Korean Culture Alert: Buddha’s Birthday

Korean Culture Alert: Buddha’s Birthday--Korean National Holiday

According to legend, Buddha was born in a garden in Lumbini, in what is today southern Nepal. It is said that when he was born birds sang, flowers bloomed, and sweet rain fell from the heavens to welcome his arrival.

Soon after he was born, Buddha took seven steps, with a lotus blossom appearing in each footprint he left. Hence in Asia, lotus blossoms are often associated with Buddha.

This year Buddha’s birth will be celebrated through out Asian on May 15. (The eighth day of the fourth lunar month.)

In Korea, Buddha’s birthday( sekka tanshin-il0 is one of three traditional holidays celebrated yearly.

Commonly referred to as “Chopail,” the day is observed as a national holiday on which followers of Buddhism across the nation head to temples for special services. Non-believers and their families also visit the temples, often located in scenic mountain areas.

For Koreans, a popular feature of the holiday is the Lotus Lantern Festival, which offers a range of activities, including a parade of colorful paper lanterns.

Buddhism, once the dominant religion in Korea, has about 18 million followers in Korea. Surveys indicate that over one third of the Korean populations are Buddhist and approximately one third are Christian. Regardless of a Korean’s individual religious belief, Buddhist influence has had an impact culturally on the East Asian peninsula for centuries—most obvious architecturally in the pagoda design.