Photo Exhibition of Wang Fat Ching She
Wang Fat Buddhist Seminary Inauguration Ceremony
1st Graduation Class of Wah Nam Buddhist Academy
After World War II, lay Buddhist Yeh Kung Cho and Wong Kit Wan pursued to establish a Buddhist college and invited Venerable Tanxu to lead the initiative. Thus, Hong Kong’s first Buddhist college, Wah Nam Buddhist Academy was founded in 1949. A three-year curriculum was complied with reference to the Buddhist College of Qingdao. In 1952, the monks passed the examination and graduated under the guidance of the Three Northeast Elders (Venerable Tanxu, Venerable Dingxi and Venerable Leguo).
2nd Graduation Class of Wah Nam Buddhist Academy
Wah Nam Buddhist Academy offered a three-year curriculum for nurturing monastic talent. The second cohort of monks graduated in 1955. Due to economic recession, it faced serious financial difficulties. As a result, Wah Nam Buddhist Academy switched into a research-based institute to allow for greater flexibility in enrolment and curriculum. Graduates of the Academy graduates have become notable leaders and made a profound impact on Buddhism in Hong Kong and overseas.
Collection of Venerable Master Dixian and the Scripture Printing of Wah Nam Buddhist Academy
Lay Buddhist Yeh Kung Cho proposed to honor Venerable Dixian by compling his posthumous works in a commemorate collection. Venerable Tanxu undertook the task in gratitude to his teacher. In 1951, Wah Nam Buddhist Academy established a scripture printing office and attempted the printing tasks by themselves. The monks were assigned into four groups: editing, proofreading, printing and binding. They printed some short lecture notes, such as “A Discussion on Reciting the Buddha” and “Lecture Summary of the Exhortation to Initiate the Bodhicitta” as trials. In 1952, the collection in ten volumes with one million and two hundred thousands words was finally published.
Bathing of the Buddha Ceremony of Hong Kong Buddhist Secondary School
Hong Kong Buddhist Sangha Association was planning to offer post-secondary Buddhist courses in Hong Kong. Venerable Sai Chun, Chairman of the Association, proposed to Tung Lin Kok Yuen to use Wang Fat Ching She as the premise. In December 1969, Hong Kong Buddhist College (renamed as Hong Kong Nang Yan College of Higher Education in 2014) was officially opened in 1970. Hong Kong Buddhist Sangha Association began the Secondary School programs and the Hong Kong Buddhist College was therefore relocated to Sham Shui Po. Wang Fat Ching She became Hong Kong Buddhist Secondary School Tsuen Wan Branch. Bathing of the Buddha and Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels ceremony was held on Buddha’s Birthday annually.
Centre of Buddhist Studies, HKU at Wang Fat Ching She
In 2003, Centre of Buddhist Studies, the University of Hong Kong organized various activities at Wang Fat Ching She including Theravada Buddha‘s Birthday Lantern Festival, Hong Kong Dharma Vinaya Camp for Nuns, short-term Buddhist courses and meditation camps, etc.
Five-day Tonsure and Dharma Vinaya Camp
Since 1971, Hong Kong Buddhist Sangha Association has conducted eight annual seven-day Tonsure Ceremony in Wang Fat Ching She. In 2004 and 2010, a fourteen-day Hong Kong Dharma Vinaya Camp for Nuns were organized in the monastery. Both the Tonsure Ceremony and Dharma Vinaya Camp were major events in the Buddhist community then. In 2015, a five-day Tonsure and Dharma Vinaya Camp were held, allowing students to experience monastic life, and strengthen their faith in the Three Jewels.
Re-opening Ceremony
A large-scale renovation of Wang Fat Ching She was launched in 2018 and was completed in 2021. The Buddhist Counselling Centre, established in collaboration with the Centre of Buddhist Studies, HKU and the global Buddhist website Buddhistdoor, moved into the new building simultaneously. The re-opening ceremony was held in April 2021. The newly refurbished Wang Fat Ching She will carry on the great vision of the Venerable Elders to spread the Buddhist teachings in Hong Kong.