Have you ever been visiting South Korea? Well, if you haven’t, you should consider going there this month. Why? Because it is the best time to visit. You can join a festive celebration that is coming up, with all the bright lanterns, parade, and of course, dances performed by monks with beautiful colorful robes. It’s the famous and spiritual Korean Lotus Lantern Festival 2022.
Celebration of Lotus Lantern Festival in South Korea
In case you are wondering, they celebrate the birth of Buddha, who was born on the 8th day of the 4th month in the Lunar year. The celebration started a week before.
Begin with the enormous parade at 7 pm that lasts two and a half-hour, followed by dancing and the release of thousands of bright and colorful wish lanterns up to the sky. This sacred festive began over 1,300 years ago, and was able to endure all the obstacles within these several decades.
This Lotus Lantern Festival ends with a parade in front of Jogyesa Temple, where booths with a collection of Buddhist articles lay outside. You can find various interesting Buddhist articles, like meditation and painting. Be sure you don’t miss it and collect all of them if you must!
Why Lotus Lantern?
What is the significance of Lotus Lantern? That’s what crossed my mind when I started to write this. Turn-out lantern is considered an offering to Buddha as a course to emerge his most valuable and important messages. They are virtuous and have no hatred, which means purity of hearts. The ritual is also a way to set up someone’s mind to achieve enlightenment.
History of Lotus Lantern
Begin almost 1,300 years ago, the Lotus Lantern Festival, or the Yeon Deung Hoe in Korean was first celebrated by King Jinheung in Silla Dynasty and continued in the Goryeo Dynasty. Although forced to face a bit of difficulty during the Joseon Dynasty, it still endured and was able to survive during Japan’s invasion of 1910 up to 1945.
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What to Expect at Lotus Lantern Festival 2022
Excited? Well, don’t worry for 2022 the festival hasn’t begun yet. The Buddha’s birthday will be on May 8, 2022. So the festival will start a week before, which will open from April 29 until May 1st in Jongno street and Jogyesa Temple, downtown Seoul.
Here is the information regarding the festival, from the opening day until the birthdate of Buddha.
Day One
On the first day of opening, you can see the Lantern Exhibition in Jogyesa Temple, Bongeun-a Temple, and Cheonggyecheon Stream. It will last until Buddha’s birthday.
Day Two
This day is the most congested day from the festive, you will be entertained by :
1. Buddhist Cheer Rally
2. Lantern Parade
3. Closing Ceremony in Jongno street downtown Seoul
Day Three
On the third day, there will be a Traditional Street Festival in front of Jogyesa Temple with colorful lanterns and various shapes of animals or flowers. You will never regret it if you decide to come and enjoy this festival along with the locals.
What Do People Do in the Lotus Lantern Festival?
In case you are wondering what the locals do at that celebration? Well, they will light a lantern in their home as darkness falls. Their symbolic tradition has a meaningful message behind it, which is how much they yearn for peace and purity in their heart
As the festivities continue, they will watch the parade and light a lantern of hope, and release them to the sky with the hope that everything they wish will come true. You will find them wearing traditional clothes named Hanbok which you should try on too while visiting South Korea.
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Tips on Visiting Korean Lotus Lantern
Whether you travel to South Korea with a tour package or not, here are some tips you have to consider.
1. Always bring your passport wherever you go. Even if you are only going to the supermarket nearby. This is very important, you don’t want to be lost in a foreign country and don’t bring your identities, do you?
2. Always bring your visa too, do not leave without it.
3. Currency, if you can, don’t exchange rupiah for won in Indonesia, it’s rather expensive. You can first exchange rupiah for a dollar, then in South Korea, you exchange dollars for won. You can exchange it in the local bank or money changer, but do not change it at the airport, it’s too expensive. If you have already spent almost all of it, don’t worry, you can go to an ATM that has a Mastercard, cirrus, or visa logo on it.
What do you think after reading this article? Want to immediately book a flight to South Korea? The Lotus Lantern Festival is just around the corner. If you don’t want to miss it, hurry and book a plane or hotel ticket at Airpaz.com or Airpaz Apps. I guarantee you won’t regret it, instead, you will have an awesome yet sacred experience at the Lotus Lantern Festival Seoul. So let’s book the ticket and visit South Korea with your loved one!
