The Buddha’s Birthday (May 10, this year) is far and away the most important celebration on the Korean Buddhist calender. The preparations start nearly a year ahead of time at our center, and by January preparations are in full gear. By the time things are finished in April, the lanterns and floats will be gorgeous! (Click on the images for a bit higher resolution image.)

For everyone in the Seoul area, there’s been one important change this year: the main lantern parade will begin at dusk Saturday, May 7th, and will go from Dongguk University to Jogye Temple. Sunday, May 8th, will be the street fair in front of Jogye Temple, with a celebration/party in the evening. The actual day is May 10, Tuesday, and so temples big and small across the country will be having their own celebrations.















































elephant at the base of the Avalokitesvara lantern



























































