The Opening of Light & Art Show at FGS South Island
At 9 pm on 14th January 2021, close to 150 people from Christchurch, young and old, enthusiastically came to Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Temple South Island to attend the opening ceremony of the Light & Art Show. Guests attended the event included New Zealand’s Office of Ethnic Communities Advisors Candy Wu Zhang, member of the Peace Bell New Zealand Chapter David Bolam-Smith, artists Paul Deans, Penny Wright, Leonore Ashby, Natalia Dybova, pianist Ross James Mcdermott and his wife, founder of PEETO Language School Patrick O’Connor, President of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island Bernie, Friends of Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) and the New Zealand public.
The night’s opening ceremony was carried out in a unique way – Guests of Honour were invited to strike the Happiness Bell located in the Temple courtyard. With every strike of the Bell, the lightings in a certain part of the courtyard would be turned on, included among these were the Peony Wall, the Buddha Statue, the Animal Park, the Lighted Peacock and this year's theme Lighted Pillars which carry Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s calligraphy Cultivate a Heart that Blooms in All Seasons. After the light-up at the courtyard, the theme banner on the outer wall of the Temple, the auspicious red lanterns in the parking lot, the red silk curtain at the Buddha Hall, and the lamps at the Time Tunnel were subsequently lighted up. The visitors to this Light Show were pleasantly surprised and amazed by all these ingeniously designed lightings and lanterns!
In her speech, FGS New Zealand Abbess Venerable Manshin thanked the public for attending and supporting this New Year Light Show produced painstakingly with diligence and determination by the non-professional FGS team. The entire preparation process of the Light Show, from planning, designing blueprints, purchasing and making and hanging decorative lightings, were all undertaken by the young people of FGS. Abbess hoped that this Light and Art Show will illuminate Christchurch with warm and colourful brightness!
Afterwards, members of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) and Young Adult Division (YAD) of New Zealand, dressed as Qing dynasty Princesses, presented a traditional Chinese dance in a gentle and graceful manner. Instantaneously, the audience felt like they had time-travelled back to Qing Dynasty to experience the prosperity and rich culture of that era. The audience were truly amazed and kept taking photos with their mobile phones to capture the beautiful scenes.
David Bolam-Smith, member of the Peace Bell New Zealand Chapter praised the Light Show and the carefully arranged opening ceremony, and hoped that the Light and Art Show will be able to promote Peace to the World. David himself has done a lot of research on lighting technology. He had personally participated in the planning of the flood-light installations of Christchurch City Centre Buildings and therefore could feel the dedications of the FGS Team. Patrick O’Connor, the founder of PEETO Language School, has had a deep relationship with FGS Temple South Island for more than ten years, and has been very supportive of the Temple’s activities. Patrick felt that not only the colourful lights of the Light and Art Show make people happy, but also Venerable Master Hsing Yun's calligraphy Cultivate a Heart that Blooms in All Seasons and the auspicious red lanterns, exude a strong Chinese sentiment. On top of all these, the “Qing Dynasty Princess Dance" of the night was even more entertaining. Being a Friend of FGY, Gayel Marquet, who had attended the Euro Style Lunch Buffet at the Temple last month and the After A Thousand Miles - Wen Jung Hsu’s World Tour Exhibition just now, had been very impressed with FGS’s activities. This time around, on seeing the joy brought by this colourful and beautiful Light Show to the community, Gayel promised to similarly share this joy with her family and friends by bringing them to the Light and Art Show.
The 2021 Light and Art Show will be held from 9th January to 14th February 2021. After the information about this event was released on the Internet and social media and Temple billboards, it aroused enthusiastic responses. Those who attended today’s Opening Ceremony included not only the nearby residents but also others from afar who were lured by the good reputations of FGS South Island. FGS South Island wishes to drive away Covid-19 pandemic with the brightness of this Light and Art Show and bring colours and hopes to the New Zealand public and the World!