SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Holding umbrellas and pink paper lotus flowers, hundreds of South Koreans joyously crammed the moist streets of Seoul in an annual pageant anticipating Buddha’s birthday the approaching week.
Regardless of the rain, organizers anticipated a turnout of round 50,000 folks for Saturday’s Yeon Deung Hoe, or Lotus Lantern Competition, whose night parade attracts big crowds out to see the featured floats, some carried and others rolled on wheels alongside the downtown space of the capital, Seoul.
The pageant — which started greater than 1,000 years in the past and was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020 — goals to unfold the enlightenment of the founding father of Buddhism all around the world.
A Buddhist carries lanterns and stroll in a parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Hundreds of individuals gathered Saturday at Seoul’s Dongguk College, the parade’s place to begin, to go to the Jogyesa Temple the place hundreds of colourful lanterns have been hung on the temple’s grounds, forming the sentence: “It’s peaceable simply the way in which it’s,” which may very well be seen from the air.
Wearing raincoats, festival-goers walked by way of the streets with illuminated pink lotus lanterns and flowers. Others carried big Buddhist-themed floats, together with child Buddhas and the 4 Heavenly Kings — legendary deities defending the devoted from evil. Some floats featured tigers, elephants and an enormous dragon. There have been additionally cartoon characters, together with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Lucy.
Buddha’s birthday, celebrated on Wednesday, is a nationwide vacation in South Korea. On that day, many temples present free meals and tea to guests. Festivities in temple yards and parks embrace conventional video games and varied artwork performances.
Lanterns grasp round Jogye temple as a part of festivities to rejoice the birthday of Buddha in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Could 10, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Staff grasp lanterns for an annual pageant celebrating the birthday of Buddha, at Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Could 10, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists cowl themselves and their lamps with plastic sheets as they put together for a lantern parade forward of the upcoming birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhist monks look forward to a lantern parade forward of the upcoming birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists look forward to a lantern parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists look forward to a lantern parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists carry lanterns and stroll in a parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists stroll with a large lantern within the share of a dragon throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists take part in a lantern parade, wrapped in plastic sheets to guard from the rain, throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhist monks stroll in a lantern parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhists stroll previous lanterns throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Younger Buddhists carry lanterns and take part in a parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
An enormous lantern float strikes previous in a parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Buddhist monks stroll in a lantern parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
A girl waves from a lantern float throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition forward of the upcoming birthday of Buddha on Could 15, on a avenue in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
Spectators watch a lantern parade throughout the Lotus Lantern Competition, forward of the birthday of Buddha at Dongguk College in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Could 11, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ahn Younger-joon)
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