If you are tired from the typical year-end drinking parties, allow yourself time to consider spending the New Year in a quiet mountainside Buddhist temple.
Thirty-eight Buddhist temples across the country are running special temple stay programs for "greeting the first sunrise of the New Year," according to the Templestay Information Center that handles all general information concerning temple stay programs.
Most of these programs start on Dec. 31 and continue until early January.
Temple stay programs generally let laypeople and non-Buddhists experience monastic life ranging from early-morning chanting, Zen meditation and tea ceremonies to domestic chores, during an overnight stay at a mountainside temple.
In addition to routine activities, the special year-end programs provide various other events such as a bell-tolling ceremony, movie screening, mountain hiking, experiencing traditional Korean folk games and a meditation program for healing family relationships.
Simwon Temple in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and Geumsan Temple in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, offer chances to play the traditional Korean folk game "yut" and grill and eat potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Mountain hikes are prepared for participants in the programs at Woljeong, Hwaeom, Sinheung and Songgwang temples.
Temple stay programs have become increasingly popular among foreign tourists and local residents since they were first introduced in 2002 at 33 temples throughout the country. More than 700,000 people have so far participated in these programs, now operated by 118 temples, according to the Templestay Information Center of the Jogye Order, the largest Buddhist sect in the country. (Yonhap)