Belated Visit of Bus Driver to FGS Temple South Island

Accompanied by his colleague Shadmehr Ebrahimi, the bus driver for Christchurch City Council, Mr Jung, who is of Korean descent, paid a visit to Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery Christchurch on his day off 11th October 2020. Daily, Mr Jung    had been driving the Council bus pass Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Temple South Island, and he became interested in Professor Kuo Yen-Chiao’s Traditional Chinese Painting Exhibition after seeing a poster outside the building advertising the event. After their arrival at the Gallery, Mr Jungand Shadmehr were received by Professor Kuo’s Daughter Louisa and Gallery officer Juin Mei.

At the Exhibition, Mr Jung was full of praises for Professor Kuo’ masterpieces. He was particularly touched by Professor’s Chinese calligraphy works because they reminded him of his father Senior Jung, who is himself an accomplished South Korean calligrapher. His father’s calligraphy works have won much acclaims, and have been exhibited in countries all over the World. Under the nurture and influence of his father since he was small, Mr Jung has become acquainted with traditional Chinese calligraphy, and he was therefore able to capture the meanings of Professor Kuo’s calligraphic writings. Mr Jung claimed that he could fathom the profoundness of Professor Kuo’s works, and he was full of respect and appreciation for Professor’s persistence and diligence in the pursuit of artistic idealism.

Being a Christian, Mr Jung was curious about all things in the Buddha Hall such as, light offering, incense offering, flower offering, the various apparatus used, and the sitting cushion, its design and usage. Mr Jung recalled that he had visited FGS South Island in the year 2006, and due to tight working schedule, was only able to make the second visit today, after a long period of 15 years. He felt that the Temple is a place full of positivity and promised to bring his family for frequent visits here.