In the heart of Busan, amidst its eclectic mix of modernity and tradition, Samgwangsa Temple (삼광사) hosts one of the most visually stunning events of the year—the Samgwangsa Temple Lantern Festival (삼광사 연등축제). Celebrated in the lead-up to Buddha’s birthday on May 15th, this festival is a must-see, featuring over 40,000 lanterns that transform the temple grounds into a breathtaking spectacle of light and color.
Buddha's birthday, known as 부처님 오신 날, is a significant public holiday in South Korea, observed on the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar. The date varies yearly, reflecting the lunar calendar's nature. Samgwangsa Temple, a major site within the Cheontae Order of Korean Buddhism, is situated on the scenic slopes of Baekyangsan (백양산), a mountain celebrated for its stunning natural beauty and historical significance in Busan's central district, Busanjin-gu.
How to get to Samgwangsa Temple
Navigating to Samgwangsa during the Lantern Festival can be quite an adventure. I highly recommend taking public transportation to Samgwangsa during the Lantern Festival. There is parking around the temple, but due to the crowds, it is easier to take a bus heading up to the temple. Multiple buses can take you to Samgwangsa, but we used the number 81 leaving from Seomyeon station. Departing from Seomyeon Station (서면역, 서면지하상가), stop 05710, you’ll travel eight stops, getting off at Samgwangsa Temple Entrance (삼광사입구), stop 05045. The journey, though short, built up our anticipation as we followed the lantern-lined path leading to the temple's grand gates.
Leading up to Buddha’s Birthday (2024.05.15), there will be lanterns along the path to the temple, and if you follow them, it will take about ten to fifteen minutes to reach the entry gates. There is also permanent English and Korean signage that shows the general direction.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by an array of absolutely massive floats and a vibrant banner welcoming visitors. Two paths lay before us: A staircase enveloped by hundreds of lanterns, seemed to pull us into its glowing ascent; and the other, a gentler slope, led directly to the temple's main entrance. We chose the illuminated stairs, which felt like stepping into a corridor of light, each lantern a beacon guiding us deeper into the festival's heart.
Inscribe your wish on a lantern
Inside, the temple grounds buzzed with activity. Various booths are set up in the area. These booths range from health checks to lantern-making activities, and coffee tastings. Most intriguing were the district-specific booths where, for a 10,000 won fee, one could inscribe wishes on lanterns. The process was simple: write your wish, pay the fee, and receive a lantern number. After filling out the form, the grandmas working the booths will give you a receipt with your lantern number, and at the end of the festival, you can return with the receipt to receive a blessing.
Looking around, you’ll see multiple people searching for their respective lanterns. We also joined the hunt, and found mine hanging in the main lobby (yellow), while Mark’s was in another part of the temple (red).
Samgwangsa Buildings
Samgwangsa houses many different halls and attractions and would take a few hours to explore fully. However, we were here for the lantern festival, so we explored only a few of the buildings.
Up first is the Pagoda (오십삼존불 대보탑), named the Great Treasure Pagoda. This nine-tiered pagoda was built with granite from Hwangsan Mountain and stands at an impressive height of 40 meters. The 8-meter-high wall surrounding the pagoda was built with granite from Iksan-gun in the North Jeolla province. Leading up to Buddha’s Birthday, you can see many people walking around the pagoda and praying.
We explored the building next to the pagoda and got some good shots of the thousands of lanterns hanging over the road leading up to the main entrance.
To the left of the giant Buddha near the entrance, you’ll find a hill leading up to the Jijang-jeon Shrine Hall (지장전), where you’ll see white lanterns, as opposed to the more colorful ones dotting the rest of Samgwangsa. These lanterns are placed for the deceased, and this whole hall is dedicated to helping the deceased pass on to the next life.
Once the sun began to set, they began the speeches. Prominent city leaders, as well as monks from other temples in the region, gave congratulatory speeches on the opening of the festival. Amusingly enough, there were plenty of restless people who started to complain about how long this took. It lasted around an hour and finally ended with the monks and city leaders lining up to turn on the representative lanterns.
As we headed towards the stairs to depart, a long tunnel of lanterns showed an area with benches and tables. As the festival goes on, there will usually be food vendors and other activities in this area.
Standing there among the multitude, witnessing the collective joy sparked by the festival's lights, I felt a deep connection to the community around me. Though not particularly religious, the universal language of happiness and shared experience spoke loudly.
The Samgwangsa Temple Lantern Festival is a brilliant display of cultural heritage and communal joy. It offers a unique glimpse into the spiritual heart of Korea, wrapped in a spectacle of light that resonates with all who attend. For anyone in Korea during this luminous season, this festival should be visited at least once in your life.
Samgwangsa Lantern Festival Visitor Information
Festival Dates: April 27 - May 15, 2024
Location: Samgwangsa (삼광사), 77 Choeupcheon-ro 43beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan
Lantern Lighting:7 PM to 1 AM daily
Advice: Wear comfortable shoes and consider public transportation to avoid parking issues.
Don’t miss out on this incredible event that beautifully illustrates the warmth and wisdom of Buddha through thousands of lanterns lighting up the night.
