Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli poses for a group photo with the little bodhisattvas

Attendees proudly display their painted lanterns during a group photo to commemorate the successful event

Illinois State Representative Anne Stava-Murray (second from right) participates in the lantern-painting activity and poses with Director General Yen-Feng Lei of TECO in Chicago (third from left) and Director Chi Lei of the Chinese Culture Center (second from left)

Guests light up the room with their phone flashlights, illuminating their "inner lights" to the sound of beautiful piano music

Abbess Venerable Yong Han distributes "Wisdom Red Envelopes" featuring Dharma words by Venerable Master Hsing Yun to the public

Devotees prayerfully strike the peace bell before the Buddha to pray for blessings

U.S. public officials attend the event and praise the social impact of Humanistic Buddhism. (From left: Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli [fifth from left], Illinois State Representative Anne Stava-Murray [fourth from left], and U.S. Congressman Bill Foster [third from right].)

Young Taiwanese students studying in the U.S. joyfully celebrate the Lunar New Year

Marcus King, Senior Advisor for Civic Engagement for the Illinois State Government, praises the cultural event for being rich and deeply meaningful

Hana Chang (second from right), a graduate student from Fo Guang University, and Emily Ho (first from right), a doctoral candidate at the University of Iowa, lead the audience in a sign-language sing-along of Harmonize

Mrs. Yu-Shan Lo, wife of Culture Center Director Chi Lei, wishes everyone a peaceful and auspicious Lunar New Year

 

At the Start of the Year of the Horse, Everything Is Renewed: Fo Guang Shan Chicago Hosts Lunar New Year Community Open House

As the Year of the Horse begins with signs of fresh renewal, the Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple hosted its “Lunar New Year Community Open House” on February 22, 2026. The event drew around one hundred attendees from diverse cultural backgrounds, including several U.S. public officials, who gathered to witness cultural exchange and community solidarity centered on “Harmony and Peace.”

In addition to multicultural booths, this year’s Open House featured a special lantern-painting activity under the theme “Harmony and Peace.” The program opened with a piano performance by Emily Ho, a doctoral candidate in flute performance at the University of Iowa, who warmed up the crowd with the song Harmonize. Following remarks by the distinguished guests, the assembly read the “A Prayer for World Peace” before the Buddha, praying sincerely for social stability. Afterward, Hana Chang from Fo Guang University joined Emily Ho to lead the audience in a warm, serene sing-along and sign-language performance of Harmonize.

U.S. Congressman Bill Foster remarked that Fo Guang Shan’s advocacy for equality among all living beings is especially meaningful in today’s world. Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli praised the temple for its positive contributions to community development. Illinois State Representative Anne Stava-Murray showed her support by personally participating in the lantern-painting activity. Director General Yen-Feng Lei of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago encouraged everyone to practice the “Three Acts of Goodness,” while Director Chi Lei of the Chinese Culture Center also attended the celebration with his family.

In her spiritual message, Abbess Venerable Yong Han pointed out that “inner peace” is the foundation of world peace. She emphasized that only by cultivating a peaceful heart and respecting our neighbors can we achieve a harmonious world. She then invited all guests to turn on their phone flashlights, lighting up their “inner lights” to the sound of beautiful piano music—a deeply moving and solemn moment. The lanterns painted by the public will be hung from the ceilings on both sides of the main shrine and will be displayed again during the Buddha’s Birthday celebration in May.

Marcus King, Senior Advisor for Civic Engagement for the Illinois State Government, expressed after finishing his lantern that the cultural event was rich and deeply meaningful. Hana Chang and Emma Hsu, students from Fo Guang University in Taiwan, also shared that participating in such a diverse Lunar New Year event abroad allowed them to deeply experience the power of harmony and inclusion.