On Day 10 of Plus3 South Korea, we had a very active morning followed by an afternoon and evening of resting and working on our final projects. On this day, it was a national holiday in Korea celebrating Buddha’s Birthday. We began our morning with a trip to a famous traditional Korean village and continued it with a visit back to Jogyessa Temple where we took part in the festivities.
The Bukchon Hanok Village
The Bukchon Hanok Village is a small, traditional Korean village on the outskirts of the main Seoul area. Although the village has seen technological and structural renovations, the architecture has remained the same for centuries. The winding and hilly cobble streets are adorned on both sides with buildings made of tiled rooves, white plaster walls, and beautiful wooden carpentry accents. Many house gates displayed the golden crests of their owner’s families while others were left open to circulate the fresh, cool air throughout the house. Although tourists were aplenty during our time there, the village is still fully occupied and residential, so we kept our voices down and kept a respectful distance from the open doors. Many smaller art shops displayed some of the most ornately decorated and authentic Korean goods that I had seen throughout the whole trip. One of the most common themes I saw throughout my time in Korea was rapid innovation with respect for the past. The Bukchon Hanok Village was the perfect example of how technological and infrastructure advancements have made Korean lives easier as the people work to preserve and remember their traditions and customs.
Jogyessa Temple Celebration
During our first week in Korea, we had the chance to visit Jogyessa Temple on a typical weekday. While the Temple was adorned with colorful lanterns and decorations in preparations for Buddha’s birthday, the scene was relatively quiet save for a solemn service being led by a few chanting monks. On May 15th however, the temple was a spectacle of activity playing host to a vast number of choirs, monks, religious observers, government officials, and even the president himself.
The crowd for this event was very large and would surge towards the president and monks on the stage in the back left corner of the celebration. Upon entrance into the gathering, we were met by ushers who pinned lotus flowers to our chests in celebration of the event. Although the ceremony was tightly packed, the feelings of hope and happiness were palpable amongst those in attendance. The celebration was a stark and beautiful contrast from the solemn temples with few in attendance that we had witnessed before. This event was a nationally unifying event for Buddhists across the country – much like Christmas in the United States. Local markets and shops were packed with traditional goods and colorful gifts with which to remember the event. In the well-known, bustling market of Insa-Dong, we had the opportunity to truly see the happiness the event brought to people all over the county. As Buddha’s Birthday is not as widely celebrated in the United States, it was unique and beautiful to witness the congregation of millions of Buddhists and their century-old traditions in South Korea.