Every year I go to my favorite Buddhist Temple in Chinatown New York to celebrate Chinese New Year. 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon. Paper pineapples and gold dragons hang from the ceiling. Freshly bloomed cherry blossoms, bouquets of roses, daisies, orchids, long green ferns in clear vases.
The ceremonial mandarin orange tree stands in the middle of the ceremony floor. The Monk is there reciting blessings in Chinese to all the young and old present. This year there were many more celebrants than last year.
There are three altars. The main altar has Amitoufo Buddha of Light and Life with his companions Wisdom and Compassion Bodhisattvas. The next altar has De Zang Bodhisattva who helps the dead and interacts with them to help. The next altar has three Buddha’s and I have no idea who they are.
Each altar is filled with oranges, apples, Asian pears, cookies, coffees, tea, and homemade goodies.
After the ceremony we all sit and eat together and leave with gifts of a steam bun, mandarin orange and a red envelope with one dollar for good luck.
Let me leave you with this:
Kung Hei Fat Choi
Which means, congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year.
Georgia
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