Spring Festival Cultural Experience
- Feb 8
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 16
Spring Festival Cultural Experience at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, NC: U.S. Elementary School Students Embrace Chinese Culture
[Reported by Xinyu, North Carolina, USA] On February 7, 2025, Dr. Maguy Techer, Director of World Language, Policy & Title III for Wayne County Public Schools, North Carolina, led a group of 46 participants—including Tommy’s Road Elementary School Principal Tameka Allen, teachers, parents, and students—on a visit to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina. Through an immersive Spring Festival cultural experience, the students gained a deeper appreciation of Chinese traditions.
The event was organized by Chinese language teacher Yvonne Hao, who previously studied at Fo Guang Shan Tsung Lin University in Taiwan. She arrived in North Carolina last year to teach Mandarin and Chinese culture to third through fifth graders. Her program is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and implemented by American Councils for International Education. In late 2024, her students enthusiastically participated in the 2025 "Three Acts of Goodness" Creative Lantern Painting Competition at Fo Guang Shan NC. Yvonne Hao introduced them to the concept of the Three Acts of Goodness and incorporated lessons on Taiwan’s diverse religious traditions and Lunar New Year customs into her curriculum. This field trip provided an opportunity for students to experience temple culture firsthand, learn to make dumplings at a Chinese restaurant, and deepen their understanding through educational worksheets.
Upon arrival, the students were warmly welcomed by venerables and Fo Guang Shan volunteers. In return, they greeted their hosts in Mandarin: "Shifu Jixiang!" ("Auspicious blessings, venerable!"). In the Main Shrine, Venerable Miao Jou played the animated film The Story of the Buddha, introducing students to the life of the Buddha through discussion and an interactive Q&A session.
Students then engaged in various cultural activities: offering lights, writing prayer cards, striking the wishing bell, transcribing the "Three Acts of Goodness and Four Givings" aphorisms, crafting lotus flowers, and making rubbings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy.
While exploring the temple’s cultural corridor, they excitedly discovered their lantern artwork displayed on the "Starlight Net." Seeing their own pieces among the colorful lanterns, they eagerly cast votes for their favorites.
During the lotus flower crafting session, volunteer Annie Wang guided students in folding their own lotus flowers while sharing the symbolic meaning of the lotus: "rising unstained from the mud." She encouraged students to remain pure and kind despite life’s challenges. Many students proudly wore their handcrafted lotus flowers on their wrists or in their hair, creating a scene of blooming lotuses that filled the room with warmth and joy.
Dr. Maguy Techer expressed heartfelt gratitude to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, NC for providing such a valuable learning opportunity. She especially praised The Story of the Buddha for conveying the principles of equality and respect, emphasizing their importance in children's development. She also invited a Mandarin teacher from another local middle school to observe the visit, hoping to facilitate more field trips in the future. Venerable Miao Jou welcomed further collaboration with schools and exchanged contact information on the spot to foster long-term educational partnerships.
Third-grader Alana Renene Harris shared that the film helped her understand Buddha as a compassionate and kind teacher who taught the importance of mutual respect. Her favorite activity was writing a prayer card, as it allowed her to express her wish:
"I hope everyone will be kind to one another and not be mean to others."
She joyfully hung her card on the Wishing Tree, hoping her aspirations would come true.
