Last year, I make a pledge to myself that I would revisit FGS Dong Zen Temple (佛光山东禅寺) the following year. So here I am, finally fulfilling a promise.
We started our journey from Seremban on the last day of the Chinese New Year 15 day celebration. My travelling companions were all family members namely my mother, sister, brother-in-law and my niece. Two of my other nieces are unable to make trip. Ji Yen and Ji Mei, you missed all the fun!
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2014 year marks the year of the horse according to Chinese zodiac. A red horse mascot waiting to
welcome you at the FGS Dong ZenTemple main door. |
My idea of a horse figurine welcome features a "Lone Ranger" theme. This year is a special Chap Go Meh or the last day of the CNY celebration. Incidentally, Valentine’s Day also falls on this day (Feb 14), this rare event can happen only once every 19 years.
To make it really special day, we can create something like a man with a flower on his hand and says your dream lover will come your way.
白马王子 bǎimǎ wángzhĭ prince riding on a white horse, in western Prince Charming waiting for you.
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| Lone Ranger waiting for lonely girl |
Background music with classic Lone Ranger theme, instrument erhu is played (Chinese violin).
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| At the back of main door the signboard says, Repent and be saved (huítóu-shì'àn) but not many heed the warning. |
"Oliver bounds, repent and be saved," the words of the Buddhist advising people to repent. Oliver sinners mean falling back as long as consciousness, you can reach the other side.
Same alike throughout the Bible people were told to repent. When something good that is taught, the ideas and beliefs are the same teaching meaning "turn away from sin and return to God for salvation"
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| Hey You Girl! don't imitate me |
To make a feeling of wonderful first impression of welcoming why not DZ have mascots welcome the visitors? I've got something on my mind, something like this..
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| Get the mascot to give you a warm welcome, perhaps one day a mascot of Master Hsing Yun? |
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| Now I know where the inspiration of holds up a handgun in a characteristic 007 pose comes from |
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I assume the Buddha figurine mean to extend a welcome to all different races,
religions, or sex to FGS Dong Zen with open arms. |
Instead of having usual Chinese New Year Zodiac Animal figurine standing high at the peak of a man-made hill, this year there's been some changes.
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| Me, Mommy, and Niece Ji lee – the 3 Generations of Horse zodiac. The Three Musk(Horsek)eteers who live by the motto "all for one, one for all” |
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| DADDY, I want a pony. Don't be silly, that's Not a Horse, that is Unicorn! |
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| Konichiwa, Kawaii Onna No Ko- translation 'hello' or ' good morning' cute beautiful girl |
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| Fuyoh, my sister knows how to take a selfie! |
Dong zen provide a nice little photo-shoot for visitors. Japanese canvas print with stool can add realism to images but the Fuji-san scenery needs homework.
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| This magnificent paper horse sculpture from the exhibition hall |
On the opposite gallery exhibit features works of master wood craftsman.
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| So silent in daytime, as if all of the other animals have been hibernating den. |
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Like the movie "Night at the Museum", the display figurines came to life at night but
everything is back to normal like the originals in the morning. |
Once night fell, the mood changed and the magical colorful light show has brought mythic creatures to life. It turned the FGS Dong Zen temple into an eye-popping images and it truly takes you into another world.
Did someone above have the power to transform this place by saying, ABRACADABRA or by saying, O-mi-to Fo?
People Mountain People Sea (Chinese: 人山人海 or rénshānrénhǎi , idiomatically "huge crowds of people")
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| Wave upon wave of visitors from all walks of life come here. |
..as the dusk turns to darkness, a scene that brings together people from different cultures to this delightful place to shoot photos.
After a long time of handling it, my palm & fingers tend to feel numb holding the DSLR body, it seems that I to shoot like a zillion photos in a day.
Now let the light show begins!
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| Watch out for the bird poop! |
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| Poh poh and granddaughter, they look alike |
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| My sister copy the elephant pose and the robotic elephant as though giving her a kick for imitating him. |
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| No one could remember all the names of Santa's reindeer except for Rudolph! (the Red-Nosed Reindeer) |
You'll be spellbound by FGS DZ awesome world of colourful extravagant CNY light displays. One can't help but wonder if Disneyland has finally come to the Magic Kingdom park of Dong Zen?
Theory supported by the theme park playing the song, "It's a Small World After All" (the Disney theme park signature tune).
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| Masterpiece Buddha carvings outside of the multipurpose hall. |
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| I want to go on that particular Ferris wheel ride |
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| At the background, you can see the temporary 'lover bridge', probably to replace the collapsed at Tanjung sepat one? |
Who doesn't love the Merry-Go-Round? Traditional carousel music plays as the horse move up and down as you rotate on the ride. The Ferris Wheel offers a birds eye view of the overlooking Jenjarom town from a rare perspective.
This year they have both of them , a Ferris wheel and carousel. A natural crowd puller - especially with kids. Unfortunately we ran out of time to go for that ride.
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| According to legend, it began to rain heavily and a huge king cobra (some say it was Mucalinda, " the Nāga king) came out and coiled his body seven and placed his hood over the Buddha's head to protect him from the rain |
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'whip-woo' leng lui volunteer portraying Guan Yin but do you notice something missing?
Yeah, she forgot to draw a mole on her forehead. |
There's almost daily 9.30pm Costume Parade around the temple daily during the festival.
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| Look it's Pegasus, the winged flying horse of Greek mythology. |
Shooting through glass most interesting subjects are on the other side of glass. Should you’re not careful when setting up the shot, you’ll end up with a self-portrait or worse, a picture of your flash’s reflection
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| We take a walk to check out the beautiful orchid flowers but that's not why we are here. |
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| Run, Nemo, as Fast as You Can! |
It's the biggest and best FGS Dong Zen annual CNY Lantern & Flora Festival to date. Bravo and hats off to everyone involved, I loved it. It takes a lot of sweat and effort putting a lot of idea into a mega project to do something like that I'm sure.
A bit of cautious to folks visiting the festival, I was given a friendly reminder by the internal security officer to be extra alert while around the temple. The reason there was a gang of pickpockets doing a brisk business. So do not let your guard down especially when you think this is a holy ground and naturally you feel very safe that forgot to be self-attentiveness.
Maybe DZ should make a note at the outdoor text advertising LED running message display sign by running a message to warn visitors about be be careful with your belongings.There had people having their bag snatched or their mobile phone stolen when there are too many distractions.
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| In ancient timekeeping devices include the candle clock, a platter or gong signifying that a certain amount of time had elapsed and also will warn village about robbery.I wonder if it work like a chime clock , it will strike according to the corresponding hours. Maybe DZ should implement back? |
One must wonder..
how much is the electricity bill for Dong Zen temple light decorated for the Chinese New Year?
See you next year! Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps.. For this trip, we were getting tired, so we called it a night and galloping back to our hotel at 10.30pm.
