To celebrate the Year of Tiger and for the convenience of the public to visit the temple in a safe environment, Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto follows the public health guidelines and adjusts the opening hours. During the Chinese New Year, from January 31 to February 15, the temple's opening hours have been extended. An online booking system is available for everyone to make a reservation.

With the support and understanding of the multitude, the online booking system is operating smoothly, and in a short time, reservations appeared to be fully booked for this period. Considering there are people who could not reserve a temple visit appointment, the temple has arranged special outdoor decorations, such as "Blessing Wheel" and "Guan Yin Bodhisattva Shrine," located in the front and the backyard of the temple respectively. Everyone can come and pay homage to the Buddha, offering New Year's Incense, and making New Year's wishes even though they have not made an appointment. 

Venerable Chueh Fan, Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto, considered that approximately 3,500 people will visit the temple to celebrate the Chinese New Year and pay homage to the Buddha from January 31 to February 15. All volunteers are well prepared to keep the health measures to ensure everyone’s safety, and the public can make a temple visit booking online between 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.   

Upon arrival, volunteers check visitors’ reservations and verify their vaccination certificates. Visitors are required to take their temperature and wash their hands. Many of them came with their family members to pay homage, offer their first incense and Light Offering to the Buddha, and have New Year's wishes. In particular, an 18-foot tall, pink and emerald-green “Chinese New Year’s Wishing Tree” is decorated in the Main Shrine. Its vibrant colours symbolize hope and blessings. Devotees joyfully can make New Year wishes by choosing a red ribbon written with wishes such as perfect wisdom and fortune, success in career, good health, etc. and hanging it on the branches. Soon all the branches are filling up with red ribbon and it becomes a popular photo spot.

For visitors who do not have a reservation, they still can pay homage to the Buddha and offer their first incense at the outdoor “Guan Yin Bodhisattva Shrine”. 

Reception team lead Shu said that during the nine hours of opening time, despite facing lots of difficulties, every volunteer kept in mind the practice of the Four Givings, which is to give others confidence, hope, joy and convenience. Especially when they saw visitors without reservations waiting in line, all volunteers responded immediately to serve the crowds so that everyone can enjoy a safe and happy Chinese New Year.  

By Irene Chai

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