Vikingess Voyages: Celebrating Buddha's Birthday and Norway's Constitutional Day in Korea!

Although most of the Korean citizens have a Christian background they still celebrate Buddha's birthday (부처님 오신 날) as a national holiday. This day is actually a big event in Korea, and temples all over the country has been decorated for the occasion. This year the celebration was held on the 17th May, which also happens to be Norway's Constitutional Day.

Celebrating Buddha's birthday at Bongsunsa Temple

The closest neighbor to our GIP-campus is the Buddhist temple Bongsunsa, and today it seems like a lot of visitors are taking the trip here to celebrate Buddha's birthday. As the temple is the head temple of the Jogye order it does attract quite a number of visitors regularly, and today they even had to utilize our campus to get enough parking space. Living in the middle of the forest it is kind of interesting having so many people taking the trip out here to visit our dear neighbor.. ^^

Anyway, it was quite nice to have this small celebration today as my family members and friends are celebrating Norway's constitutional day back home. Last year I celebrated the constitutional day at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo, but since I left my bunad (Norwegian folk costume) in Japan I don't really had the chance to dress up for the national day this year.

Buddha-paintings for sale outside the Bongsunsa temple

Candles

A family enjoying the show at the temple

One of the main temple buildings

We went back to the temple in the evening, just in time for a long parade led by the temple's monks. Lucky! It might be quite different from the 17. May-parades from my home country, but it was still quite a nice experience. I like how the monks are chanting while they are walking around, it makes the atmosphere extra nice. Anyway, please enjoy my pictures! v(^_^)