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On May 18 and 19, 2024, Hsi Lai Temple and Bowers Museum in Orange County, California, collaborated to host a two-day event celebrating Buddha’s Birthday and Bathing Festival. The event featured a variety of activities, including tea meditation, flower arranging, meditation sessions, calligraphy, paper crafts, lectures, and cultural performances, offering attendees an immersive experience of Buddhist culture. Nearly a thousand people attended over the two days.
The morning of May 18 began with Venerable Hui Dong, the abbot of Hsi Lai Temple, leading volunteers in chanting the Heart Sutra to start the day’s activities. Anne Shih, Chairwoman of Bowers Museum, also joined in the chanting. Venerable Hui Dong expressed his gratitude to Anne Shih for her support and for providing a venue that allowed Hsi Lai Temple to celebrate the Bathing Festival outside of the temple, helping to promote Buddhist culture more widely. He also thanked the volunteers for their hard work, emphasizing that doing good deeds, speaking kind words, and having good intentions will eventually lead to positive outcomes.
Kelly Radomske, Vice President of External Affairs at Bowers Museum, spoke about the museum's commitment to global cultural exchange. She noted that Hsi Lai Temple, one of the most significant temples in the Los Angeles area, enriched the museum’s cultural offerings and provided an opportunity for more people to learn about Buddhism. She mentioned that about 30% of the museum's projects focus on Asian culture and announced plans for future collaborative projects with Hsi Lai Temple.
On May 19, Venerable Hui Dong and Hsi Lai Temple docent volunteer Sacha De Nijs gave a talk titled "The Buddha and His Teachings," introducing the participants to the life of the Buddha, his teachings, the Fo Guang Monastic Order, its founder Venerable Master Hsing Yun, and the activities hosted by Hsi Lai Temple.
The celebration activities were spread throughout Bowers Museum. In the children’s area, kids enjoyed paper folding and painting, allowing adults more space and time to explore the Bathing Festival decorations. The arrangements were thoughtful and detailed.
In the tea meditation area, Venerable Hui Shiuan, director of the Fo Guang Yuan Hsi Lai Art Gallery, shared insights on tea meditation, saying, “The essence of tea meditation lies in the exchange and learning that happens while enjoying tea, experiencing the essence of Chan.” Venerable Hui Shiuan also played the celestial drum, whose soothing sounds brought deep peace to listeners. Additionally, the museum showcased various ancient Chinese artifacts, offering a chance for close appreciation of these treasured collections.
The flower arrangement area was led by Futing Yang, head of the Ikenobo San Gabriel Valley Chapter, displaying many elegant and refreshing floral arrangements.
In the outdoor meditation area, Venerable Zhi Xing, Department Leader of the Social Education and Outreach Department of Hsi Lai Temple, guided participants through a meditation focused on the six senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—encouraging them to observe their physical and mental states and the fluctuations of their thoughts.
The calligraphy area allowed participants to transcribe excerpts from Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s book Humble Table, Wise Fare: “A smile brings joy and warmth to others; a good deed brings benefit and convenience. Avoid sowing bad seeds, and there will naturally be no bad fruits. To seek happiness, cultivate good relationships.” Many Western attendees took part, carefully writing each word.
Visitor Marilyn Kelly, a volunteer at Bowers Museum, attended the Bathing Festival and expressed her deep admiration for the compassion and wisdom of Buddhism. She hopes for more opportunities to learn about and experience Buddhist culture in the future.
The event also featured performances by the Buddha's Light Youth Symphony Orchestra (BLYSO), a Dunhuang dance by Hsi Lai School, and performances by the Buddha’s Light International Association Young Adult Division, Los Angeles II (BLIA YAD LA II). This event not only showcased the richness of Buddhist culture but also provided a platform for multicultural exchange, allowing more people to experience the beauty and depth of Buddhist traditions.
(Photos by Chihcheng Chang & Ching Pan)
