A Visit to PRC Consular General in Christchurch
On the 16th of April, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) New Zealand Venerable Abbess Manshin, FGS South Island Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi, Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island New Zealand Director Cao Qian and Kok Wei Low, BLIA South Island YAD President Zhang Dong, and BLIA Secretary Forest Lin, paid a visit to the current Consulate General of the People’s Republic of Chine in Christchurch, Wang ZhiJian. The visit was also to personally thank the Consulate General for attending the Buddha’s Birthday celebrations held recently.
Consulate General Wang shared his story when he was still a deputy mayor in Yangzhou back in September 2015. He visited the BLIA Headquarters in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and was lucky to have met Venerable Master Hsing Yun himself. He is also very familiar with the famous Jianzhen library in Yangzhou and is often there to listen to lectures. He was really surprised by the scope of FGS and BLIA, calling it the largest Buddhist community in the world. One of his life’s mottos is based on Master Hsing Yun’s wise words: “We should be gladly used by others, because only by being used do we have value”. The Consul General praised the many meaningful activities which BLIA organized. Even in a sparsely populated city like Christchurch, the temple still manages to attract people from all walks of life, offering cultural, artistic, educational and spiritual guidance to the local Chinese community.
One of the questions the Consulate General asked was: “Why was Canterbury District Superintendent John Price so emotional during his speech at the Buddha’s Birthday?”. Venerable Abbess Manshin said that she has known the Superintendent for more than ten years, and knows that he has seen too many negative things happening in our society. Yet at the temple, he feels a tremendously positive light and energy. It is this peace of mind and calmness that deeply touched his heart. It is also from this close relationship with the NZ Police that FGS North Island New Zealand has been invited to attend the Counties Manukau Police Annual District Leadership Team Strategic Day for the fourth consecutive year. Also in the year 2010, Venerable Abbess Manshin was appointed as the spiritual advisor to the 261th Police Cadet Battalion.
The Consul General also consulted Abbess on: “How to communicate effectively with Westerners?”. Venerable Abbess Manshin shared her personal experience during her early years of propagating Dharma, as well as interactions with Hon. Lianne Dalziel who is now Christchurch’s mayor, various ministers, the police, and others, all of whom are like good old friends. Abbess also shared the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and how BLIA South Island New Zealand set up a “BLIA NZ emergency centre” at the first possible moment, providing free hot food, counselling and other related services to people in the city. Even a month after the natural disaster, the BLIA NZ emergency services continued to work with the police department to provide post disaster services including those related to search and rescue, funeral services and psychological counseling services.
The Abbess then told Consulate General Wang about the upcoming “3G4G” event will be held in May. The events will run in both the North and South Island temples, inviting primary and secondary school children to visit the temple and learn about Master Hsing Yun’s spirit of “Three Good Deeds and Four Givings” and Humanistic Buddhism in general. FGS North Island temple held this event over the past four years, with over 7000 school children having. This year there are 6000 who have signed up, and FGS South Island will also hold this event at the South Island temple, with 700 school children already signed up to participate.
During the Buddha’s Birthday celebration, Consulate General Wang said he saw a lot of young BLIA members, and asked what made them participate with FGS? YAD President Zhang Dong shared his story of how he came alone to New Zealand to study, and after graduating, went to Christchurch for work. It was at the temple where he met a lot of friends that were very supportive of each other, and all whom were doing very meaningful things. He thanked the Venerables for their good care and delicious meals every day after work. Secretary Forest Lin also told her story, of how she took her child to study in New Zealand and her reasons of starting as a volunteer at the temple’s kitchen, meeting a lot of BLIA sisters who were all very happy and cheerful no matter what work they were doing. She felt that contributing to the temple can really touch a lot of people’s hearts, and she feels proud to be part of the big family.
Venerable Abbess Manshin summed up the attitude of BLIA members as follows: Buddhism first, I am second. The temple first, I am second. Others first, I am second. Career first, I am second. It is by learning to take responsibilities, that we can then become masters of ourselves. Finally, Venerable Abbess presented Consulate General Wang with a copy of Master Hsing Yun’s book “The Sixth Patriarch” and “The Diamond Sutra” commentary. Consulate General Wang said he read a few of Master’s books, and found them to be simple and easy to understand, yet deep and profound at the same time. He thanked Venerable Abbess and the BLIA members for visiting, and hoped that they would continue to cooperate and learn more together in the future.