Buddhist temples to host overnight stays during Chuseok

Buddhist temples across Korea are set to operate stays during Chuseok with a slew of festive events, the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism announced Tuesday.

A guest makes songpyeon, a type of Korean rice cake, at a Buddhist temple ahead of the Chuseok holiday. [CULTURAL CORPS OF KOREAN BUDDHISM]

Buddhist temples across Korea are set to operate stays during Chuseok with a slew of festive events, the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism announced Tuesday.

From Sept. 13 to 18, 21 temples in Gyeonggi, Incheon, Gangwon, South Chungcheong, North Chungcheong, South Jeolla, North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang are each running different programs including cooking traditional Chuseok foods, games and meditation.

For instance, Beomryunsa in Gyeonggi is providing songpyeong (Korean traditional rice cake eaten during Chuseok) cooking classes and yutnori (traditional Korean board game) sessions. Sinheungsa in South Jeolla is offering moonlight walks and wish lantern hangings. Yongjoosa in Gyeonggi gives visitors a chance to wear hanbok (traditional Korean attire) and perform a bowing ritual to elders.

Autumn scenery at Dogapsa in South Jeolla [CULTURAL CORPS OF KOREAN BUDDHISM]

For those looking to try something new, Naesosa in North Jeolla has programs on crafting LED lotus lanterns and making watermelon punch known as hwachae in Korean.

Guests can choose to stay one to four nights. More information on the individual temple stays can be made by calling the respective temples.

Participants to the LED lantern craft session at Naesosa in Gyeonggi hold up their lotus lanterns [CULTURAL CORPS OF KOREAN BUDDHISM]

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]