You have just heard the sounds made by the drums and small metallic props. The harmony of these different sounds is the backbone of the non-verbal percussion performance titled “Tems.” Currently running at the Memorial Hall for the History and Culture of Korean Buddhism, the non-verbal play Tems is a production made up of Buddhist percussion instruments as well as household items found in temples. There is a reason for bringing these Buddhist items out to the secular world. Here’s Buddhist Monk Bumyeong who directed the non-verbal play.

These instruments used in Buddhist temples all have the duty to make sounds. Yet they are hidden in the mountains and make lone, quiet sounds. It appeared to the secular world that these Buddhist instruments existed solely for their own lofty purpose. This is why these items were brought out to the theater.

A total of 26 percussion instruments and temple items are used in Tems. Buddhist drums, wooden fish, a flat gong, bells, wooden chanting instrument called moktak, and bamboo clappers are played on stage, as well as a broom, brassware, and other utensils used every day. The audience was amazed at the transformation of these ordinary household items.

- The drum was very powerful. It’s regarded as a sacred instrument in Buddhist temples, but here it was played with abandon like a musical instrument. I was shocked to see that, but later I thought it was really interesting. I also liked how the sounds of the brass bowls, bells, and drums were harmonized with modern sounds.
- It was unusual to see things from Buddhist temples on the stage. It was strange to see them played like musical instruments, but after a while it was good.

Buddhist instruments are used to promulgate the teachings of Buddha and to rid of evil spirits. The drum, the gong, the wooden fish, and the bell are the four signature ritual instruments of Buddhism. All the musical instruments used in Buddhism are said to contain the wishes for the happiness of all creatures. So every instrument that appears in Tems has a special meaning. Here’s Buddhist Monk Bumyeong to explain more.

The drum called beopgo is known to make sounds that bring happiness to all living things on earth. So the throbbing sound of the drum supposedly comes from the heart that longs for all creatures, humans, and even cows, pigs, and insects to be freed from pain and be happy.

The beopgo is a large drum that measures up to two meters in diameter. This drum is played to wish for the happiness of all creatures on earth. Next percussion instrument is a wooden fish called mokeo in Korean. Here’s Buddhist Monk Bumyeong again.

Mokeo means a fish made of wood. A piece of wood is carved hollow in the shape of a fish. This instrument is played to wish for the happiness of all sea creatures. Fish is known to sleep with its eyes open, so Buddhist practitioners emulate fish and rigorously practice the way of Buddhism without dozing off. The mokeo is played to remind the followers of their vigilance.

There is another Buddhist instrument that wishes for the happiness of sea creatures. That’s moktak, an item that best defines Buddhism.

Moktak is a smaller, portable version of mokeo. Moktak is also played to bring redemption to sea creatures and to remain vigil when practicing Buddha’s teachings.

Buddhist monks are often seen playing the moktak. The penetrating sounds of the hollow wooden instrument are probably great at securing the attention of those tempted by secular seductions. Another instrument useful in clearing the minds is gyeongse.

This item is called gyeongse. It has the sound that clears your mind and helps you focus.

Your head is cleared at the sharp, vibrating sound of gyeongse. The best way to play it is to leave a slowly fading resonance. But no matter how much you focus, your mind sometimes wanders and one way to rid of disruptive thoughts is to use a bamboo clapper called jukbi.

This sound is made by a jukbi. It’s used to chase away sleep or as a physical punishment. This part is made with a split bamboo stalk.

The Buddhist bell called beomjong signals the beginning and the end of a day in a Buddhist temple. Since the beomjong usually weighs between five and ten tons, it is easier to use a smaller bell for the performance.

A wind chime is also an indispensable item in Buddhist temples. But here in the performance it is used as a musical instrument.

An instrument called wunpan is a thin metal gong made to resemble a cloud. This instrument is played to wish for the happiness of all winged creatures. There is also a ceremonial utensil called bara.

Various Buddhist musical instruments and household items play meaningful roles in the non-verbal performance Temp. These percussion instruments beat against your heart with a strong rhythm to awaken your innermost feelings.

The performance Temp takes place at a Buddhist temple. The main characters enroll in a temple stay program to steal things from the temple, instead of seeking rest and inner peace. Here’s the show’s director and Buddhist Monk Bumyeong.

The thieves join the temple stay program to steal Buddha’s statue. But while participating in various rituals in the program like meditation, they learn who they really are and realize how wrong it was to pursue only their secular desires. Their self-reflection and repentance lead to enlightenment and rediscovery of their humanity.

Six human desires are manifested in six characters in Tems: a gluttonous man who covets food all the time; a lustful man who consider all members of the opposite sex as targets of his carnal desire; a beautiful woman who only seeks outer beauty; a woman hungry for power; a pessimistic woman who has negative opinions about everything; and a mysterious man who does not utter a single word. And six different Buddhist percussion instruments represent these six characters and their desires. What they have in common is that they are all in need of money and hearing the news that a legendary statue was discovered at the temple, they band together to steal the priceless statue. How do they enter the temple? Simply by joining the temple stay program.

Just by the sound alone, ordinary people probably can’t tell the difference between the Buddhist instruments and their conventional counterparts. But the show’s cast member Bae Ga-young pays careful attention to how she plays them because each instrument has a special meaning.

There is no big difference in beat between the Buddhist drum and the ordinary one. I play the drums by beating it, but the way I beat them is different. Also the shape and meaning of the drums is different. For instance, the wooden fish drum is played to wish for the well-being of the creatures in the sea and the cloud-shaped gong is for winged creatures in the sky. Since these instruments have different meanings and purposes, I play them with different feelings.

To get to the Buddha’s statue, the thieves must first steal the key worn around a monk’s waist. But it’s not easy even approaching the big, scary-looking guardian monk.

The thieves at last manage to take the key off the monk, but it falls on top of a safe. They attempt to rock the safe to get to the key, but the safe is too heavy to move. But then the resounding sound of the drum sends a vibration through the safe, making the key inch toward the edge.

Realizing that just six of them cannot make enough vibration to move the key, the thieves enlists the help of the audience and have all of them beat the drums together.

The audience follows the actors’ instruction to play the drums. The audience members are busy mimicking the actors’ hand movements. But soon they find peace of mind from the repetitive sound of the drum.

- It was fun taking part in the show. But after a while I almost cried, because rather than feeling cheerful, I felt healed spiritually. I fully understood what the show was trying to say. That’s why I was moved to tears.
- It’s not often that I get a chance to play a Buddhist instrument. It was a totally new experience.

Even with the audience’s help, the thieves fail to get their hands on the key. But while participating in Buddhist activities like meditation or balwoogongyang, the Buddhist meal, they come to realize that their pursuit of money is meaningless and let go of their human desires. They end up abandoning their plan to make big money by stealing the precious statue.

The message of Tems is clear. Just as people join a temple stay program to find peace of mind, Tems asks people to heal themselves spiritually by watching the show. The Buddhist musical instruments and household items created an exciting and powerful celebration of percussion sounds and transformed into the sound of healing that comforted the spirits of the audience members. The non-verbal percussion performance Tems will long be remembered as a curative production for the soul.