Well, you can imagine my shock when my directions led me into the front path of a beautiful, elaborately made palace. It was the home of a very well-known Korean spiritual leader, who lead meditations said to rekindle your memories of birth.

--Oh, don't you get excited now! I saw this man only a few times in passing after he welcomed me into his home. On another trip to China, I did attend one of his meditation circles, but that's a story for another day. For now, enjoy this one.

Ahem. Where was I?

Oh, yes. So, when I wasn't out learning the ways of the Chinese people, I was drifting through the majestic halls of this palace. The place was so grand I can nearly swear to you I never went down the same corridor twice. Large statues of jade and gold lined many of the passages, and fine draperies covered large, delicately framed windows that provided views to the various edges of its estates.

Then, one day, I happen upon the looks of a rather empty, dull-looking route. It sharply took my breathe away, seeing as it's dingy, unpainted walls and half-finished structure felt so eerie compared to it's brothers. I was curious, but it's depths simply seemed too dark for lone exploration, so I made to leave. I was stopped, however, by a sharp, eager voice.

EY!" It said, causing me to turn myself back around in alarm. Slowly, a ragged-looking Lenny in a worn Chinese gown revealed himself from the shadows, continuing in nearly flawless English.

…Don't tell anyone about this place?" He had a look of longing and concern on his face, and I sensed that he meant no harm, so I joined him for a cup of tea at his abode. It turned out, however, that his abode was that dingy hallway. The bird's name, it turned out, was Lungshan Lin, and he was once a well-known carpenter hired many years ago to repair a section of the palace after a major flood. The work was so grueling and intricate it took him nearly his entire life to finish one hallway. The Lenny was left to age in despair, knowing nothing but the blueprints of the passage walls.

He grew wise as he slowly turned into a hermit, however. The years of work had made him strong and tolerant, and the homeless who took shelter in the woods around the palace would sneak him food and whisper him secrets of nature through cracks in the windows. The wonders they passed on to him made Lin excited to spread this knowledge to the world, but, alas, he had been cooped up in the ways of the palace for so long, that he couldn't find his way out!

So the same routine had continued for nearly 10 more years before I stumbled upon him. Now, of course I led him out and helped him find his family's new settlement, and in exchange, he let me in on the secrets he had learned.

They were so elaborate and beautiful I instantly knew why they were kept so low-profile, and I swore not to repeat them until I found the right ears, aha, but I'll let you know I never got lost in a jungle again. And I've never taken any form of medicine that I haven't harvested myself from nature, either.