The Journey is a painting by Amber Stanford which was uploaded on March 26th, 2013.
The Journey
Japanese floating lanterns. It is believed that floating these lanterns down a river will help guide the spirits of the departed back to the other... more
Title
The Journey
Artist
Amber Stanford
Medium
Painting - Acrylic/digital
Description
Japanese floating lanterns. It is believed that floating these lanterns down a river will help guide the spirits of the departed back to the other world. It is done on the last evening of the Bon Festival.
The Bon Festival is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.
The festival ends with Toro Nagashi, or the floating of lanterns. Paper lanterns are illuminated and then floated down rivers symbolically signaling the ancestral spirits' return to the world of the dead. This ceremony usually culminates in a fireworks display.
Uploaded
March 26th, 2013
