By Alang Bendahara
IN a few days, we will bid farewell to the Metal Ox, an animal that can be said to represent our year of hard work and diligence in our efforts to rebuild our pandemic-hit economy.
Up next on the zodiac animal calendar is the Water Tiger, which Chinese geomancers believe will usher in a time that is best for building relationships — both with family and friends — and a time to do what’s best for others and not just for ourselves.
Thus it comes as no surprise that the Fo Guan Shan Dong Zen Temple has chosen ‘Fearless in Life and Peaceful Coexistence’ as the theme for its famous 2022 Chinese New Year Lantern & Flora Festival.
Elaborating on the theme, the temple’s chief abbot, Ven Jue Cheng, said in its long-form the Chinese characters also mean ‘May All Beings Live Without Fear and Coexist in Peace’.
“This year is the Year of the Tiger. We must be as powerful and as spiritually and physically strong as the tiger,” she said.
“This is to encourage everyone to face all difficulties with a fearless spirit this year and to learn to coexist peacefully with the virus, natural disasters and each other.”
19-year event
The temple’s festival is well-known for its elaborate kaleidoscope of digital lights, lanterns and flotillas that illuminate its grounds during the annual Chinese New Year celebrations.
The whole place is transformed into a glittering wonderland of red lanterns, digital lights and illuminated gardens that both children and adults would take delight in.
Aside from being a tourist attraction, the temple, which sits on 24 acres of land in the sleepy town of Jenjarom Happy Village in the Kuala Langat district, is also an important cultural and educational centre for Buddhists.
The temple has been running the annual festival for 19 years, and it has become somewhat of a staple on Selangor’s events calendar. Before the pandemic, admission to the festival was always free, drawing nearly a million visitors each year.
In 1999, the temple was listed as a religious tourist attraction by the Tourism and Culture Ministry and in 2003, was the recipient of the Outstanding Scenery Award from Selangor’s Tourism Development Board.
Fo Guang Shan is the largest Buddhist order in Taiwan, established by Master Hsing Yun in 1967. Branches have been set up all over the world, and it aims to promote Buddhism through its educational programmes and good deeds.
A safe space
Last year, due to restrictions posed by the Covid-19 pandemic the festival went fully online on the temple’s official website www.fgs.org.my.
“This year, the celebration is in hybrid mode, and visitors are again allowed but in smaller numbers. People can watch our virtual reality presentation on the lantern show every night on our website,” said Ven Jue Cheng, adding that the temple will also be disinfected and sanitised before receiving visitors.
The 15-day festival will begin on January 28 and run till February 15, but the lanterns will only be lit for 11 days (on January 28 and 31, February 1-6, 12, 13 and 15).
On other days, visitors are still welcome to come and pray and look at the other displays.
As part of the standard operating procedures, only fully vaccinated visitors are allowed entry.
They need to first be tested for Covid-19 using rapid test kits provided by the temple administration for a small fee.
The temple only allows 1,000 visitors a day — 500 for its morning session and 500 in the evening. Those interested need to register on the temple website to get a QR code.
Tiger tales and legends
The temple’s chief abbot said that some of the highlights this year are the main lantern display, the Lumbini Garden, 33 forms of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, an art gallery, the Dong Zen education exhibition, the main shrine and the Tranquility Eco-Farm.
There will also be 10 attractions to help visitors learn more about the legendary tiger.
Among them is an adorable-looking tiger lantern that stands as tall as the main lantern at the shrine, which will serve as an ideal photo opportunity for children.
There will also be lanterns in the Lumbini Garden that will tell the story of Taming Tiger Arhat. According to Buddhist folklore, an arhat (one of 18-spiritually enlightened elders) once subdued a ferocious tiger with kindness and love.
The story signifies that all Buddhist practitioners are able to conquer their own feelings of anger and hate by self-cultivation and meditation.
For those who cannot make it to the festival, the temple has collaborated with the Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MPKL) to stage a mini lantern show at Dataran Banting from January 13 to February 21.
This first-ever collaboration will provide Malaysians of all backgrounds with an opportunity to learn more about and appreciate Chinese culture.
This article first appeared in the Selangor Journal monthly February edition, published on January 24, 2022.
