The lantern festival, soon to be at UNESCO.
In South Korea several festivals are held throughout the year to celebrate various occasions. One such festival, which is popular with Koreans and tourists alike, is the Lantern Festival which takes place on April 8th of the lunar calendar every year. This is organized to celebrate Boundha’s birthday.
The Lantern Festival, literally translated as “Yeon Deung Hoe (lotus lantern festival)”, is among a list of 25 candidates to be on the United Nations Educational Organization’s list of intangible cultural heritage, science and culture (Unesco).
This event, which symbolizes the desire to enlighten the world to make it a place of abundance and just for all, was designated as national intangible cultural heritage in 2012. This tradition, which dates back centuries, sees the whole country adorn themselves with lanterns and bamboo, with different parades.
UNESCO will deliver its final verdict during a session from December 14 to 19. If validated, this entry will allow South Korea to have 21 intangible cultural heritages such as traditional Korean “pansori” opera, the ancestral royal ritual of Jongmyo shrine and accompanying court music, as well as the culture of the “Haenyeo”, or the divers of the southern island of Jeju, in the UNESCO lists.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: Yonhap
