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| Ven. Wookwan, left, and Ven. Jeongkwan, right, pose with Ven. Wonhaeng, president of Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, at the order's headquarters in central Seoul, Thursday, after being named "Masters of Korean Temple Food" by the nation's largest Buddhist sect. Courtesy of Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism |
By Kim Rahn
Buddhist monks Jeongkwan and Wookwan have been named "Masters of Korean Temple Food" by the Jogye Order, the nation's largest Buddhist sect, the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism under the order said Thursday.
Jogye Order has been giving the honor to monks who have contributed to preserving, passing down and popularizing the nation's temple cuisine. It was the fourth time for the master title to be offered, following Ven. Seonjae in 2016, Ven. Kyeho in 2017, and Vens. Jeokmun and Daean in 2019.
"Temple food is not just food making but is one way of practicing," Ven. Jeongkwan said during a ceremony commemorating the master title. "I believe this nature (of temple food) is getting much attention from people in other countries."
Ven. Wookan said, "I'll keep devoting myself to the development of temple food."
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| Buddhist Ven. Jeongkwan has been named "Master of Korean Temple Food" for her contribution to developing and promoting the nation's temple cuisine. Courtesy of Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism |
Ven. Jeongkwan, the head of Cheonjin hermitage within Baekyang Temple in South Jeolla Province, learned about temple food at various temples across the country.
She joined a study group on Korean traditional temple cuisine in 2006 and has participated in dozens of temple food-related events, including the "Korean temple food day" in New York in 2010 and temple food gala during the World Athletic Championships in Daegu in 2011.
Since 2011, she has been giving lectures at Hyangjeoksegye, or the Institute of Korean Temple Cuisine.
Based on such experiences, she appeared on the U.S. TV show "Avec Eric" in 2015 and starred in an episode of Netflix's "Chef's Table" series in 2016, as well as having been featured multiple times in foreign media.
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| Buddhist Ven. Wookwan has been named "Master of Korean Temple Food" for her contribution to developing and promoting the nation's temple cuisine. Courtesy of Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism |
Ven. Wookwan is the head of Mahayeon Temple Food Cultural Center in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. She took part in a temple food banquet in Bongnyeong Temple in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, in 2009, the "Korean temple food day" in New York in 2010, a temple cuisine festival in 2013, and Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, a slow food festival held in Italy in 2014.
She was invited to present temple food by the Korean Cultural Center New York every year from 2017 to 2019. While she has written English language books about the nation's temple cuisine, one of them, "Wookwan's Korean Temple Food: The Road to the Taste of Enlightenment," became a silver winner of the annual Benjamin Franklin Awards by the Independent Book Publishers Association in the cookbooks category in 2019.
The two monks also served as advisers for the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism in 2015.
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