The Union of Incheon and Ganghwa Buddhist Propagation Groups (headed by Ven. Seongan and Ven. Yeoam) announced that the "Buddhist Era 2570 Ganghwa Lantern Festival with Local Residents" will be held on the 16th at the Ganghwa Pungmul Market.
This event is a large-scale local festival involving more than 40 temples in the Incheon and Ganghwa areas, sponsored by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Following last year's "Incheon Seon (Zen) Meditation Conference" held in Songdo, this marks the second major event presented by the Propagation Group. By successfully hosting multi-thousand-person events for two consecutive years, the group aims to establish a model for Buddhist missionary work in the Incheon region.
The festivities begin at 1:00 PM with various cultural experience booths. Programs designed to make Buddhist culture more accessible, such as singing bowl meditation, Tripitaka Koreana woodblock printing, and lotus lantern making, will be offered alongside traditional tea sessions and rice cake sharing. From 5:00 PM, a traditional Pungmul (percussion) street parade and cultural performances featuring singers such as Jo Hang-jo and Yang Eun-byeol will take place. The festival's highlight—the Buddha's Birthday Ceremony and the lantern-lighting ceremony—is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Participants will offer prayers for the end of wars and global peace before concluding the event with a tapdori (circling the pagoda).
Ganghwa Island has a deep historical connection with the Lantern Festival. Records show that a celebration for Buddha's Birthday was held in Ganghwa in 1245, which is considered one of the original forms of the Yeondeunghoe (Lantern Lighting Festival), now a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Ven. Jimuk, the head monk of Cheongyeonsa Temple in Ganghwa, stated, "We wish to reflect on the spirit of Ganghwa, which overcame national crises by creating the Tripitaka Koreana during the Mongol invasions." He added, "We hope this festival serves as an opportunity for modern people to wash away the 'Three Poisons' (greed, anger, and ignorance) and pray for a peaceful community of all living beings."
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