02/10/2024

Lunar New Year Celebration at Xiang Yun Temple

To celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year, Xiangyun Temple was adorned with colorful decorations, creating a joyful atmosphere. The two- day festival, held on the 10th and 11th, attracted nearly 2000 Chinese and English-speaking participants.

On the 10th (the first day of the Lunar New Year), following the Homage to Thousand Buddhas and Peace Lantern Dharma Service, the youth lion dance troupe, children's dances, and kung fu martial arts performances at Xiangyun Temple received enthusiastic applause from the audience.

On the 11th (the second day of the Lunar New Year), Xiangyun Temple invited Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Texas State Representative Vikki Goodwin, Simone Flowers, the executive director of the Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT), to celebrate the New Year together. Venerable Jué Jì delivered a speech, praying for auspiciousness and peace in the Year of the Dragon. The guests also offered their blessings.

Following the guest speeches, the celebration officially began. The performances started with Japanese Taiko drumming and Xiangyun Temple's lion! The spectacular performances included Indian dances, Hawaiian dances, traditional Chinese ethnic dances, the Xiangyun Temple Dharma Band, youth martial arts demonstrations, and the eagerly awaited dragon and lion dances. The three-hour show delighted the guests, and the atmosphere was electrifying.

In the dining hall, a variety of delicacies were available, from spring rolls to radish cakes, stir-fried noodles, and more. This year, a special feature was the Sichuan-style food truck, offering even more options to the public.

In the main hall, numerous cultural booths were set up, featuring activities such as the Dharma wheel, sutra recitations, calligraphy, fishing for prizes, and paper cutting art, drawing large crowds. The cultural artifacts area and treasure hunting tree also attracted many visitors.

After the successful conclusion of the event, there was widespread praise and appreciation. Thanks were given to the dedicated volunteers of Xiang Yun Temple for their thorough preparation, on-site responsiveness, orderly traffic control, and attentive hospitality, all of which contributed significantly to the success of celebration.