Interview by a Post Graduate Student
Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island New Zealand has been helping the community and propagating Dharma in Christchurch city unconditionally, giving everyone a place of peace and tranquillity to rejuvenate their spiritual mind. Corey Charlton, a post graduate diploma student in journalism at Canterbury University, with his recent work to write news on the earthquake relief happened on February 22 in the local community, got him making an appointment with members of the FGS South Island members on May 6.
At around 2.00pm, accompanied by Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch Artistic Coordinator, See-Shen Lee with Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) members, Lih-Son Ding and Tracy, Corey was given a tour in FGS South Island that includes the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch, exhibiting “One Stroke Calligraphy” which is the work of FGS and BLIA founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun and later on to the new exhibition of “The Art of Traditional Chinese Dress – The Beauty of QiPao”. The tour followed by the Time Corridor, Buddha Hall, the new gift shop and the library, allowing him to understand the facilities，the value and purpose of humanistic Buddhism offered to the community by FGS South Island. Along the tour he has also understood some life stories of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the global association of BLIA, the design structure and the history of Fo Guang Shan New Zealand.
Later on, Corey was invited to have tea and some light refreshments at the Water Drop Cafe where he has the chance to interview Venerable Abbess Manshin, Venerable Juexi, BLIA South Island director Louisa Kuo and Luping where they not only covered on the meaning of Humanistic Buddhism, but also questions such as how does Buddhism blend with the local community, what did FGS do to help the Christchurch community during the February 22nd earthquake and how FGS interacts and integrates within the local community.
By the end of the visit, Corey was presented with the “BLIA 222 Chch Earthquake Relief Report”, “Way of Life Fo Guang Shan New Zealand”, a book about the art and design of both FGS North and South Island New Zealand and lastly the “BLIA New Zealand 2010 Activities Report”. Corey expressed his thanks to the staff members for their hospitality and how he was amazed by the efforts by BLIA New Zealand, giving everyone more confidence, more positive approach to life, and hoped that Buddhism will localise furthermore touching more people.