Newsletter- June 2023
July 4th festival is on the calendar, and we are receiving enthusiastic responses. People from
many countries are coming! As we are receiving inquiries into the project, we realized there are
misunderstanding as to what Buddhist town entails. Many people thought Buddhist Town is the
same as the True Dharma Temple. In actuality, the True Dharma Temple is the center focus of
the Buddhist Town, and together with more than 30 temples and centers around the world surrounding the True Dharma Temple will form the Buddhist Town to create a venue of
learning, exploring, experiencing all different aspects of the Buddhist culture around the world
and through history. It would not only become a home base for all Buddhists around the world,
it will serve as a fountain of resources of all things Buddhist for everyone. The development is in
two phases, with the True Dharma Temple, Zheng Xing Garden, the Machang Yuan (monastery)
and Fa Chan Temple being the phase one, and the remaining complexes to be the Phase Two. It
will host many regular and seasonal activities and workshops including religious, educational
and entertaining for the public to enjoy. It is a place created to benefit all beings!
Our Program – The lantern workshop
During the planning of the July event, sister Yi volunteered to create a large colorful lantern for
the ceremony of dedicating our graditude! It was amazing that she single handily created the
design for the lantern, welded the metal frames, and started the forming of the lantern with
beautiful silk fabric. Time is running tight, and we created a lantern workshop and a group of
volunteers jumped in the last minute to help cut and paste the colorful fabrics, and adorning it
with rhinestones and laces. The transformation from the metal skeleton to a beautiful lantern is
beyond amazement for all who participated! Thank you, sister Yi!
Busy groups working away at every corner around the lake, assembling the newly acquired
picnic tables and benches, new trash bins, testing the booth canopies, vendor’s installing more
power outlet for the sound track, creating a mobile stage, caring for the beautiful lawn. Day is
getting closer and lotus flowers are quietly blossoming as if getting ready to welcome our
friends from all over the world!
