Dongguk University Opens 21st Century Style Buddhist Temple at Affiliated Middle School

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] Dongguk University Founding Committee announced on the 9th that it has opened a 21st-century-style Buddhist hall in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution era.

In February, the Dongguk University Founding Committee decided to implement the 'Buddhist Hall Remodeling Project,' which reorganizes the Buddhist halls of eight elementary, middle, and high schools under the Dongguk University Foundation to meet the new era's demands and the students' levels by age group. The 'Sang·Sang Buddhist Hall, the World of Meditation Led by Virtual Reality,' installed at Dongguk University Girls' Middle School, is the second such installation following Eunseok Elementary School.

The Sang·Sang Buddhist Hall replaced the traditional-style tanghwa (Buddhist paintings) that used to occupy the space behind the Buddha statue with a high-resolution light-emitting diode (LED) screen, designed to display media video works of the Buddha statue harmonized with appropriate lighting. Through this, it plans to integratively showcase contrasting concepts such as tradition and future, religion and technology, and stillness and motion.

The first media work, "Jinyeo Beopgye," created by artist Seo Dong-ju, slowly moves behind the Buddha statue, visually transforming various Buddhist images. Jinyeo Beopgye consists of five sequences: ▲Gwangbae Cave ▲Lotus Dome ▲Crystal Canopy ▲Yeouiju Manbuljeon ▲Infinite Movement of Light and Color. Artist Seo said, "We aimed to expand students' imagination and immerse them in the world of meditation led by virtual reality," adding, "Through this, we wanted to create a Buddhist hall atmosphere that provides psychological stability and peace and a place where people want to stay."

Meanwhile, the consecration ceremony commemorating the remodeling of the Sang·Sang Buddhist Hall will be held at 10 a.m. on the 11th on the second floor of Yeonhwadang at Dongguk University College of Education Girls' Middle School.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.