2022 Seoul International Buddhism Expo: in Search of Ritual, a Daily Routine That Changes Our Life

SEOUL, South Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#BEXPO–How noble would our daily life be if we could accept our daily as a ritual and our life as a ritual? How could we make our daily lives richer and more sustainable? If you want to learn more about the rituals for your better days, 2022 Seoul International Buddhism Expo is the place you want to visit this fall.

The Seoul International Buddhism Expo, a traditional culture festival hosted by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and supervised by Buddhist newspapers and Bulgwang Media, under the slogan of �Blossom of Living Traditional Culture’, will be held this year with the theme, ‘Ritual; The Moment That Changes My Life’ at the Seoul Trade Exhibition and Convention Center (SETEC) as well as virtually on the official website from September 29 to October 2.

The Seoul International Buddhist Expo 2022 highlights the religious and personal daily rituals. In the industrial exhibition, 290 vendors set up 390 booths to introduce Buddhist and traditional cultural products in six main categories: housing, tea & tea ware, temple food, art & cultural products, practice and social activities, and cultural services.

At the three themed exhibit halls, various forms of rituals will be introduced. In the exhibition Hall 1, ‘The practitioner is the Buddha’, three pieces of Gwaebul from Hwaeomsa, Eunhaesa, and Buseoksa are presented as media art in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea. This is a participatory exhibition for monks, followers, and the public; when a visitor bows directly to the Gwaebul, the figure appears as a monk on the screen facing the Gwaebul. If we achieve 10,000 relay bows during the expo, they will be donated to flood victims affected by typhoons and heavy rains in the name of the participants, which must add more meaningful value to the event.

In Hall 2, there will be a special invitation exhibition of ‘I Saw the Buddha’ by Im Seok-hwan, the holder of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 118. The concept and meaning of the Buddhist Zen meditation will be introduced, focusing on the work of Im Seok-hwan’s 3-meters-long Buddhist painting. With even one brushing stroke and drawing of a single line, you can face the discord as a practice that contains the Buddha’s mercy.

Hall 3 is organized with ‘108 Temple Contents & Traditional Culture Excellent Product Contest’ in which Korean renowned temples across the country participate. You can browse cultural products developed by 16 temples, including Hwaeomsa, Mahaseonwon, Chilbulsa, Tongdosa, Yeongpyeongsa, and Dalmasa, centering on the ‘Red Wooden Table’ pottery objects made by Master Zakong of Songgwangsa Temple in Suncheon. The awarded arts of the 8th Traditional Culture Excellent Product Contest will also be exhibited and on sale.

The special exhibition hall consists of ‘The National Invitational Exhibition’ and ‘500,000 Won Exhibition’. The national invitation exhibition introduces Buddhist rituals in Thailand, the country of Buddhism so-called. You can enjoy Thai Buddha statues and experience complementary programs such as gold ceremonies to the Buddha, religious mendicancy, Dharma clothing ceremonies, and Dhammakaya meditation. The 500,000-won exhibition is a place to present works at reasonable prices to revitalize the stagnant Buddhist art world.; 19 artists submitted a total of 45 works that are available for sale at a price of less than 600,000 won.

The ‘Buddha Art Fair’, which encompasses tradition and Buddhist art, from historical art based on Korean traditional philosophy to modern art, will also be held during the expo period. 42 teams set up 70 booths to exhibit paintings, sculptures, installations, media, and crafts. A docent program is in place 2-3 times a day that will help make Buddhist art more accessible and easier for the public.

The 2022 Seoul International Buddhist Expo is again expected to serve as a faithful bridge between producers and consumers, and sellers and buyers this year. In particular, products of 10 companies that submit Live Commerce applications in advance will get a chance to be promoted and sold in real-time in collaboration with Naver Shopping Live. Crowdfunding is in progress on the official website of the Seoul International Buddhism Expo 2022 for awarded works of excellent traditional culture products.

Special lectures containing the wisdom of life will also be delivered daily both online and on-stage programs at the exhibition venue. Starting with the opening ceremony at 2 pm on September 29th, the exhibition hall stage will be filled with Invitational lectures from famous monks and speakers Live shows of BBS Buddhist Broadcasting’s ‘Buddhist Encyclopedia Wonyoung’ and ‘This is Gwangwoo today’ Korean Buddhist Culture Agency ‘Temple Food Demonstration’ and ‘Korean Traditional Temple Pilgrimage Ceremony’ ‘Mind gestures’ by the Buddhist Recreation Association, ‘Lecture for Religious Peace and Coexistence’ by the Korean Buddhist Youth Association Online Relay lectures by famous monks and experts in rituals released every morning at 10:00 on the website.

For the outdoor activities at SETEC, there will be 30 different kinds of Buddhist and Korean traditional culture experiences for free, additionally, open meditation flash mob art project ‘Sit for Peace’, and a never-ending mandala program that anyone can participate in.

Find more details about the event on the official website (https://bexpo.kr/), a special autumn outing to meet our true self, the 2022 Seoul International Buddhism Expo.

Contacts

2022 Seoul International Buddhism Expo Secretariat
Mind Design

YounSeok Choi

+82 2-2231-2013

younseokchoi@mindd.co.kr