Korea Dedicates 2014 Lotus Lantern Festival to Buddha's Birthday and Sewol Ferry Tragedy Survivors

The Lotus Lantern Festival is one of the biggest Festivals here in South Korea. This is Korea's way of throwing a big party for Buddha's birthday. Korea celebrates the life and example of Buddha when he was still alive by displaying lanterns. If you think these beautiful and colorful lanterns are just for aesthetic purposes, you are wrong. It is called Lotus Lantern Festival because lotus lantern symbolizes Buddha's life and mission which somehow equate to wishes for good health, long life and an overflowing abundance.

One of the symbolic lanterns in the parade honoring the birthday of Buddha

For this year, the lotus lantern parade was held on the night of April 26, 2014. The program started at around 7 pm and the parade lasted for about 2.5 hours. It was more than two hours of enticing view of glowing lanterns all over Dongdaemun History and Culture Park down Jongno Street up to the Joygesa Temple. The sight of over thousands of people and monks walking the street carrying that cute glowing object is somehow an interesting sight. They are also chanting a song, probably some Buddhist hymns which I could not understand.

Monks chanting and carrying lotus lantern during the parade

I have seen a lot of types of lantern during the parade carried by Monks and followers of Buddha from all walks of life. I couldn't really identify some of them and what it symbolizes in connection to the life of Buddha but I can classify them. There are some symbolic lanterns like this one:

A big human lantern showcased during the parade

The human lanterns made of paper and silk are too enormous. They put the big lanterns on what seems to look like an altar and four people will together carry the altar during the parade.

A symbol of the followers of Buddha holding a lotus lantern and a book of his teachings

Some lanterns also depict fictional creatures which could be symbolic in Buddhism.

A monk sitting in a lotus over a lion-like creature

But not everything about the parade refers to deep symbolic figures for Buddhism. There are some lanterns which I think were there just to entertain people and not to bother the audience about the meaning like this one. Who would say everything must be serious? I find it too cute.

A human-like lotus lantern

There are also some fictional creatures like this what seems to be a peacock lantern in its entertaining blue light. I was far away from the figure so I was not able to take a closer shot.

Peacock like lantern with dancing blue lights

Of all the lanterns presented in the parade,this is I think the most awesome one. Oh, she's not a lantern, but she's the only glowing human presented along with other lanterns. I guess she's a Gumiho.

A Gumiho

After the parade, all roads lead to Joygesa temple where we will met by more lotus lanterns and lanterns of all forms and sizes. I know it's meaningful but we just settled to understand that it's a great photo opportunity.

At the gate of Joygesa Temple

When we entered the temple, we felt we just arrived in a different dimension of the world. The surroundings were full of lanterns and colorful lights coming from different sources. We just toured around the area while the rest of the followers of Buddha worshiped inside the temple.

Around the vicinity of Joygesa temple

I think the most interesting part is this corner in the temple where it displayed lanterns with lights changing colors for every minute.

Lotus Lanterns changing colors

We did not forget too that the place is very sacred for Buddhists because it's their worship place. In fact, right at the middle of the temple stands a very big tree. People bow down, kiss or even pray at the foot of the tree.

Followers of Buddha whisper their wishes by touching the tree and pray

However, this year's festival is not just all about Buddha. Due to the recent incident, part of the festival is an offer of prayer and sympathy to the affected people of the Sewol  Ferry Tragedy. People tied a yellow ribbon as a symbol of hope for the safe of returns for those who survived the tragedy.

The yellow ribbons symbolize the hope for more survivors from Sewol Ferry Tragedy

This year's festival was celebrated in a subtle way because of the heart breaking incident that happened a few weeks ago but this didn't stop thousands of people to enjoy the colorful lanterns in light for the birthday of the most celebrated religious figure in Korea, Buddha.