Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (2003)
Directed by Kim Ki-duk • South Korea
Introduction
The film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring by Kim Ki-duk stands as a complete reflection of Buddhist philosophy and the spiritual essence of Eastern thought. Through a poetic narrative, profound silences, and meticulously composed imagery, the film visualizes the very principles of Buddhist metaphysics. Yet, beyond its religious foundation, a question arises: can this film also be interpreted outside the framework of Buddhism, as a universal meditation on the human condition?
The Film as a Representation of Buddhism
The title itself is a metaphor for the endless cycle of Samsara—the recurring rhythm of birth, desire, suffering, death, and rebirth. Each season reflects a spiritual state: spring symbolizes awakening and birth, summer the emergence of desire, autumn repentance and sorrow, and winter silence and death, followed again by the rebirth of spring.
Within this structure, Kim Ki-duk elegantly weaves the dual concepts of Samsara and Nirvana. The floating monastery and the tranquil lake symbolize Samsara—the ceaseless cycle of existence—while the act of the old monk setting himself ablaze signifies Nirvana, the ultimate extinction of craving and the liberation from worldly attachment.
The woman who hides her face and drowns in the lake represents the soul bound to the cycle of suffering, while the child who later arrives symbolizes the continuation of that cycle. As the Buddha teaches:
"Humans are reborn countless times until they understand that nothing should be possessed by force. The more they cling, the deeper they sink into Samsara; the more they release, the closer they come to Nirvana."
Kim's film visualizes this teaching not through dialogue, but through rhythm, silence, and the natural flow of life itself.
The Film through the Lens of Abrahamic Faiths
Although rooted in Buddhist cosmology, the symbolic construction of Kim's film allows it to be read through the perspective of Abrahamic religions as well. The opening scene—where the master and his young disciple live in harmony amidst nature—evokes the imagery of Eden and the creation of Adam. The gate that divides the monastery from the forest serves as a threshold between the sacred and the profane. Each time the boy crosses it, he enters the realm of temptation and sin; upon returning, he regains a sense of peace and purity.
In the spring segment, the boy's cruelty toward innocent animals symbolizes the fall from innocence. The master, like a silent deity, observes from above but does not intervene—allowing the boy to confront his own karma through experience. Later, in summer, the arrival of the woman signifies the creation of Eve and the emergence of desire. Their departure from the monastery marks humanity's expulsion from paradise.
When the disciple, now corrupted by guilt and passion, returns in autumn, he is disciplined by his master—a parallel to divine chastisement and repentance. Finally, in winter, he undergoes spiritual purification: he binds a stone to his body and climbs the mountain, mirroring his earlier cruelty yet transforming it into redemption. This act of ascetic endurance represents enlightenment through suffering. The final return of a new child repeating the same cruelty reflects the cyclical nature of human sin and rebirth—a metaphor not of despair, but of the eternal continuity of moral awakening.
Contradictions with Abrahamic Religions
Despite these parallels, fundamental differences between Buddhist and Abrahamic worldviews are evident:
The portrayal of woman:
The woman symbolizes temptation, sin, and spiritual fall—contrasting sharply with the sacred role of womanhood as a source of life and compassion in Abrahamic traditions.
The self-immolation of the old monk:
In Buddhism, self-immolation embodies release and the transcendence of selfhood, while in Abrahamic faiths it represents a grave sin—self-destruction rather than divine union. The contrast reveals opposing understandings of liberation: silence versus communion.
Individual salvation:
The disciple's solitary journey toward enlightenment opposes the Abrahamic concept of collective redemption—where salvation unfolds through the relationship between humanity, God, and community.
Conclusion
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring is one of the purest examples of Eastern philosophical cinema. Through silence, natural soundscapes, and the elimination of dialogue and music, Kim Ki-duk transforms film into meditation. Each image is meticulously framed to evoke introspection rather than explanation, guiding the viewer through the moral and metaphysical cycles of existence.
Visually poetic and thematically profound, the film transcends its Buddhist roots to offer a universal reflection on guilt, compassion, and renewal. Kim's work teaches that spiritual understanding does not belong to any single faith; rather, it arises from the shared human struggle to find meaning in impermanence.