Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism
Templestay is a program that enables participants to experience firsthand the 1,700-year-old traditions of Korean Buddhist culture and meditation at a traditional Korean temple. The Jogye Order Templestay program first began during the 2002 FIFA World Cup as a way for foreign visitors to experience Korean temples and the excellence of Korean traditional culture. Now the Templestay program is recognized worldwide as a major experiential program in traditional Korean culture.
For the past two decades, 2 million foreign tourists from all over the world have experienced the Templestay program, and the OECD chose Templestay as an “excellent cultural product that exhibits creativity and competitiveness.”
The Templestay program is operated by 140 nationwide temples (as of 2022), which have been officially designated Templestay temples. Most often they provide a combination of activities like: Buddhist ceremonies, baru gongyang(formal monastic meal), meditation, a tea ceremony, the practice of 108 prostrations, conversation with a monk, hearing and/or sounding the four dharma instruments, making temple food, walking meditation, leisurely walks on forest trails, learning about cultural properties, and healing programs.
The duration of a Templestay program can vary from a half-day program to a twoday program, and a week-long program in some cases. There are 140 Templestay temples in Korea, and 28 of them have been designated to cater to foreigners. Templestay programs are available 365 days a year.
- - Korean Site
- www.templestay.com
- - English Site
- eng.templestay.com
