates of remembrance.  The Bell has a very low tone.  Korean Bell Pavilions have been built for hundreds of years as a focal point for gatherings that celebrate the meditative quality of nature.  The finished pavilion will not be highly ornate but finished simply in natural wood tones.  The Bell itself has many etchings or carvings on it that depict the natural world.  Water is an important feature in a Bell Pavilion.  Thus, there will be a flowing creek in the design.  One of the most important aspect is the landscape, providing Meadowlark the opportunity to create a collection of Northeast Asian plants as part of a cultural landmark. The climate of the Korean Peninsula is similar to Northern Virginia so there are many plants that are well adapted to the climate.
 
JeungHwa Elmejjad-Yi, the Founder of the Korean American Cultural Committee that is spearheading the creation of the Korean Bell Pavilion Garden at Meadowlark Park, shared the following insights and photos about the project.
 

Korean American Cultural Committee (KACC)

Address: P.O. Box 198, Annandale, VA 22003

Website: www.kacc.us

  

The Korean American Cultural Committee is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with four key goals:

(1)   To bring awareness to the issues affecting Korean-Americans;

(2)   To encourage the participation of Korean-Americans in all aspects of American life;

(3)   To educate our children about their Korean heritage and culture; and

(4)   To reach out to the American community.

 

As its first major undertaking KACC is planning on building a goodwill landmark that recognizes the history and development of Korean-Americans in the greater Washington DC area, but also to recognize and celebrate the importance of the great diversity represented in this area. 

 

The Korea Bell Pavilion: “A symbol of goodwill towards all”

 

Korean Bell Pavilions have been built for hundreds of years as a focal point for gatherings that celebrate the meditate quality of nature.  According to an old Korean saying, bells instill a righteous spirit in those who hear its ring, and gives rise to hope, a sense of cherishing life, alarm against disaster, and sense of unity that brings people together, in order to bring prosperity, happiness, friendship, freedom, and peace for all people.

 

During the Chosun Dynasty, King KoJong sent an initial diplomatic mission to the United States in 1883 aboard the S.S. Gaelic, with the first group of Korean immigrants, who arrived in Hawaii to work on the pineapple and sugar plantations.  They endured hardships with hopes of a better future.  Even under financial constraints they supported the country that gave them life by donating more than half of their earnings for the Korean Independent Movement, while emphasizing the need to cultivate and educate their next generation.  It is this undying spirit of our first Korean ancestors that represents the essence of our Korean-American heritage today.  The Korean Bell Garden is a goodwill landmark, gifted to NVRPA and the great diversity of people residing in Fairfax County and the Washington DC metropolitan area.  This landmark is especially meaningful as it is a historic symbol being passed on to our 2nd and 3rd generation Korean-American descendants, as well as to the general public.  

 

The pavilion that houses the bell is approximately 21 feet high and 21 feet wide, and the bell is approximately 7 feet high, and will be rung five times a year – 4th of July, September 11, June 25 commemorating the Korean War, and other important dates of remembrance.  The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Bell Pavilion is scheduled for June, 2010.

 

The Korean Bell Garden

 

The Korean Bell Pavilion will be the centerpiece of the surrounding Korean Bell Garden.  The Garden will also display the beauty and nobility of Korean history and culture by showcasing the history of the Korean alphabet, Shilla Stones, a Turtle Garden, the Ten Elements, a pond, study area, etc... Furthermore, flowers, plants, and trees that are dear to Koreans will also surround the garden.  The Garden will surely become a popular destination for those seeking rest and relaxation, beautiful scenery, and a perfect outdoor setting for weddings.

 

 

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Photo Gallery for the Korean Bell Garden at Meadowlark Park

               JeungHwa Elmejjad-Yi beside Fairfax County Chairman Sharon Bulova at Meadowlark Park.