Summary
12th Annual Lotus and Bamboo Festival
By Danny Dubuisson
Buu Mon Buddhist Temple 12th Annual Lotus and Bamboo Festival was a huge success. The slogan for this year’s event was “Come Be Part of Our Newly Emerging Garden” as well as “Come Grow With Us”. To our delight the public show up to do just that. The slogan evolved out of the necessity of re-landscaping our gardens as well as the ongoing remodeling of the interior of the temple. The temple remodeling project is underway and on going. The gardens re-landscaping was originally scheduled for later in the year or possibly next year. All of the plans for the gardens were moved forward after the winter freezes. With damaged plants in all the gardens it was an opportune time to make the changes to enhance the garden. Positive comments from those attending the festival, especially from visitors and friends of the temple, who have regularly attended our annual event, strengthen our resolve the temple and garden renewal is moving in the right direction.
Volunteers worked up to the last minute to bring the projects to a point where the festival visitors could enjoy the temple and garden environment throughout the festival weekend. It was a time of celebration. The temple has not seen such restoration since its dedication in 1987. The new look of the gardens and the temple is lead by Bhante Kassapa , Assistant Abbot and Mr. Charles Le, Committee Chairman of Buu Mon Buddhist Temple, with the approval of the Abbot, Most Venerable Huyen Viet.
Visitors were introduced to a completely transformed Garden D, located between the Buddha Hall (main shrine room) and the Quan Yin Hall. A new gentle winding stone path leads the visitor from the gate to the main front entrance of the temple. New plants are spaciously planted around a zen type rock garden with benches for guest to sit and reflect. When the newly planted bamboo and other foliage grows to full height the visitor will be able to listen to the gentle sounds of the bamboo as it moves with the wind while enjoying the diversity of color provided by additional foilage.
Garden A, the garden directly behind the temple, was altered by the removal of 12 wooden above ground ponds which were in need of major repairs. The decision was made to remove the ponds to allow for a future basketball court for the temple youth. In addition a vegetable garden was planted to supply the monks with fresh organic vegetables and a second vegetable garden is planned for Garden B in the year to come. There are plans for additional landscaping of Garden A which will take place over the coming years.
The major change for the festival was in Garden B, the garden next to the Lotus Hall. Garden B received the majority of our landscaping efforts this year. The garden was thinned of its lotus plants which were shared with Lein Hoa Temple in Houston for its 1st Annual Lotus Festival and above ground ponds were removed. The additional space allowed Bhante Kassapa to install two large permanent ponds with a water fall and a bridge. The ponds were filled with water plants, water lilies and lotus. Over the next year or two stone paths will be put in place throughout Garden B and around the pond. The other large addition to this garden was a pergola, a tea house with stylized dragons cut into the cross beams. This area is an excellent back drop for portraits and a vantage point to photograph the new ponds and surrounding garden.
The new additions mentioned above are works in progress. The temple is continuing to grow and make needed changes to the gardens. Over the next few years, time of completion depending on financial support, the Assist Abbot plans to make improvements and grow from where we are at festival time. The goal is to have an environment inviting to all who wish to visit the grounds and spend time amongst the plants relaxing and reflecting on the beauty of nature. Each year will bring additional improvements of the gardens.
The same is true of the temple environment. The Quan Yin Hall was completely remodeled from the floor to the roof and front to back. Under the direction of Mr. Charles Le the hall was transformed, new altars, a new room to pay respects to departed love ones and to house love ones remains. In addition, the hall allowed for the expansion of the meditation class, which has out grown the upstairs meditation room. The meditation class which meets on Wednesday evenings averages 30 people a week and during the summer months many evenings as many as 40 meditators attend.
The hallway, just outside of the Quan Yin Hall which connects the Buddha Hall and other areas of the temple, was remodeled. Archways replaced doorways; flat white walls were replaced with texture and freshly painted light green walls. Contemporary artwork by local artist now decorated the hall. At the end of the hall the bathroom was remodeled and extended to include a vanity room improving accommodations for the ladies.
A new kitchen was installed with new appliances and new cabinets. The old kitchen area is in the process of being converted to a private dining area for resident and visiting monks. The dining area for the monks has been needed for a long time to agree with the code the monks live by, a code set in place by the Buddha for his monastic followers.
The temple roof was repaired from damages received during “Hurricane Ike”. In addition the front exterior of the temple and the pagoda was repaired, remodeled and painted. With the front side walk being replaced; our temple is now more welcoming to those who wish to visit.
All of the innovations were accomplished in preparation for our 12th Annual Lotus and Bamboo Festival and our Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak) Celebration held the following week, June 13th. It is estimated in the neighbor of 2500 plus visitors came to enjoy the gardens and the temple over the festival weekend. Saturday morning started with an opening ceremony consisting of welcoming speeches by the Abbott, Most Venerable Huyen Viet, the Assist Abbott, Bhante Kassapa, Port Arthur City Mayor, Deloris Prince, Port Arthur City Manager, Mr. Steve Fitzgibbons, Texas Bamboo Society President, Carole Meckes, Buu Mon Temple Committee President, Mr. Charles Le and Community Relations Representative, Mr. Danny Dubuisson.
As in past years the Texas Bamboo Society was out in full force sharing their knowledge of bamboo. Many visitors were able to purchase bamboo and a variety of plants from the TBS vendors as well as bonsai trees from Greg LeBlanc from Lake Charles, LA. On Saturday at the end of the day’s activities David Glover of Tejas Tropicals gave a talk and media presentation on bamboo to interested visitors. We are pleased TBS members continue to support our annual event and we look forward to their return next year.
The weekend was hot and clear and the days were sunny, excellent climate to wander through the gardens and enjoy the various water plants full of color. When visitors needed to cool off they could go into the Lotus Hall or the Buddha Hall (main shrine) to cool off before continuing their journey amongst the gardens and the vendor booths. Visitors had their choice of Vietnamese or American cuisine, bamboo arts and crafts, arts and crafts, cultural clothing, refreshments, t-shirts, jewelry as well as Buddhist statuary, prayer beads and reading material. Informational was available from various nonprofit organizations informing the festival visitors of their presents in the community.
The weekend program was entertaining, enjoyable and informative. The schedule was basically the same booth days. Sappurisa (Mr. Tom Harlan) gave two guided tours of the gardens and the temple each day. In the afternoon Mr. Sonny (The Birdman) Carlin preformed with his trained tropical birds in Lotus Hall. Both days his show attracted a large crowd who enjoyed his informative and entertaining bird show. We hope to have Mr. Carlin return next year to share his talented birds with us once again. His show was followed by just as well received presentation on tea and the appropriate way to prepare and serve tea by Bhante Kassapa, the Assistant Abbot.
We were very pleased the Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe and the Lotus Dancers where able to bring the festival to a grand conclusion with a performance in the Buddha Hall. The members of both groups are very talented and we are always pleased when their schedule allows them to share their talent with the temple congregation and visitors. Next year’s festival we hope they will consider performing each day, Saturday and Sunday, of the festival. Not only did they perform with their individual groups the member’s volunteer to help with the festival by manning various booths both days of the event.
Buu Mon Buddhist Temple monks, staff and volunteers feel this years festival was a success. We are happy the new additions and remodeling and relandscaping of the temple and the gardens were well received by the visiting public as well as the congregational membership. As stated early the temple and garden transformation is an ongoing project. Anyone who wish to assist in the project by way of a financial donation or a donation of their time and energy or materials would be greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to our 13th Annual Lotus and Bamboo Festival in June 2011. Mark your calendar now to join us next year to see how we have grown.
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