FGS South Island Chinese Reunion Dinner
On 21st January 2017, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island New Zealand (NZ) organized the "FGS Buddhist Temple Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner" with around 200 attendees filling up the venue. Besides FGS members and members of the Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA), long-standing Christchurch City Riccarton Board Member - Helen Broughton, People Republic of Chiina (PRC) Consul General for Christchurch - Consul General Jin Zhijian, NZ Police Department National Strategic Ethnic Advisor/ Human Rights Commission Strategic Advisor Race Relations – Inspector Rakesh Naidoo, Former Detective Superintendent – Virginia Le Bas, Vice President of the Canterbury Interfaith society – Diane Downward and her husband, International Consultant Dr Surinder Tandon and his wife, University of Canterbury lecturer – Professor Michael Reid, Director of Peeto, The Multi-Cultural Learning Centre Christchurch – Patrick O’Connor and many more attendees came in welcoming this Chinese New Year.
FGS NZ Venerable Abbess Manshin started the event after the blessings followed by the Medicine Buddha Dharani together with FGS founder - Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s prayers. The abbess encouraged attendees to have the spirit of "Giving" as giving is an action of compassion, giving is an important practise, giving is a good thing that could be touch hearts, giving benefits spiritually, giving nourishes good cycles, and giving is an exercise in being a person. With these six points, it had made up the re-construction of FGS South Island with the help of the giving conditions; and with this "Giving" spirit from everyone, it becomes a continuous cycle, hence, FGS South Island specially invited all the guests to thank them for the years of support and love.
BLIA South Island NZ Vice President – Elsa Hayes greeted the attendees a Happy Chinese New Year and thanked all the volunteers that have helped out in preparing a delicious vegetarian feast. As year 2017 is the year of the rooster, Elsa hopes that the public follows the characteristic of this zodiac in being hard-working, determined and perseverant in welcoming this joyful New Year.
PRC Consul General for Christchurch - Consul General Jin Zhijian then expressed his happiness in having a chance to celebrate the New Year together with FGS and greeted everybody a wonderful Chinese New Year. The Consul General whom visited the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery a few months ago when it was exhibiting Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One Stroke Calligraphy and the Travelling Exhibition of XuTong Xian’s Ink Painting, gave him a good impression of the members of FGS and BLIA New Zealand.
Human Rights Commission Strategic Advisor Race Relations Inspector Rakesh Naidoo then expressed that, after four years of re-constructing, the hard work and diligence of the FGS and BLIA members finally paid off. The temple is now ready and the Buddhist team is fully prepared to serve the community further. He hopes that there will be more good surprises given to the community.
At the banquet, brilliant cultural performances like the lion dance, the electronic dance of Three Deity Prince, Chinese two string Violin performance, traditional Chinese dance and modernized dance gets thunderous applauses. Jolly guests were also invited to be on stage and danced together with the light-hearted crowd. In the end, along the singing of the song "Harmonise", Venerable Abbess Manshin gave out New Year Scrolls with Venerable Master Hsing Yun's Chinese New Year words "Rising Dawn of Success" and auspicious red packets, bringing good fortune and auspiciousness to everyone.