On May 15, the DuPage County Historical Museum in Illinois hosted an “Interfaith & Cultural Journey.” A delegation of 24 museum members toured various religious sites—including Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, and Christian places of worship—to gain a deeper understanding of the architectural styles, artistic traditions, and cultural histories of different faiths. As the Buddhist representative on the tour, the Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple showcased the meaningful localization and cultural integration of Humanistic Buddhism in the United States.
Abbess Venerable Yong Han kicked off the visit by welcoming the guests, utilizing a real-time AI translation system to converse with the audience—a perfect display of integrating modern technology into contemporary Dharma propagation. Through an introductory video of the Buddha Museum, visitors learned about Fo Guang Shan’s vision of blending culture, education, and art. Venerable Yong Han shared that while Fo Guang Shan has established over 300 temples globally, the Chicago temple was uniquely converted from a historic barn building. Today, it serves as a center for cultural education and spiritual cultivation, acting as a beautiful microcosm of multicultural harmony.
Furthermore, Venerable Yong Han introduced the 20-volume Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts, a monumental project that took Fo Guang Shan 12 years to compile. Hailed as a definitive collection of global Buddhist art, the encyclopedia highlights the temple’s long-standing dedication to preserving and cultivating Buddhist culture and heritage, leaving a profound impression on the visitors.
Following the introduction, Venerable Miao Wei led the guests in a hands-on DIY activity, folding origami lotuses and assembling “Three Acts of Goodness Sramanera (Novice Monk)” puzzles. Drawing inspiration from the lotus flower—which grows out of the mud yet remains unstained—she encouraged everyone to integrate mindfulness into daily life, stay grounded, and courageously transform afflictions into wisdom when facing challenges. She also introduced the core principles advocated by Fo Guang Shan founder Venerable Master Hsing Yun: the “Three Acts of Goodness” (Do Good Deeds, Speak Good Words, Think Good Thoughts) and the “Four Givings” (Give Others Confidence, Give Others Joy, Give Others Hope, Give Others Convenience).
At the end of the event, the temple gifted the visitors with Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s English publications and the novice monk puzzles to form wholesome connections. The temple also extended a warm invitation for the guests to return on May 24 for the Buddha’s Birthday celebration, which will feature a special exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Fo Guang Shan and honoring the centennial birth anniversary of Venerable Master Hsing Yun.
Jenny Ackerman, Development Manager for the Wheaton Park District, expressed her deep gratitude to Fo Guang Shan Chicago for their warm hospitality, which allowed the tour members to experience the beauty of Buddhist culture and art firsthand. Michelle Podkowa, Manager and Education Specialist for the DuPage County Historical Museum, shared that the visit brought back fond memories of practicing Zen meditation during her college years. She added that she was thrilled to collaborate with Fo Guang Shan to help more community members deeply understand and appreciate Buddhist culture.