Synopsis Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring

1 synopsis

1.1 spring
1.2 summer
1.3 fall
1.4 winter
1.5 ...and spring

synopsis




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the film divided 5 segments (the titular seasons), each segment depicting stage in life of novice buddhist monk , older teacher. segments ten twenty years apart, , action of each takes place during season of title. story unfolds rather simply, implications of characters actions silently commented upon presence of buddhist symbols , iconography.

spring

we introduced life of young buddhist apprentice living master on small floating monastery, drifting on lake in serene forested mountains of korea. apprentice , master live life of prayer , meditation, using old rowboat reach bank of lake regularly go walking, exercise , collect herbs.

one day, in creek among rocky hills, apprentice torments fish tying small stone string , laughing struggles swim. shortly after, same frog , snake; master quietly observes on 3 occasions, , night ties large, smooth rock apprentice sleeps. in morning, tells apprentice cannot take off rock until unties creatures tormented—adding if of them have died, carry stone in heart forever . boy struggles load on through forest, , finds fish, lying dead @ bottom of creek, finds frog still alive , struggling left it, , finds snake in pool of blood, presumably attacked , killed animal, unable away. master watches boy begins cry heavily @ seeing has done snake.

summer

the apprentice (now in teenage years) encounters mother , daughter (dressed in modern clothes, indicating film takes place in modern times) walking along forest path, looking monastery. apprentice silently greets them , rows them across lake monastery, colorful rooster part of household. in buddhist art bird representation of desire , craving. daughter has unspecified illness (she displays symptoms of fever) , has been brought buddhist master mother, hoping healed. master agrees take in teenage girl time, , mother leaves. on next few days, apprentice finds himself sexually attracted girl, shy anything; however, when finds sleeping in front of buddha statue, unable resist groping breast. wakes , slaps him. in guilty panic, apprentice begins pray incessantly, master notes strange. touching apprentice s shoulder, girl seems forgive him.

eventually, 2 wander off forest , have sex. repeat act on next few nights, hiding relationship master, until discovers them asleep , naked, drifting around lake in rowboat. wakes them pulling plug out of drain hole in boat. rather expressing anger or disappointment, merely warns apprentice lust leads desire possession, , possession leads murder , tells him girl have leave. apprentice distraught , runs away @ night in pursuit of girl, taking monastery s buddha statue , rooster him. implications of 2 thefts while burdened craving symbolized bird, has him burden of master s teachings symbolized buddha statue.

fall

many years later, during fall, aging master returns supply run local village, bringing cat in backpack. in east asia, cat seen in art cosseted pet of courtesans (e.g., in ukiyo-e prints) , is, therefore, taken signifying lasciviousness. however, in korean folkloric belief cat can expeller of evil spirits.

by chance master glimpses story former apprentice in newspaper: wanted murder of wife. foreseeing apprentice s return, modifies teenage monk s garments hand, , afterward adult apprentice appears in spiritual door @ lake s edge, full of anger , carrying bloodstained knife stabbed wife having affair man. unwilling go on, seals eyes, mouth , nose in suicide ritual , sits in front of newly returned buddha statue, waiting death. master discovers him , beats him ruthlessly, declaring while may have killed wife, not kill himself easily. ties bloodied apprentice ceiling , sets candle burn through rope, begins writing out heart sutra on monastery deck, holding cat in arms , dipping tail bowl of black ink. apprentice falls and, beginning repentance, cuts hair off , ordered carve chinese characters wood quiet heart.

two detectives arrive @ monastery arrest apprentice, master asks them allow him until next day finish task. apprentice continues throughout night , collapses sleep upon finishing. influenced soothing presence of master, detectives old monk paint apprentice s carvings in orange, green, blue , purple. appears quiet hearts well.

the apprentice wakes , peacefully taken away detectives, cat accompanying them in of boat. after leave, master, knowing life @ end, builds pyre in rowboat. seals shut ears, eyes, nose , mouth paper in same death ritual apprentice performed , meditates suffocated , burned death. master s tears can seen through paper seals engulfed in flame.

winter

paroled, middle-age apprentice returns frozen lake , former home, has been drifting uninhabited years. during segment animal motif snake, buddhist symbol of anger. finds master s clothes, laid out before death, , digs master s teeth out of frozen rowboat. carves statue of buddha out of ice, wraps master s sarira (small crystals found among cremated remains of monks , regarded sacred relics) in red cloth, , sets them in statue under waterfall. finds book of choreographic meditative stances , begins train , exercise in freezing weather.

eventually, woman comes monastery baby son , shawl wrapped around face. leaves son , flees night, runs across frozen lake accidentally stumbles hole in ice dug monk. finds body next day, , removes water @ face, although not shown viewers.

finally completing long self-discipline, ties monastery s large, circular grinding stone body. emblematic of buddhist bhavacakra, wheel of life , rebirth. takes statue of buddha-to-come, maitreya, monastery , climbs summit of tallest of surrounding mountains. climbs, dragging stone wheel behind him , struggling carry statue, reflects upon fish, frog, , snake tormented. attaining summit, prays , leaves statue seated on top of circular grinding stone, overlooking monastery in lake far below.

...and spring

returning spring again, cycle recommences: new master lives in monastery abandoned baby, apprentice. boy shown tormenting turtle, ominously traditional symbol of longevity , prognosticating future. wandering rocky hills, boy echoes predecessor, forcing stones mouths of fish, frog , snake (these last scenes deleted in u.s. release of movie).

in film s final moments camera retreats top of mountain showing statue of future buddha, maitreya, seated atop wheel, downturned face regarding little monastery far below. shot counterweight gloomy implications of new novice s repetition of wicked deeds of teacher s childhood. in buddhist belief maitreya born on earth , become successor historical buddha, shakyamuni, revitalize buddhist teachings, humans again instructed in how escape wheel of life , rebirth, role indicated maitreya statue sitting firmly on stone wheel. thus, film ends silent affirmation there can release cyclical consequences of willful, harmful actions.