The Participation of FGS Temple South Island in the 2022 “Open Christchurch” Event
The Open Christchurch, Discover Your City through Architecture, organised by the New Zealand charity group Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City Making, was held on 30th April and 1st May 2022. This was the second year of Open Christchurch. This year, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Christchurch was once again selected as one of the more than 40 buildings worth visiting in Christchurch. Except for FGS Christchurch which is a Buddhist Temple, the rest of the buildings in the Open Christchurch list were municipal buildings, Trail Park, ecological reserve, art centres, and century-old monuments and Churches. Unlike 2021, this year’s visit list included buildings damaged in the 2011 Earthquake that have yet to be opened to the public, such as, the Christchurch Cathedral, the Lyttleton Timeball Station and the Observatory.
The reasons why FGS Christchurch was selected as one of the buildings most worthy of visiting were:
1) The design of the outer wall of the Temple with the four Bodhisattvas in the Grottoes is very innovative and unique,
2) The overall architecture of the Temple combines perfectly Eastern art with Western technology,
3) The Building was constructed using natural raw materials, reflecting Buddhist philosophy of returning to the Original State, and to Self,
4) The Temple provides a quiet and beautiful space for spiritual retreat in the busy city,
5) The Open-View Design of the Buddha Hall allows the Buddha to look out and protect the City and its people.
Despite the fact that the pandemic still remained a threat, 700 people from different backgrounds and nationalities came to visit the Temple in the two-day event. They included engineers, architects, marketing coordinators, teachers and artists. Venerable Manshin, the Abbess of FGS New Zealand, led 20 Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) and Young Adult Division (YAD) members from North and South Islands to introduce and explain the architectural concepts of the Temple to the visitors.
The tour of the Temple was divided into designated areas, and tour guides were stationed at 7 spots, namely, the exterior of the Temple, the exterior waterways, the model of the Temple made of wood and copper, the Buddha Hall, the Time Tunnel, the cement wall at the courtyard, and the planted area at the back-wall of the Art Gallery. In addition to touring the Temple, the visitors were also asked to vote for the architectural spots they appreciated most.
Many visitors were first-time visitors to the Temple, and some visitors chose to only visit FGS Christchurch and not any other buildings because they were deeply interested in the architectural concept of the Temple. Some visitors were just passing by the Temple and were driven by curiosity into entering the Temple when they saw big crowds visiting the building. Most of the visitors were attracted by the unique design of the Temple. After the volunteer tour guides explained the features and functions of the building, the visitors were amazed at the green-building concept adopted by the Temple and claimed that the visit was worthwhile.
In addition to promoting the urban development of Christchurch, Open Christchurch also encouraged the public to move out of the haze of the pandemic and return to the community. The event also allowed FGS Christchurch to form a bond with more people, and allowed it to spread through its architecture the concept of Humanistic Buddhism to a wider community. The visitors thanked FGS for the careful arrangements which allowed them to have a better understanding of the Temple building. They were delighted to find such a simple and environmentally friendly building in the centre of Christchurch. That day’s visit not only enriched the knowledge of the visitors, but also enhanced their inner peace and tranquillity. To the visitors, the visit was a meaningful journey of body and soul.