Reflections on Lanterns
These days I’m reminded by the paper lanterns strung along the streets that Buddha’s Birthday will soon be here. Although I’m not Buddhist, I always enjoy the holiday, which this year falls on May 27.
I like the paper lanterns that seem to be hung everywhere on temple grounds and inside temple buildings. I like the shadows the lanterns make on walls and on the ground. And when I look up, I like the way the sky looks through what seems like waves of color. I also like the sound of monks chanting prayers for the people whose names are written on the lanterns and the smell of the incense people offer to the Buddha.
Of course, I don’t have to wait for Buddha’s Birthday to go to a temple and I don’t. There’s a nice Buddhist temple just a short walk from our CIEE Center. It’s on the slope of a low mountain. It’s so peaceful and quiet there, every time I go there, I find myself saying, “It’s so hard to believe I’m in Seoul.” The temple is one of the places we took visitors to our CIEE Center during the 2022 CIEE Conference we hosted last November, and it’s where we often take students to learn about the important role Buddhism played in the shaping of Korean culture and also about Buddhist architecture and iconography.
I think everyone in Korea, Koreans and foreigners alike, regardless of religious preference, should feel blessed that the Buddhist temples, even the ones that have structures that are centuries old, are open to the public, regardless of faith and nationality, as a place to relax and enjoy the natural scenery around them. I certainly feel blessed that I can visit Korea’s Buddhist temples, be it Buddha’s Birthday or any other time.
Related Posts
20 Tips on Korean Culture for Foreigners
(Above: A photo reel of all of the things I've been doing in Korea. There's text on some of the images because they were originally posted on my Instagram.) It’s... keep reading
Finding a Sense of Home While Abroad
Now that my semester abroad is coming to end, I think it’s a good time to share with you what I did (and what I wish I did) to make Seoul feel like a home away from home.
Should You Take CIEE’s Intercultural Communication and Leadership Course?
Are you wondering whether or not you should sign up for Intercultural Communication and Leadership with CIEE? Here, I share details about the course and my experience taking it.