Artist Zofia (2nd to the right) and Peter Richard Winkelaar (first to the right) ecstatic to
meet TICAA’s contact Ocean Yan and looking forward to the temple tour!
Because of the excellent feedback from the first half-day tour for artists of A.R.T 2016, TICAA offered guests an exclusive tour for the second time. This year, artists and VIP guests were enthusiastic about the tour. 12 artists from 6 countries, Holland, Poland, Russia, China, Indonesia, and Myanmar, together with family members totaling over 20 people boarded a shuttle heading out to the YuanDao Guanyin Temple, the morning of April 12.
Ready to travel! Everyone gathered
in front of the huge poster board at the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 3
When arriving at the gate of the YuanDao Guanyin Temple, the artists happened to run into Art Director Lee Sun-Don who was leaving to begin curating the exhibition. Master Lee rolled down the car window to greet the guests with a smile. Many artists were in awe to learn that the Art Director lived in the temple.
As Anneke (Holland) walked through the gate, she was extremely excited to be able to visit since she missed the half-day tour last year and finally was able to come to visit the temple. She had such admiration and joy that the year long wait was worth every second!
Guests walked through the gate in light drizzle under umbrellas prepared by the temple.
Anneke from Holland was in awe of the sheer beauty of the YuanDao Guanyin temple!
Guests walked through the gate in light drizzle under umbrellas prepared by the temple. Anneke from Holland was in awe of the sheer beauty of the YuanDao Guanyin temple!
The guests gathered in front of the main Buddha Hall, where they offered the latest incense named “Harnessing Guanyin’s Power” to pray for blessings. As they made their wishes, they were astonished to see the symbols begin to appear on the incense ash as it burned.
Yes, after offering the incense, the Dharma seal and the Chinese characters of “Harnessing Guanyin’s Power” will appear. Everyone was impressed. Saw Lin Aung, an artist from Myanmar was extremely pious and respectful when offering the incense.
After offering incense, several artists were curious about the Buddha image card. VIP Project Director Joanna Chou taught everyone to recite the Buddha name and mantra:
Na Mo Ben Shi Da Zi Zai Wang Fo.
While reciting this sacred mantra, Peter Richard Winkelaar told his family that he felt like he was being fully charged with energy!!!
While inside the main hall, the artists wanted to learn everything about the temple.
Dutch artist Anneke - “Everything is simply incredible! From the A.R.T to Master Lee and the Yuandao Guanyin Temple, how are these connected?!”
Artist Zhang Yuying was moved when seeing the artwork series “Guanyin’s Incarnation” which happened to be stored in the main buddha hall. “We have been following all of the activity of the temple on WeChat and admire how Master Lee can do so many things at the same time!” He added, “Master Lee’s creativity is so abundant, so endless!”
Zhang Yuying’s wife Wang Jiechun added, “I have always admired Master Lee’s creativity. His vision is so broad and long-ranged that it is worth learning.”
In the Nine Cell Matrix area, Peter who likes numerology said, “These boards have a harmonious energy. Even with different combinations each day, with all the changes it may come up to, it is still harmonious and perfect!” Hearing this comment, it was VIP Project Director Joanna Chou, who was guiding the tour, who was pleasantly surprised! Peter’s knowledge was impressive. He did not even need any introduction in order to understand the most distinguished characteristic of the Nine Cell Matrix.
Everyone was also very interested in the lots container in the main hall. After learning how to draw the draw the lot, the guests began to ask their questions. Everyone felt blessed that they received all good and positive lots that day. Artist Zhang Yuuing and his family shared their experience happily. “The lots here are really accurate! The lots we received last year were all came true!”
He and his family attended the tour last year and truly appreciated Buddha’s blessing and advice for future activities from the draws. They keep the words of wisdom they receive each year in their hearts.
He and his family attended the tour last year and truly appreciated Buddha’s blessing and advice for future activities from the draws. They keep the words of wisdom they receive each year in their hearts.
After visiting the main hall, the rain stopped just in time for the guests to walk around the Japanese garden ~~ This year, the special agenda is to have the opportunity to see the Buddha Heads and Dharma Treasures that will be part of the Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Guayin Bodhisattva statue which is coming to it’s completion. Director Joanna Chou mentioned that, “Everything is part of Master Lee’s artistic creations, which are currently being submitted for certification in the Guinness Book of World Records.”
“Wow ~ so solemn!”
“So grand, too amazing!”
“Will this be placed on the base?”
“Yes ~ in the second half of this year, the Buddha heads will be placed on the top of the constructed base.”
Peter Drivas and Monica Razi from Los Angeles had a realization that this might be the only chance in their life to be so close to the Buddha. In the future, it will be so high above that we can only look up to see it.
All the guests were in awe at the sheer size of the Buddha heads and understood how special it is to have the chance to be so close to these holy images. Zhang mentioned how he was really looking forward to witnessing the Holy Guayin when the heads are finally placed on the base. The Myanmar artists were especially interested about the kind of material that the Buddha heads were made of.
After visiting Guanyin’s Buddha heads, it was just about noon when the guests walked over to the Dao Café for lunch. They made a stop just in front of the Dao Café, where they stopped to take more pictures of the beautiful red flowers that were in full bloom.
“To eat delicious food in such a beautiful place is true happiness!”
Monica was excited when she hear a western oldie playing in the café, which she immediately felt a sense of familiarity and comfort.
The guests were pleased with the temples menu- beef noodle soup, pig feet thread noodle, and sandwiches. Peter from Los Angeles was accustomed to having dessert after meal and said that ice cream would be perfect after the great meal. Director Joanna Chou promised to treat Peter to ice cream when they returned to Taipei.
