Seoul's annual Lotus Lantern Festival, or Yeondeunghoe, lit up Jongno on Saturday, celebrating the Buddhist tradition of sharing joy and overcoming hardship ahead of Buddha's Birthday.
Held under the slogan "Peace in the mind, Harmony in the world," this year's festival featured a lantern parade, traditional Buddhist rituals and cultural programs, while robot monks and self-driving robots added a modern touch to the centuries-old celebration.
Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, said during the opening ceremony that people should "light a lantern of peace within and carry a lantern of harmony to dispel the darkness of the world."
"Through Seon meditation, we should find the wisdom within ourselves and use it to benefit our neighbors and the world." he said.
The highlight of the festival, the lantern parade, began at 7 p.m. from Heunginjimun and continued along Jongno to Jegyesa. Around 50,000 participants marched through the center of the road, carrying some 100,000 handheld lanterns.
Adding a modern twist to the parade, four "robot monks" and two self-driving robots named "Newbie" joined the procession. Dongguk University's AI robot monk "Hyean" also joined in.
The four robot monks — Seokja, Mohui, Gabi and Nisa — wore traditional Buddhist robes, with blue lights glowing on their faces instead of carrying handheld lanterns. They completed their march at Tapgol Park.
The festival will conclude Sunday with cultural programs near Jogyesa Temple and an evening Yeondeungnori celebration in Insa-dong.
ylee221@heraldcorp.com
