I took this picture on a trip to a temple in Southern Part of South Korea in 2004In Korea, Buddha's birthday (a national holiday in Korea) is celebrated today according to the Lunisolar calendar. This day is called 석가탄신일 (Seokga than-sin-il), meaning "the day of Buddha's birthday" or 부처님 오신 날 (Bucheonim oshin nal) meaning "the day when Buddha arrived".
Koreans celebrate this event with great fervour and its 20,000 temples nationwide have special ceremonies and festivities for each and everyone from all faiths and from around the world to celebrate the event with them. Seoul's Jogye Temple will be holding traditional services not just today but for the whole month. Jogye is Korea's largest and most influential Buddhist order. In East Asia, the Buddha's birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar.
Lotus lantern festival is the biggest event that was held this year between May 7 - 8, 2011 - with lantern parades (starting from Dongdaemun gate and finishing at Jogye-sa), music, concerts, drum festival, meditiation techniques and lantern making events being offered for everybody to try their hands on. Morning hours are allocated to religious festivities and street fair is follwed later in the day in which Buddhism-related products and Korean traditional crafts can be found in plenty. This week holds great significance to all Buddhists, it provides a fun opportunity for foreigners in particular and the rest of the public in general to see some of the most distinct contrasts between the Old and the New by providing a glimpse into some of Korea’s oldest cultural and religious traditions and how they are still practiced today.
White lanterns have a name of the deceased relative for whom the temples do special prayers
Koreans celebrate this event with great fervour and its 20,000 temples nationwide have special ceremonies and festivities for each and everyone from all faiths and from around the world to celebrate the event with them. Seoul's Jogye Temple will be holding traditional services not just today but for the whole month. Jogye is Korea's largest and most influential Buddhist order. In East Asia, the Buddha's birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar.
Lotus lantern festival is the biggest event that was held this year between May 7 - 8, 2011 - with lantern parades (starting from Dongdaemun gate and finishing at Jogye-sa), music, concerts, drum festival, meditiation techniques and lantern making events being offered for everybody to try their hands on. Morning hours are allocated to religious festivities and street fair is follwed later in the day in which Buddhism-related products and Korean traditional crafts can be found in plenty. This week holds great significance to all Buddhists, it provides a fun opportunity for foreigners in particular and the rest of the public in general to see some of the most distinct contrasts between the Old and the New by providing a glimpse into some of Korea’s oldest cultural and religious traditions and how they are still practiced today.
White lanterns have a name of the deceased relative for whom the temples do special prayers Lanterns in all the different colors cover the entire temples throughout the month which are also seen as the special decoration on both sides of the streets/roads all over the city. Many temples provide free meals and tea to all visitors.
It is one of the most colorful and aniticipated events in Korea and is my favorite Korean holiday.
For information on temple stay visit here .
photocredits@ Korea Times and Matt Kelly
It is one of the most colorful and aniticipated events in Korea and is my favorite Korean holiday.
For information on temple stay visit here .
photocredits@ Korea Times and Matt Kelly
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sarahinsouthkorea
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