Temple Cuisine Presented to World Heritage Committee Delegates... Dinner at Beomeosa for 75 Guests from 17 Countries

K-Temple Dessert Event Hosted for 500 Participants at BEXCO
Featuring Wheat Noodles, Lotus Seed Rice, and Preserved Kumquat

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism introduced Korean temple cuisine and the spirit of compassion and coexistence it embodies to the participants of the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Busan.

Naif Al-Fayez, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO (center), is tasting temple food on the 27th at Beomeosa Temple in Busan with Jinwoo, Chief Executive of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (right). The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism

The Jogye Order and the Cultural Corps announced on July 28 that they hosted the “Temple Cuisine K-Dessert Day” on July 26 at BEXCO in Busan for approximately 500 World Heritage Committee participants. Temple cuisine master Dorim prepared a selection of treats, including lotus flower tea, red bean jelly, preserved kumquat, black sesame flower dasik, crispy scorched rice, and mosi rice cake.

On July 27, a temple cuisine dinner was held at the Seon Culture Center of Beomeosa Temple in Busan, inviting 75 delegates from 17 countries, including representatives of the World Heritage Committee member states. The dinner was comprised of three courses themed “Emptiness,” “Aroma of the Mountain Monastery,” and “Memory and Flavor.”

The first course featured wheat noodles and grilled Chodang corn. This was followed by a traditional table setting with lotus seed rice, doenjang stew made with soybean paste brewed at Beomeosa, kimchi, and more. Additionally, tot nurungji (crispy scorched rice with seaweed), which was not on the menu, was presented separately. Seasonal fruits, preserved kumquat, and sikhye (sweet rice punch) were offered for dessert.

The Jogye Order explained to the delegation the philosophy of temple cuisine, which uses seasonal ingredients and regards food not merely as a commodity to be consumed but as an object of spiritual practice and gratitude.

Jinwoo, the Chief Executive Monk of the Jogye Order, stated, “Even a single grain of rice contains the life and effort of many beings, so food is not merely for consumption, but an offering of gratitude and sharing. The spirit of temple cuisine is closely aligned with the vision of the World Heritage Committee for the future value of sustainable cultural heritage.”

The event was attended by Naif Al-Fayez, Acting Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO, Kim Youngsoo, First Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Huh Min, Administrator of the National Heritage Administration, and Oh Seokkeun, Vice Mayor of Busan, among others. The Jogye Order and the Cultural Corps plan to use this event as an opportunity to further promote temple cuisine as a sustainable form of cultural heritage.

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