Since the establishment of Hwarang, every young man desired to join the organization and become an elite warrior. I also wanted to join this powerful group of boys who practiced martial art and philosophy and amused themselves with dances and singing. From my mother, I knew that only boys aged 14-15 from noble families are able to enter Hwarang and receive education. Being a 15-year-old citizen of the kingdom of Silla, I obtained an opportunity to apply to Hwarang. It was one of the greatest days in my life since I became the member of Flowering Warriors what I decided in my interpretive essay.

Due to the fact that there were many political and international problems, Hwarang was treated by the society as the new hope for the better future of Silla. The first lesson we had to remember was taught by Buddhist monks, who were highly educated and sophisticated individuals. The aim of the lesson was to learn the basic code of ethics called the Five Commandments for Laymen (Seth, 2016, p. 43). These commandments were the requirements which every warrior was obligated to follow. Wongwang, our teacher, claimed that without these commandments, a young boy is not able to become a genuine man and warrior, who is loyal to his king, loves and respects his parents and never retreats in battle. Accordingly, these statements became my life motto.

Before entering Hwarang, I was aware of the philosophical principles of Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism. However, I noticed that the education in Hwarang was grounded on the synthesis of these philosophical trends and presented a unique code of a genuine warrior. My life in Hwarang was full of different religious practices, which aimed to develop thoughtfulness and inner calmness. Maitreya Buddha was our spiritual patron. Since the Flowering Warriors intended to be not only royal defenders and warriors but also wise individuals in the society, I studied ancient texts in order to obtain knowledge about the past of the Silla Kingdom. However, I also knew that despite all philosophy and meditation, I should be a brave and reliable warrior. Once, during the lectures, the member of Hwabaek visited the academy and gave a significant and highly inspirational speech. Since that event, I obtained confidence and faith in my strengths. It should be stated that the life in the institution was not easy. In fact, the mentors did not forbid to go for a walk or to communicate with people. However, being on the streets, I had to be an example of righteousness and good manners. I could not allow myself to observe women or be in places where people were fighting or drinking. On the one hand, I was proud of my position in the society and the aim of my life. Moreover, due to the fact that I wore specific clothes and had ritual paintings on my face, people on the street knew who I am and have always treated me with respect and honor. Importantly, such a bright difference between average people and me was quite frightening but also extremely pleasant. On the other hand, I had a feeling of certain limitation since I was not able to spend time with my old friends. However, despite some discomforts, I knew that my country needs me.

Another highly interesting aspect of my education was martial arts taught by Buddhist monks. Specifically, I was fond of the technique called SooBaek that was a form of simple foot fighting along with the use of different kinds of weapon (Seth, 2016, p. 45). The presented kind of martial arts allowed me not only to successfully defeat my enemies but also to protect the king during the battle. Importantly, my training was accompanied by meditations and other religious practices. Apart from SooBaek, I studied other types of military craft, which were aimed at teaching me to defend myself. Together with our Buddhist mentors, we traveled to the mountains to improve our fighting skills. Honestly, this training was exhausting, and the teachers were highly strict. Nevertheless, I tried my best, as I knew that this part of education is one of the most important for me as a future warrior.

Among the most pleasant and joyful training activities were singing songs and performing ritual dances. Since they took place mostly high in the mountains or near the creeks, it was the time when I was able to enjoy the beauty of the nature and think about the eternal world. I guess that when local people were observing my activities, they would have never thought that I was preparing to be a warrior and protector of the king and Silla. However, as I was taught, the genuine Hwarang warrior should not only possess the needed skills in martial arts but also be able to use the virtues and ethics in order to become the member of society and an example for people. In addition, such trips to the mountains helped me to form my beliefs and purpose in the life, while martial arts were the way to defend these creeds. While observing the representatives of the lower social class on the streets, I knew that they were defenseless peasants, who worked for the prosperity of Silla. Thus, my duty as a Hwarang warrior was to protect them, as they were a significant part of my country.

To conclude, becoming a student of Hwarang organization was my greatest dream that eventually came true. I received the best physical and theoretical education and learned how to become a genuine warrior and member of the society. Despite exhausting training in Hwarang, there were many pleasant moments, when I sang songs and danced. I understood that being a part of the elite group of Flowering Warriors is the most advantageous and noble role in Silla.