Buried in the dirt _ thoughts
The earth is the womb of the seed.
The earth is our mother
The heart of sowing seeds
Where does soil come from?
The Birth of Soil
The sun, the moon, and the blue earth
The soil holds water
Plants also cover the soil

Living in the soil _ Creatures
Mysterious Mole
Short-legged ground dog
dung beetle rolling dung
A lively and bouncy toktogi
The land-dwelling crustacean, the snail
A civet with many legs
Moneybug Grima
Digging Ghost Songgi
The confusing trio: mites, spider mites, and aphids
Bacteria that live in the soil
decomposers in the soil
soil-dwelling protozoa
Linear animals that live everywhere
Always diligent earthworm
slow snail

Soil Ecosystems - A Delightful Invitation to the Infinite Feast of Life

Professor Kwon Oh-gil, known as the ‘Snail Doctor’, has published one book every year through Jiseongsa since 1994 with ‘Dreaming Snail’.
The author, who had been out of the public eye since publishing his ninth book of biology essays, “The Moon and the Top,” in 2005, has released a new book on the topic of soil ecosystems, “Professor Kwon Oh-gil’s Soil, There’s Life in It…”
It took nearly three or four years to add one new volume to the nine volumes that were collected and published as a collection to commemorate his retirement.
He said he was so busy writing books for his 'grandchildren' to read that he had no time.

In the author's writings, which continue with "The Dreaming Snail"? "The Life and Death of Living Things"? "The Life and Death of Living Things"? "The Snail Crossing the Sea"? "The Snail Flying in the Sky"? "The Life and Love of Living Things"? "There is No Fever in the Eyes of the Trout"? "Penicillin Carried by the Wind"? "The Moon and the Top", we have read that even a single cell contains the entire history of the universe, and seen the symbiosis of nature and humanity.

So, what is the theme of the recently published book, "Professor Kwon Oh-gil's Soil Contains Life..."? The author seems to be saying, "Soil is life."
All life lives in the soil, and the soil sustains all life.
The soil contains all the 'love and life', 'life of many', and 'life of death' that the author has been preaching about.


“Various living things live in the soil.
They live in a food chain, and the food web is made up of these chains intertwined with each other. Broadly speaking, this is called a 'soil ecosystem.'
In the soil ecosystem, there are soil microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, higher organisms such as nematodes, small arthropods such as ground worms and ants, annelids such as earthworms, small vertebrates such as moles, and also plants that live with their roots.
The shelter they live in is dirt.
In this way, countless creatures are bustling about, and each of them has its own influence on the soil environment.
However, the place where these outstanding and rich soil organisms live is usually the topsoil, 10 to 15 centimeters deep.
“In fact, this is the inside of the soil.”

“Soil should be viewed as a living organism, not an inanimate object.
No matter what anyone says, soil is a living organism! It is soil brimming with the breath of life.
Planting a seed in the ground and seeing it sprout is no different from planting sperm and having a baby.
‘The earth is our mother!’
If you plant a single pumpkin seed, a yellow pumpkin as big as your head will grow out of it. How can you call this just dirt?
The soil is clearly the womb of seeds that contains the providence of the universe.
“She is a mother who gives milk.”


Soil ecosystems discovered in the garden, not the lab

Professor Kwon Oh-gil’s “There is life in the soil…” is largely divided into two parts.
In “Buried in the Soil _ Thoughts,” he shares his thoughts on cultivating a garden after retirement, and in “Living in the Soil _ Living Things,” he goes into detail about the main characters of the soil ecosystem.

The author describes himself as living 'clinging to a patch of illegally reclaimed land.'
He seemed to be enjoying gardening, eagerly waiting for the seeds he had sown the day before to sprout, but he had already become a seasoned biology professor, linking the sun, moon, and earth together to explain the weathering of rocks and the birth of soil.
And that's not all.
From soil microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, to nematodes and small arthropods like ground worms, to annelids like earthworms, and even tiny vertebrates like moles, the author's characteristically flexible writing style reveals the dazzling soil ecosystem one by one.

When Professor Kwon Oh-gil starts talking, even if they are the same creature, they are not the same.
If it stops at talking about the 'body length', 'weight', 'appearance', 'habitat', and 'eating habits' of living things, then it is not his writing.
There are different stories about moles. For example, he calls the mole 'you ugly bastard' and suspects it of being a thief who ruins the garden.
There are so many fascinating stories here that it's a shame to summarize them in just one sentence: "Moles belong to the class Mammalia, order Insectivora, family Moleidae."
In other words, Professor Kwon Oh-gil is not talking about biology in a laboratory.
Thanks to him, we can sit in the garden with him and experience greeting the main characters of the soil ecosystem.

“As spring begins, my heart starts to flutter and my hands and feet get busy.
No, I already bought compost, spread it on the ridges, and covered it with soil.
It may seem like he's trying to cultivate a garden and get some vegetables to eat, but in reality, it's because he can't hide his 'country bumpkin' blood, and his instinct to plant and grow things has kicked in.
(……) Anyway, to make the soil thicker, he raked fallen leaves from the bushes on the mountainside, broke off dead tree branches, and even gathered rotting acorns from the stumps of oak trees, set them on fire, and scattered the ashes on the fields.
It goes without saying that the pepper stalks that were pulled out and thrown away last fall will also be cremated.
“Riding a spicy smoky kite, I fly back to my childhood days!”

“Farming requires all your heart and soul.
Not everyone can farm.
The grain certainly grows by listening to the sound of its owner's footsteps.
I share my soul with those who grow up even while sleeping.
Things I've always spent time and energy on keep coming back to me.
“I wandered around the corner of the field like that and fell asleep.”


“My wife asked me to take out some radish.
From spring to fall, we were practically self-sufficient in all vegetables, but unfortunately, that is not the case in winter.
The thought of digging up a few radishes, heading home, and getting my wife's approval is so energizing! Just looking at this, I can tell you that men are more like children than women.
A single radish root, which used to cost less than 500 won, is now selling for 3,000 won in the middle of winter. It's understandable to pull out a few radishes and show off.
Open the straw stopper at the entrance, spread out your arms, put your hands inside the hole, feel for the radish, and take it out.
What the heck!? Something has happened that has left me feeling discouraged.
What the hell was going on in my head like this? I bit it right in the mouth.
It's clearly a rat's teeth mark.
If you pull out another one, it too is covered in wounds.
I'm angry, annoyed, and discouraged.
What should I do with this? He suddenly gets up and comes over with a shovel.
In the opposite order of making the gudeok, the round pile of dirt is removed and the rags and sticks are taken out.
He was so angry that he gasped for breath and completely destroyed the house.

Hehe, look at this.
Isn't it that they've chopped up straw and made a round house out of it?
It's literally chaos.
What a thing to do in that dark mound of dirt! Five or six radishes were completely rendered useless.
I guess it's right to say that I was robbed.
But that damn rat is nowhere to be seen.
No, there's no rat droppings, is there? I take out the radish that the rats have eaten, and carefully place the radish next to each other, leaning it against the ground, and cover it with a roof.
I try to tell myself not to worry about it, but the unpleasant and uneasy thoughts don't go away.
Is it revenge? When I think about how those field mice will be laughing and mocking others after hearing the truth…
Let's see where these guys are!
Even at dusk the next day, I couldn't just pass it by because I was curious.
I'm carefully examining the markers (markers that are placed so that they can be seen later)... ... .
What the heck? There's a gaping hole in the side big enough for a baby's fist to fit through.
I creep over, crouch down, and follow the hole with my eyes.
One hole led into the slanted hill above, and the other, on the other hand, into the ravine.
Look, this was definitely the work of a mole, not a rat.
“What a coincidence, it was the mole’s doing!”


The Ddeongdeokung rhythm that sings of 'soil' and 'all life living in the soil'

“Wow, there’s nothing that isn’t solar energy! Not only the heat from briquettes, but also the electricity from thermal power plants is created by turning turbines using the energy released by burning coal.
“The excitement that comes from reading this article is also from solar energy!”

It is surprising how the author states that not only 'food' but also various forms of energy such as 'oil, coal, and electricity' all come from solar energy.
Professor Kwon Oh-gil sings in his own unique, elastic style.
When it comes to explaining the rotation and revolution of the Earth, and the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Earth, his writing style is almost like dancing with letters.
While talking about universal gravitation, he brings up the topic of love.
I thought we were done there, but then I realized we were already talking about aging.
How can one imitate this free-flowing rhythm?
Will I ever have another chance to take such an exciting biology class?

“There is something that I have tried so hard to believe, but it is hard to believe – and there are many things like that – that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Besides, they say that the Earth rotates once a day.
It's said that it can stand up straight and then lie down straight away, but how can we believe that it is stuck to the Earth without falling into space because of the Earth's gravitational force? It wants to jump and fly through space, but when Isaac Newton pulls it back down, it falls back down to its original place.
That's what we call universal gravitation...
It's been a long time since I've heard of universal gravitation.
It's called cosmic gravity, and all things with mass in the universe are pulling on each other, so the desk is pulling on the book, the pencil, and my glasses.
(……) Truly, what holds me and embraces me more than the Earth? Whether I lie down, sit, or walk, it is the Earth that pulls me along! That's why we call the Earth our mother.
I will take good care of my only mother.
There is no use crying and fretting after someone has passed away.
The Earth in the satellite photos was a truly beautiful blue jewel! I could not believe I was living in it! It was hard to believe, but I decided to believe it anyway.
Aren't we the ones who live for a short time on that 'treasure stone'?
Especially for an old man like me, I don't know when I'll have to leave here.
No, it's already the evening of life.
I don't know why you act like you're going to live forever without knowing that.
“What can I do when death is already beckoning me!”


We are all creatures that live on the soil

As with plants, half of our lives are in the soil.
Even though we pretend to be the lords of creation, we are just like a stem or leaf standing tall on the ground.
This is what we must always remember.
One thing is that the stems and leaves above ground always live by relying on the roots underground.

In the preface, the author says, “The main character of the land and soil is, without a doubt, the root of the Punamu tree.
He emphasizes that “the rest of the creatures are nothing more than branches and roots.”
The author exclaims, “This is amazing, this is amazing, this is amazing, this is unbelievable,” in front of the surprising fact that the biomass of the ‘stem + leaves’ standing tall above the ground and the ‘roots’ underground are almost equal.
According to the author, the soil is our foundation, literally our 'roots' and 'base'.
For him, the 'invisible roots (of plants)' are all living things living in the soil and the soil itself.

Professor Kwon Oh-gil's "There is life in the soil..." is a tribute to the "uncommonness" of things that are not easily noticeable.
To us, it's just dirt, but to a biologist, it's home to a rich and diverse array of soil organisms.
The soil is also a training ground that gives you enlightenment while tending the garden.
Therefore, soil is not just soil, it is life.
It doesn't matter whether the object is a snail, a fish, or a cell.
The author, while talking about soil ecosystems, always asks another question.
How is our ‘ecosystem of the mind’? How is our personality?


“When a person is born, it is called ‘Nakji’ (落地), meaning ‘falling into the ground’.
So what is soil? Soil is the ground where plants take root and live, and it is the habitat where we build our homes and live.
A plant without land is no different from a fish without water.
Where would we live without land? Butterflies, bees, and birds live in the air? Absolutely not.
It will only stay there for a while, but eventually it will all come down to the ground.
A house built on sand is called a ‘sand-top tower’.
“Because it doesn’t have deep roots in the ground, it won’t last long and will fall over.”

“Yes.
Having lived with the soil since I was young, I cannot live without touching the city soil.
Whenever I have time, I head out to the fields.
It was said that working in the fields, which is contact with the earth, is instinctive.
In fact, it would be correct to say that that place is my training ground.
It is good for the body as the limbs become strong through luck, and the soul is cleansed and distracting thoughts disappear, so there is no better place for mental management.
I want to approach life infinitely through labor.
He said that he often sleeps while lying down and following the field.
It is pure joy to see a seed sprout and grow.
What more could you ask for?
Pick up and clear away any rags, pebbles, or fallen leaves, and crush any large dirt particles in your palm.
It becomes a soft, round soil.
The feeling of the soil in your hands at this time is difficult to express in words or writing.
The once-crusty soil is now sticky, moist, and incredibly soft.
The dusty dirt, like rice cake, gives off the scent of spring radish.
Grab a handful of dirt and put it up to your nose.
Sob sob! I keep smelling it.
“Sour and sweet, fresh and subtle earthy scent!”

“Grass, trees, and grains live by leaning on the soil.
If the soil ecosystem is healthy, the trees will eventually thrive and the harvest will increase.
After all, aren't we living off of the soil? The leaves and dead branches of grass and trees accumulate and decay, forming humus, and the organic matter released from them nourishes the soil.
But in the case of grain, people gather the roots, stems, and fruits and throw them away, so there is nothing left to till the ground.
In other words, the land is hungry.
So we add manure and spread fertilizer to prevent soil starvation, that is, depletion of nutrients.
But I get angry when I see people who farm only with chemical fertilizers and not enough manure.
I'm talking about the people who grow perilla or sweet potatoes in the field next to me.
Their nature, the 'ecosystem of the mind', is questionable.
Even though perilla and sweet potatoes thrive in the harshest of soils…
I hate them because they are like parasites that suck the 'blood of the soil' from the hungry land.
Even if you have thick skin, you are still a fountain of water… … .
Every time I harvest vegetables, grains, or fruits from the field, I feel incredibly grateful.
On the one hand, I feel sorry for my mother who gave me so much milk in the field.
“The soil is honest, and it bears fruit in proportion to the amount of care put into it and the amount of fertilizer put into it!”


Earth - where the world's wise men return

In Professor Kwon Oh-gil’s “There is life in the soil…”, there are a lot of references to “death.”
The author, who is turning 70 this year, seems to be talking about the weathering of rocks, but then turns around and starts muttering about aging, and while talking about earthworms, he suddenly drifts into a conversation about aging and death.
It is natural that we are born into this world (生) and return to it (死), but nowhere in this book is there an old scientist calmly explaining that 'death' is just an aspect of life and a process that all living things go through.
What we have here is the longing heart of an old and frail son who wonders, 'If I see you in the next world, will you recognize me?' It is the mother who toiled in the scorching sun until her back broke, and the son who fed cows forage because he couldn't afford to go to middle school.
“We are connected with all things, living and dead,” said Thoreau (Henry David).
Then, we too can borrow his words and say the following:
We are connected to everything living and dead.
With what? Yes.
Into the dirt!

“I have a long life, so this year I will be turning 70, which is a rare age in life.”
Many of my acquaintances and friends have gone to the afterlife before me, but I still haven't died, my heart is still beating and my lungs are still pounding...
Actually, I almost died from acute pancreatitis not long ago.
I was hospitalized with excruciating pain, starved to death on a "total fast," unable to even drink water. Then, after eight days, I finally drank water. After nine days, I hugged the rice cakes I'd just had, and cried. Were those tears the relief of finally being alive? The more I think about what it means to live while enduring that excruciating, crushing pain, the more my heart aches.
“I am truly a person who demonstrates tenacious vitality!”

“Weathering is something that happens slowly over tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of millions of years.
If you subtract "decades" from this, the rest are numbers that have no direct bearing on us! But isn't weathering limited to the land?
There is no place that does not come from: face, internal organs, palms and soles of the feet, and hair on the head.
My hair turned white.
The Old Testament's Book of Proverbs says, "Gray hair is a shining crown; it is obtained by living a good life." This is a little comforting.
What epitaph comes to mind for the late playwright George Bernard Shaw, who passed away at the age of 94? "I knew I'd end up like this if I kept procrastinating." They say age is just a number, but that's not true.
The gravity of age weighs down on my whole body, as heavy as a rock before it weathers! Why does a plum blossom become more noble as it ages, but why do people become uglier as they age?

“The sprouting of a seed and the birth of a baby are no different.
The moment I see a new sprout with a bang, I shout “Wow, it’s finally sprouted!” and jump for joy! My heart races with excitement and my mind goes crazy! If someone had seen my little buds from the side, they would have definitely laughed at me and called me crazy! In farming, you learn patience and also learn to wait! You have to grow a tree to learn how to teach it.
It's not just trees.
Growing grains and vegetables is no different. Growing and teaching are all about waiting! It's not something you can just nag about.
If you pull on the neck of a young sprout, it will not grow.
In the end, he ends up killing me.
Planting spring seeds teaches me to wait! That waiting is a dream and a wish, a yearning and a longing that is so hard to bear.
In short, the field is my training ground where I cultivate and correct my body and mind.
So farming also gives me food for my soul.
“I wish I could just fall down and die while working in the field, so that my life doesn’t end in a miserable way.”

“Aren’t bacteria the main characters in making fermented foods, from kimchi to cheese and yogurt, as well as being essential for decay (decomposition)?”
And that's not all. These are the precious bacteria that will instantly turn me to dust when I die! Why does a line from Manhae Han Yong-un's "My Path" suddenly come to mind? "... There are only two paths for me in this world.
One way is to be held in the arms of the random person.
Otherwise, it is the path to be embraced by death… … .” The unfamiliar death that I must go through, embracing the love I once longed for and could not fulfill, is now coming to me.
“I wonder if my mother in the afterlife will notice my shabby appearance, which has aged so much in the blink of an eye.”