In South Korea, strings of paper lanterns appear all throughout the country after the cherry blossom petals fall, hanging from trees and lining the streets to celebrate Buddha’s birthday. On the day of the celebration, which has been recognized as a national holiday in South Korea, where 16% of the population is Buddhist, temple visitors are greeted with a kaleidoscope of color. After enduring the lengthy lines, they can typically enjoy a free bowl of sachal bibimbap, or temple bibimbap, which is filled with seasonal vegetables that represent ohbangsaek, the five colors of the universe.
Buddha’s birthday, which falls on May 15 this year, is a celebration of springtime. Millions of Koreans are anticipated to gather to honor the birth of the traveling ascetic and religious teacher Siddhartha Gautama, who established Buddhism in the sixth or fifth century BCE.
