Art and Culture Festival

On the 11th of October, the “Art and Culture Festival” was held at Fo Guang Shan South Island Temple, drawing 250 of the invited guests which included the temple volunteers, BLIA members, as well as members of the local community.

The event was organized by Buddha’s Light International Association South Island, with Buddha’s Light International Association South Island Young Adult Division assisting the BLIA.

Also present were special guests New Zealand Minister of Education and Ethnical Affairs Honourable Chris Carter and New Zealand Police Strategic Advisor Mr Kefeng Zhu. Venerable Abbess Manshin and BLIA North Island president Ms. Sufen flew down from Auckland directly after attending the Ormiston Road Bridge opening to take part in the festival.

At 2:45 pm, guests of the Art and Culture Festival started to arrive at the Temple. Volunteer tour guides from BLIA South Island and it's YAD led the visitors around the temple. The visitors were introduced to the different works of art displayed in the Temple, such as the exhibitions “Purple Sand Eighteen Lohans”, “Hospitality for the Heart” and “Fo Guang Shan’s Hundred Masters Wall Made From Ink Rubbings”.

The tour guides also explained the Temple’s building concepts to the guests. During the touring of the temple, the visitors asked many different and interesting questions, as well as commenting on how amazing the temple is.

In the afternoon, the guests sat down in the peaceful temple courtyard and enjoyed the sight of the spring blossoms and the artwork on the wall as they enjoyed their afternoon tea.

Honourable Chris Carter was amazed at how the temple building had so much art and culture within it, and how the building could depict the liveliness and meaningfulness of Buddhism. He expressed how different FGS South Island Temple was from the grand FGS North Island Temple, and how each Temple had their own unique style.

At the conclusion of the festival, Venerable Abbess Manshin shared some time with all the staff and volunteers at the Temple’s courtyard, where Mr. Jack Liu, the organiser of the event, expressed his appreciation to everyone for helping out with the event, and especially Abbess Manshin for giving him the opportunity to organise the event. In addition, the leaders of each event team stood up and thanked everyone else for co-operating.

To wrap up the eventful and meaningful event, Venerable Abbess Manshin shared her thoughts on how we can learn from the event and how we have developed better skills as a result of it. Mr. Kefeng Zhu commented on how energetic, caring and kind the YAD were, and that they were a good model for the youths of today's generation.

Account by Fan-Ping Chiang and Sheng Han Lim