Namyangju City Council Attends Bongseonsa 1056th Anniversary Ceremony and Unheoche Distribution Event

The Namyangju City Council (Chairman Cho Seongdae) attended the 1056th Anniversary Ceremony of the Founding and the Unheoche Distribution Ceremony held at the Large Dharma Hall of Bongseonsa Temple in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju City on October 9.

Namyangju City Council attended the 1056th Anniversary Mountain Opening Ceremony and Unhoche Distribution Ceremony held at the Great Dharma Hall of Bongseonsa Temple in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju City on the 9th. Provided by Namyangju City Council

The Unheoche font was developed by Namyangju City and Bongseonsa Temple to carry on the teachings and spirit of Venerable Unheo in a modern way, based on the handwritten prayer texts he wrote during his lifetime. The font consists of 2,350 Hangul characters and 451 special characters, all designed in a brush script style.

This event was held in conjunction with the annual Bongseonsa Founding Anniversary Ceremony and, in celebration of Hangul Day, included the Unheoche Distribution Ceremony, adding special significance. The ceremony was attended by over 500 people, including Cho Seongdae, Chairman of the Namyangju City Council, Lee Jeongae, Vice Chair, Lee Kyungsook, Chair of the Welfare and Environment Committee, Assemblyman Kim Jihoon (People Power Party), Assemblyman Kim Donghoon, Assemblywoman Lee Suryeon, Assemblyman Kim Sangsoo, Deputy Mayor Hong Jiseon, members of the National Assembly and Provincial Assembly, Buddhist followers, and citizens.

The Founding Anniversary Ceremony began with the striking of the temple bell by Venerable Bujeon, followed by the opening declaration, the Threefold Refuge Ceremony, and the Korean Heart Sutra recitation. The subsequent Unheoche Distribution Ceremony included a progress report on the font's development, the unveiling of a banner featuring the prayer text, a ceremony led by Bongseonsa's Chief Monk Hosan, congratulatory messages from Grand Master Doosan Ilmyeon and Grand Master Yeosan Amdo, and further congratulatory remarks.

In his congratulatory speech, Chairman Cho Seongdae stated, "It is deeply moving to participate in this meaningful event at Bongseonsa Temple, which has carried on the spirit of Buddhism and now shares that spirit widely through a Hangul font. Bongseonsa, which has long served as a vital center of Korean Buddhism, has been a beacon of hope and courage whenever the nation faced hardship, and to this day, it remains a precious cradle of wisdom and culture."

He continued, "Today's Unheoche Distribution Ceremony is an occasion to honor the noble intentions of Venerable Unheo, who translated Buddhist scriptures into Hangul to convey the spirit and wisdom of our people. Through the distribution of the Unheoche font, not only will the wisdom of Buddhism be more widely known, but also the beauty and value of Hangul itself."

Chairman Cho also stated, "The Namyangju City Council will spare no effort in supporting and promoting the history and tradition of Bongseonsa Temple and the vision of Venerable Unheo, so that they may shine even more brightly in the lives of our citizens."