The Elegance of Korean Paper Flowers (Ji Hwa) in Tradition

JI HWA refers to a beautiful flower crafted from Korean paper. These intricately designed paper flowers, adorned in various colors and shapes, are not real flowers but are often used in Buddhist ceremonies, such as the Yeongsanjae (Celebration of Buddha's Sermon on Vulture Peak Mountain) and Suryukjae (Water and Land Ceremony of Temple — a Buddhist ritual held to comfort the souls of the dead). They also serve as decorations on Buddhist altars, where their majestic beauty is prominently displayed. 

According to Buddhist scriptures, when the joy of Buddhism is fully realized, the sky rains flowers. To honor this cosmic beauty, people engage in ritual activities, and the use of JI HWA in such Buddhist and royal ceremonies highlights its majestic elegance.

Lee Song-ja, a master of Paper Flower making, has been dedicated to this craft since 1983 when she learned the art from Monk Deokam at Beopryunsa Temple in Seoul. In 1991, she further refined her skills under Monk Jeongeun at Bongdeoksa Temple in Anseong. Since 2014, she has served as the general manager of the Buddhist JI HWA Research Institute at Bomunsa Temple in Seoul, where she teaches Buddhists the techniques of making JI HWA.

Lee Song-ja's expertise has gained international recognition, leading to invitations to Paris in 2008, Taiwan in 2010, and the LA Korean Festival in 2012, where she shared the tradition of Korean Buddhist JI HWA. Her skill in this art form is widely acknowledged, leading to invitations from temples across South Korea, including Jeju Yakcheonsa Temple, Woljeongsa Temple in Gangwon-do, Jeongnimsa Temple in Buyeo, Bohyeonsa Temple in Ulsan, Daljeon Temple in Haman, and Yeongpyeongsa Temple in Sejong-si. There, she has participated in intellectual and artistic activities, such as Dabi (a traditional Buddhist cremation ritual) and Suryukjae. 

Born in 1953, Lee Song-ja remains active in the creation of JI HWA flowers, continuing her work with passion and dedication well into her seventies.