Korea marked Buddha's Birthday on Tuesday,... a special day for Buddhists in the country.
It's a national holiday every year... and many people made their way to local temples to celebrate the occasion.
Seo Bo-bin reports.
It's a celebration of Buddha's 2-thousand-5-hundred-62nd birthday.
To mark this special occasion, Buddhist temples in the heart of the city have been adorned with colorful lanterns and decorations.
During this time of the year, many people make their way to the temples... on or before Buddha's birthday, to participate in various events, such as water rituals to bathe little Buddha statues as well as prayer sessions.
Many visitors have come to Jogyesa Temple for a variety of different reasons.
"Coming from a different culture, it's definitely different, it's inspirational, the amount of details and the number of things you guys have as part of the celebration is really it's cool..."
"Last year I went through some hard times, so this year I wanted all of my family members to be healthy and happy and prayed for all our wishes to come true."
Every year on April 8th of the lunar calendar, the country celebrates the birth of Buddha and Buddhism in Korea. With a history spanning more than 16-hundred years, Buddhism has become a major religion in Korea with the number of followers estimated at ten million people.
The government designated the day as a national holiday in 1975.
Buddha's birthday was previously known as 'Seokga Tanshin-il' in Korean, but its official name has changed to 'The Day of Buddha's Coming' in 2018.
The Day of Buddha's Coming is not just a day to give an offering or to pray for peace and wellness. This year, Jogyesa Temple has given a deeper meaning to the celebration.
"The Day of Buddha's Coming is special to Buddhists because Buddhism has taught us to put down our selfishness and look back at ourselves with merciful minds… This year the message 'Together, we go as one' reflects many conflicts that the country has been going through, such as the North and South conflict and employment issues… so we wanted to tell people that we are 'one' and have no differences."
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Everyone who made their way to one of the 20-thousand Buddhist temples in the country seemed to have a common purpose… to wish for the well-being of friends and family, and to also remember Buddha's teachings.
Seo Bo-bin, Arirang News.
