spring lights

Buddha's birthday is one of the biggest holidays of the year in Korea and its celebration would be nothing without light. Acres of lanterns and entire parades bloom from the glow of a zillion bulbs and flickers.



At this time of year Seoul's streets are hung with lanterns and temple courtyards are swathed in giant quilts of color. While the blanket of decorations is not as thick as the Christmas décor that sprouts in the U.S. after Thanksgiving, the extra color definitely stands out. Spring is a fleeting sensation in Seoul and quickly gives way to a suffocating summer, so the colorful decorations are just one more reason to love the season while it lasts.



Buddhist temples host street fairs and cultural festivals in honor of the holiday and everyone flocks to these events. Buddhists come to celebrate the religious holiday; other Koreans come to join in the fun; and tourists come to explore a colorful part of Korean culture. You will rarely see as many Westerners out in Seoul as at the Buddha's Birthday celebration. And for good reason - if you're in Seoul, this is considered a not-to-miss event.




Seoul's lantern parade, which winds it way through downtown every year, celebrates Buddha's birth with a gentle wave of light. Women in traditional dress carry large glowing lanterns. Flames shoot out of the dragons' mouths. Tiny blinks of light trace the outlines of elephants, lotus flowers, and everything else that is pushed or pulled along the route.



The atmosphere is festive and families line the streets waving and snapping photos. For the second year in a row there was a threatening drizzle as the parade began - resulting in some of the participants wearing plastic ponchos over their traditional attire - but the real showers never came.



The parade is always great fun; think Fourth of July meets the Disney Light Parade. Kids are happy, adults are happy, and occasionally a happy band marches past. It's also a great crash course in Korean tradition. Participants wear traditional outfits, play traditional instruments, and embody traditional characters.



And gigantic dragons breath real fire. Really, what more can you ask for?