<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In celebration of Buddha\u2019s Birthday and the 60th anniversary of the founding of Fo Guang Shan, the Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple hosted a Mobile Buddha Bathing Ceremony alongside a special exhibition titled “60 Years of Passing the Lamp: Honoring a 100-Year Legacy” at Chicago Chinatown Square on May 30. The event attracted nearly one thousand visitors of diverse cultural backgrounds, with steady streams of crowds filling the venue in a solemn yet joyful atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A large display board featuring the Big Buddha of the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, together with Venerable Master Hsing Yun\u2019s calligraphy works “Humanistic Buddhism” and “Practicing the Buddha\u2019s Way,” stood prominently in the square, instantly inspiring passersby to pause and participate. Three Buddha-bathing basins and a lotus offering station were set up on-site, where the public lined up reverently to bathe the Buddha and offer flowers, creating a deeply serene and touching sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cultural exhibition area offered a rich variety of interactive experiences. The “60 Years of Passing the Lamp: Honoring a 100-Year Legacy” station\u2014featuring multi-layered Venerable Master Hsing Yun postcard stamping and puzzle activities\u2014proved so popular that all commemorative postcards were completely distributed on-site. To keep up with the enthusiasm, the temple introduced a “Living Zen” rock-stacking activity, where participants practiced mindfulness and balance by stacking stones, receiving an overwhelmingly warm response. Additionally, “Dharma-phrase” Buddha\u2019s Birthday cakes were distributed to form wholesome affinities, while Master Hsing Yun’s English publications and bi-lingual books were gifted to international visitors to help them discover Humanistic Buddhism through reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To encourage digital engagement, participants who uploaded their Buddha-bathing photos to Facebook and Instagram received a bookmark featuring Venerable Master Hsing Yun\u2019s calligraphy. This inspired real-time social sharing, creating a harmonious synergy between online and offline Dharma propagation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The “Life of the Buddha Exhibit” illustrated the Buddha\u2019s journey toward enlightenment and his teaching legacy through rich visuals, guiding the public toward a deeper understanding of the core Dharma teachings. Meanwhile, the “Cloud and Water 3,000 Exhibit” made its outdoor debut, combining imagery of the Fo Guang Big Buddha with the Master’s global footsteps to showcase the lineage and historical development of Humanistic Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A giant inflatable horse and a “Three Acts of Goodness” mushroom house were also installed, quickly becoming popular photo spots for families. Children played happily among the mushroom houses while parents captured fond memories, filling the square with laughter, energy, and a warm, educational spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To enhance visitor engagement, a stamp-collecting rally was designed across all activity stations. Visitors who completed the Buddha bathing, exhibition viewing, and Tea Zen experience could redeem auspicious hanging charms\u2014an interactive feature deeply loved by youth and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tea Zen station drew immense popularity, with visitors queuing up for a seat. Through observing, tasting, and quietly reflecting on tea, participants experienced the spirit of Zen, feeling a sense of equality and inner tranquility while sharing the tea experience. Many first-time participants expressed how deeply enriching the experience was for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Volunteers provided guided tours in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Notably, the 10-year-old daughter of Rosario, a Catholic volunteer, made a sign of the cross to pray for success before making her very first public announcement over the broadcast system. She then invited visitors to join the activities in Spanish, presenting a beautiful moment of multicultural and interfaith harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Volunteer Steve Haverkos shared a heartwarming moment about a father who brought his two lively young boys to participate in the puzzle and rock-stacking activities. Guided gently by the program, the children shifted from being energetic and restless to deeply focused and collaborative, leaving their father profoundly moved. Furthermore, a group of nine young adults visiting from Texas participated for the first time; guided by volunteers, they bathed the Buddha, offered flowers, experienced Tea Zen, and tried postcard stamping, leaving with a memorable first impression of Humanistic Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interfaith interactions were equally inspiring. Volunteer Lucy and her family, who are Catholic, joyfully dedicated their time to serving at the event, sharing that they felt the warmth of being part of one big family. Volunteer Guan-Yu Huang from the design team, together with his spouse Xiao-Hui Wu and their family, collaboratively constructed the “Cloud and Water 3,000” exhibition frames and display boards, fully embodying the spirit of collective effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blending sacred ritual, cultural exhibition, Tea Zen experience, family-friendly interaction, and multilingual tour guidance, the event not only highlighted the solemn essence of a religious festival but also showcased the unifying power of community. Under the compassionate light of the Buddha, the day concluded as a joyful and harmonious celebration of Humanistic Buddhism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In celebration of Buddha\u2019s Birthday…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6138,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-print-news"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",2560,1920,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",512,384,false],"medium":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",512,384,false],"medium_large":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",768,576,false],"large":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",512,384,false],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",1536,1152,false],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",2048,1536,false],"post-thumbnail":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",370,278,false],"great_lotus-thumb-category":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",362,272,false],"great_lotus-thumb-category-@retina":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",724,543,false],"trx_addons-thumb-huge":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",877,658,false],"trx_addons-thumb-huge-@retina":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",1755,1316,false],"trx_addons-thumb-masonry-big":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",770,578,false],"trx_addons-thumb-masonry-big-@retina":["http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u6bcd\u89aa\u61f7\u62b1\u5e7c\u5152\u8654\u8aa0\u6d74\u4f5b\uff0c\u70ba\u5b69\u5b50\u7a2e\u4e0b\u83e9\u63d0\u7a2e\u5b50-scaled.jpg",1540,1155,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"bliachicago","author_link":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/archives\/author\/bliachicago"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In celebration of Buddha\u2019s Birthday…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6132"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6132\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6153,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6132\/revisions\/6153"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ibpschicago.org\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}