Yeongsanjae, designated as both a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, will be held on the 18th in downtown Seoul.

The Taego Order of Korean Buddhism and the Yeongsanjae Preservation Association announced that the 5th Taego Order Yeongsanjae will be held on Sunday the 18th at a special stage in Gwanghwamun Square, with an expected attendance of about 5,000 people.

Yeongsanjae is a form of the 49-day Buddhist memorial service held on the 49th day after a person's death, serving as a ritual to help the soul attain rebirth in paradise by placing faith and reliance in Buddhism.

It also holds the symbolic meaning of recreating the Vulture Peak (Yeongshang) sermon delivered by Shakyamuni Buddha.

Preserved and transmitted mainly by the Yeongsanjae Preservation Association of the Taego Order centered at Bongwonsa Temple, the ritual was designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1973 and was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

While it was previously held at Bongwonsa Temple, the venue was moved to Gwanghwamun Square starting in 2022 to communicate with a broader public.

This year's Yeongsanjae will be combined with rock performances to engage even more people.

Following Yeongsanjae, the Taego Rock Festival will kick off at 6:30 PM under the slogan "Paradise is Rock."

Rock bands such as NoBrain, Cherry Filter, Rumble Fish, and Crack Shot are scheduled to take the stage.

(Photo: Yonhap News)