South Korea celebrates Buddha’s Birthday: How did the tradition start?
- Doyoung Lim
- May 7
- 1 min read
Updated: May 8
May 7, 2025
Doyoung Lim
Temples across South Korea gathered around with lotus-shaped lanterns to celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday on May 5, 2025, a national holiday that honors the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism-known as Seokga Tansinil, meaning “the day of Buddha’s Birth,” which is the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar. This year, it coincided with Children’s Day, which is May 5, 2025, giving families a great opportunity to enjoy two holidays at the same time.
The origin of Buddha’s Birthday is from Nepal, 2,500 years ago. According to the legend of Buddhism, the baby prince took seven steps and declared that he would end suffering. These symbolic origins are still honored in many countries as Buddhism spread all around the world.
At major temples such as Jogyesa in Seoul and Bulguksa in Gyeongju, monks offer free vegetarian meals to visitors, and lit lanterns to celebrate their message with hopes and wishes. In Seoul, Yeon Deung Hoe (Lotus Lantern Festival) is held every year with tons of visitors for a nighttime parade of traditional performances, with many activities.
In addition, Buddha’s Birthday is also celebrated in various countries across Asia, including Japan, Thailand, Nepal, and Vietnam, with various customs, dates, and performances by countries. While this is a religious tradition around the world, this is also seen in South Korea as peace and reflection.
