2025-05-16 Norton Museum Fan Calligraphy Exhibition – Enjoy Tea and Copy the Fo Guang Cai Gen Tan

Originating in West Palm Beach, Florida, the Norton Museum of Art featured a special exhibition during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, showcasing treasured works from its collection—including a fan-shaped calligraphy piece by Wu Changshuo, a renowned calligrapher, seal carver, and painter of the late Qing dynasty, hailed as the "foremost master of stone drum seal script." In honor of this exhibit, the International Buddha’s Light Association (BLIA) Miami Chapter was invited to host a Tea Meditation and Calligraphy Tracing event on the evening of May 16 as part of “Museum Night.”

The event offered four 20-minute sessions of tea meditation and calligraphy tracing, drawing over 300 participants in just two hours.

To enrich the community’s experience, the Miami Chapter invited Venerable Huicheng from Hsi Lai Temple to lead the sessions. Also on display was a single-stroke calligraphy piece by Fo Guang Shan’s founder, Venerable Master Hsing Yun, titled “I Am the Buddha.” Venerable Huicheng guided attendees through seated meditation, followed by the tracing of wise aphorisms from Fo Guang Cai Gen Tan (Fo Guang’s Vegetable Root Discourse) written by Master Hsing Yun. Through each brushstroke, participants reflected on Buddhist wisdom, cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness.

The session then transitioned to a structured tea meditation, where the Venerable instructed everyone on the ritual of mindful tea drinking, and tea practitioners served tea to the participants.

Viviana Lopez, one of the attendees, said the calligraphy and tea meditation helped relieve the week’s work stress. She realized that making time for herself each day isn’t difficult and that even a short moment of mindfulness and reflection can bring peace to the heart.

Another participant, KD Matt, shared that before tracing calligraphy, the Venerable led a meditation session and then taught participants how to use a calligraphy brush. She was deeply impressed by Venerable Huicheng’s ability to relax and focus the group, saying she wouldn’t have had the confidence to use the brush without the prior meditation. She was thrilled to have completed a copy of Fo Guang Cai Gen Tan by the end.

Due to space limitations, many people stood politely outside the roped area, participating with their eyes even though they couldn’t physically join. Some attendees who had joined the event last year weren’t able to secure a spot this time, but they used the opportunity to speak with Venerables outside the venue and connect with BLIA Miami volunteers. They expressed strong interest in visiting Fo Guang Shan Miami and participating in its educational and cultural programs.