News Gallery
To commemorate its 65th anniversary, the Walnut City Government in California hosted a carnival at Suzanne Park on January 27, 2024. Ven. Hui Dong, the abbot of Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Hsi Lai Temple, led a delegation that included Ven. Yi Shan, the superintendent, Ven. Chueh Sheng, the guiding Venerable of the Walnut Subchapter of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA), along with BLIA LA Chapter President Alex Wu, Vice President Echo Tsai, and Secretary-General Shou-Jen Kuo.
The Walnut Subchapter set up booths at the event. President Hui Wang, along with elder supervisors Lunjie Chen, Yuanmei Ma, Lijing Fang, and more than twenty members, engaged with the public to celebrate the occasion.
California State Senator Bob Archuleta from the 30th District, who frequently participates in activities at Hsi Lai Temple, greeted Ven. Hui Dong warmly and welcomed the FGS members. Walnut City Councilman Allen Wu praised the support and participation of FGS members in his speech. Ven. Hui Dong blessed the citizens of Walnut City and invited both Senator Archuleta and Councilman Wu to the New Year's celebration at Hsi Lai Temple on the first day of the lunar year.
Nearly a thousand residents of various ethnicities visited the booths of the Walnut Subchapter during the celebration. The "Big Wheel" game was a popular attraction, with over seven hundred residents winning gifts such as Lunar New Year calendars, couplets, peace charms, and bilingual Buddhist booklets provided by Hsi Lai Temple. These materials aimed to introduce local residents to Humanistic Buddhism.
Councilman Allen Wu also visited the Walnut Subchapter booth and praised the efforts to bring Humanistic Buddhism into the community. He emphasized the importance of religious freedom and equal opportunities for all, expressing his pleasure at seeing Humanistic Buddhism interact more with the city government and community residents. Councilman Wu presented a Walnut City 65th Anniversary commemorative coin to the Walnut Subchapter, recognizing and appreciating their contributions to community development and cultural heritage, adding warmth and joy to the celebration.
(Photos Provided by the Walnut Subchapter)
