Buddha's Birthday - Lotus Lantern Festival, preparations at Jogyesa Temple

The Lotus Lantern Festival is held every year in April in honor of Buddha's Birth. The festival is preceded by hanging of lotus-shaped lanterns across Seoul for several weeks, and officially kicks off with lighting of the Jangeumdang, a large lantern that symbolizes Buddhism and Buddha's Birthday, at the Seoul Plaza. The celebration continues with a wide array of Buddhist programs and activities, before ending with an impressive lantern parade in the heart of Seoul. This year the parade was on Saturday the 26th and I went already afternoon to the Jogyesa Temple, one of the main preparation areas for the lantern festival. The other big preparation center is the Bongeunsa Temple. 

600-year-old white bark pine-tree

myeoungbu-jeon (judgement hall)

beopdang (main dharma hall), built starting March 1937 in one year and seven month