2025-02-15 Over 200 Handmade Lanterns Light Up West Palm Beach – BLIA Members Promote Chinese Culture

The city of West Palm Beach, Florida, hosted its first-ever Lantern Festival on February 15. The Miami Chapter of the International Buddhist Progress Society (IBPS) collaborated with the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority to promote Chinese culture, transforming the city’s Zen Garden into a vibrant space filled with festive Lunar New Year decorations and cultural experiences. The event was lively and full of energy, with over 200 intricately crafted handmade lanterns adorning the trees, enhancing the rich atmosphere of the Chinese New Year celebration.

The festival featured a variety of engaging activities, including rubbings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s calligraphy. Volunteers warmly explained the meanings behind his calligraphy, offering attendees a deeper understanding of Buddhist philosophy. Another highlight was the painting activity, “Adding Blessings to the Snake,” symbolizing wishes for a prosperous and healthy new year. Additionally, a special New Year’s stamp-printing activity allowed families to create their own unique Year of the Snake couplets, making the event enjoyable for both children and adults.

Beyond these creative hands-on experiences, the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority also organized a series of traditional Chinese performances. Attendees were captivated by mesmerizing lantern painting displays, lion dances, Chinese folk dances, Tai Chi demonstrations, and martial arts performances. The impressive skills of the performers left the audience in awe, providing an immersive experience into the beauty of Chinese cultural traditions.

The Miami Chapter of IBPS is committed to integrating Buddhist teachings into the local community. This Lantern Festival not only served as a multicultural celebration but also as a platform to foster community connections, promote Humanistic Buddhism, and share the richness of Chinese culture. The event helped bridge cultural understanding and provided an opportunity for local residents to experience the essence of Humanistic Buddhism and Chinese traditions.

Cherryl Muriente, Director of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, expressed great admiration for the Miami Chapter’s active involvement in the city’s first Lantern Festival. She was particularly impressed by the rubbings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s calligraphy and expressed enthusiasm for future collaborations to further promote Chinese arts and culture in the local community.

Allie Maxwell, experiencing the calligraphy rubbing activity for the first time, held a piece featuring the inscription “Wonderful Mind, Auspiciousness” by Venerable Master Hsing Yun. She enthusiastically described her experience as “I love it, eye-opening, amazing, I am glad to come.”

Mark Levine, a lover of ancient Chinese culture who previously lived in Taiwan and mainland China, not only speaks fluent Chinese but also demonstrated his appreciation by reciting a classical Chinese poem on-site, exemplifying the power of cross-cultural exchange.

Douglas Camargo and his family, who recently moved to the area from Brazil, warmly shared with BLIA members that they had previously visited the Fo Guang Shan Temple in Brazil. Speaking in Portuguese with Miami Chapter volunteers, they expressed their joy in reconnecting with Fo Guang Shan. The next day, they even visited the Miami Temple to participate in a Dharma assembly and experience the serenity of Buddhist teachings firsthand.