Claim: Rock formation reveals praying figures of a mother and child when viewed sideways.
Status: False.
Examples:
Origins: The above-pictured rock, one that combines with its reflection in the water to form the sideways image of a praying mother and child, is not a natural rock formation found in Burma (or anywhere else). It's a fictional element from a children's storybook, as rendered by Korean illustrator
His drawings for children are characterized by their simplicity and their ability to evoke particular scenes or events. His subtle use of color helps to create a tranquil and mellow atmosphere in his paintings. Elements of Korean nature and culture are also beautifully rendered in Kim's work.
The book itself (Children of the East River) is described thusly:
The author incorporates nature (the forest and the river) into his illustrations to reveal the hidden beauty of nature. If the reader looks at the
Two Children (Soon-Ee and Dong-Ee) play on a riverbank while waiting for the return of their mother, who has gone to town to sell beans and other
harvested goods. The children ask a big bird and a bear cub when their mother is coming back and play with imaginary animals while
awaiting her return.
pictures carefully, he can see that the author has used shadows in the water and its surroundings to show the imaginary animals in the book.
A photo from an interior page of the book presents the illustration in context:
Other images from this work can be viewed in a Korean blog entry.
Last updated: 18 June 2007