James Baquet

FRIENDS have asked me how I can visit so many temples. “Aren’t they all the same?” they wonder.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

What makes Yuanming Lecture Hall different from the others? Essentially, it is an office compound. A five-story structure houses monks who are engaged in advanced study of Buddhism; few of the buildings resemble anything like a temple, though, as we’ll see, there is something special about the place.

Arriving after 5 p.m., I was disappointed to find that the upstairs was closed. Here, I had heard, there is a “500 Arhat’s Mountain,” with moving figures, something I hope to see someday. There is also a hall dedicated to Master Yuan Ying. Abbot of many temples in his lifetime, and elected in 1928 chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association, he founded Yuanming Lecture Hall as a study center in 1934.

The “prize” on this visit was the people. The reason I was able to get in after hours is that the gates were open to admit devotees to a ceremony. In fact, in addition to being a study center, the temple has quite a lively “dharma activity” schedule. Aside from the usual 1st and 15th lunar day ceremonies, there is also a special celebration to commemorate Master Yuan Ying’s birth.

The ceremony I joined was on none of those days. In any case, the people were incredibly friendly, offering me chanting books (which I couldn’t read), asking where I was from (in English!) and generally making me feel at home.

Although the buildings and statues weren’t much, the visit was time well spent.