The Yongdeunghwe Festival (Buddhist Lantern (Lotus) Festival) events will also take place on Sunday, May 21. Then, a week is set aside for Buddhists to visit temples, pray and make offerings to the Buddha.
Buddha Shakyamuni’s birthday will be celebrated on May 27, according to the Buddhist calendar, this year is the 2567th in a row. In South Korea, as in a number of other East Asian countries, this holiday is an official day off. Considering that it fell on Saturday, the day of rest in the country has been moved to Monday, May 29, which allows Koreans to plan for a long weekend.
On the evening of Saturday, May 20, perhaps the most colorful and vibrant event of the entire festival complex of events took place. A parade of paper lotus lanterns was held on Seoul’s central street, Jongno. As you know, the lotus flower is considered sacred for Buddhists, symbolizing the beauty and strength of the spirit, which withstands all the trials and difficulties of daily life, reaching nirvana. The lotus is also known to be born in the mud of a pond, gradually turning into a beautiful flower.
During the Buddhist Lantern Parade, participants carried thousands of large and small internally illuminated paper lanterns. Participants made a variety of lanterns – from large to small, in a variety of shapes and colors, and marched from Hongjimun Gate to the main temple of the main local Buddhist order, Chogyesa.
The Buddhist Lantern Festival in Korea has long been very popular and enjoyed not only by locals but also by foreigners. Many come specifically to get in on it, and also to take advantage of Korea’s beautiful spring weather, which has yet to give way to summer heat. The spectacle with the most beautiful Buddhist lanterns and figures from Buddhist mythology “floating” in the evening darkness is truly fantastic. After the parade, in central Seoul, in the Chonggak subway station area, folk celebrations and festivities were held, which gathered a large number of participants.
It should be noted that similar lantern parades took place on the evening of May 20 not only in Seoul, but also in many other major cities in South Korea. Buddhist temples across the country are now adorned with thousands of lanterns and will retain their festive garb for a few more weeks. We bring to your attention a photo report of the Buddhist Lantern Parade in Seoul.
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