Hwaeomsa Hongmaehwa and Deulmaehwa Photo Contest Held
Blooming 2 Weeks Early Due to Climate Change, Until March 23
The elegant posture and deep fragrance of the plum blossom, heralding the arrival of spring, are expected to bloom early this year.
Gurye Hwaeomsa Hwaeommae - Hongmaehwa and Deulmaehwa Professional and Mobile Phone Camera Photo Contest Entries [Photo provided by Hwaeomsa Promotion Planning Committee]
Jirisan Hwaeomsa Temple (Chief Monk Deokmun), the main temple of the 19th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, announced on the 16th that the "4th Hwaeomsa Red Plum Blossom and Wild Plum Blossom Photo Contest" will be held from the 25th to March 23.
This year’s event will start earlier than usual. A Hwaeomsa official explained, "Due to climate change, the blooming period of the red plum blossoms has advanced, so the event schedule is two weeks earlier than last year."
The Hwaeomsa red plum blossom was designated as a Natural Monument on the 24th of last month. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "The Hwaeom plum blossom next to Gakhwangjeon Hall is the only plum blossom that blooms dark red flowers, unlike the four major plum blossoms previously designated as Natural Monuments (Sunam Plum Blossom at Sunamsa Temple in Suncheon, Yulgok Plum Blossom at Ojukheon in Gangneung, Gobul Plum Blossom at Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong, and Wild Plum Blossom at Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye)." They added, "It was designated as a Natural Monument not only for its academic value but also because it has become a representative scenic feature of Hwaeomsa, loved by many people."
The slogan for this contest is "Listening to Colors and Seeing Sounds of the Red Plum Blossom." Entries will be judged separately for professional photography and mobile phone camera photos, with one submission allowed per person. Judges include senior photo editors from domestic media companies who will evaluate the works based on artistic quality (30%), completeness, aesthetics, and usability (30%), promotional potential and suitability (20%), and originality and alignment with the planning intent (20%).
Gurye Hwaeomsa Hwaeommae - Hongmaehwa and Deulmaehwa Professional and Mobile Phone Camera Photo Contest Entries [Photo by Hwaeomsa Promotion Planning Committee]
The winners will be announced on April 23 at 9 a.m. on the Hwaeomsa website and BBS Buddhist Broadcasting System. Professional photography winners will receive prize money ranging from 1 million to 2 million KRW and a 1-night, 2-day temple stay gift certificate. Mobile phone photo winners will receive cosmetics worth 300,000 to 700,000 KRW and a 1-night, 2-day temple stay gift certificate.
Before the event, Hwaeomsa requested visitors to refrain from entering the temple grounds before the gate opens at 5:30 a.m. to secure shooting locations or photographing monks without permission regarding portrait rights.
Every year in early to mid-March, when the red plum blossoms bloom, the nearby roads become paralyzed with parked vehicles due to the influx of tourists from all over the country coming to admire their beautiful appearance. According to the Hwaeomsa Public Relations Planning Committee, the economic value generated from exposure of Hwaeomsa’s image last year was analyzed to be over 8.2 billion KRW, with the red plum blossoms accounting for the highest portion at approximately 2.345 billion KRW.
Chief Monk Deokmun said, "The red plum blossoms, embodying the grandeur of Jirisan and the spirit of Hwaeomsa, have proudly displayed their beauty with the scent of flowers and wind for over 300 years. Especially during the three years of COVID-19, they provided great emotional comfort and healing to the mentally exhausted people. Therefore, with this year’s earlier blooming schedule, I hope all citizens will cherish and love nature and the environment even more."
Hwaeomsa will also hold a commemorative event on March 9 in front of Gakhwangjeon Hall to celebrate the designation of the red plum blossom as a national heritage Natural Monument.
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