THROUGH THESE DOORS: CONNECTING PAST AND PRESENT, EAST AND WEST. Docent Training Workshop Buddha s Birthday Education Project March 25, 2012

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1 THROUGH THESE DOORS: CONNECTING PAST AND PRESENT, EAST AND WEST Docent Training Workshop Buddha s Birthday Education Project March 25, 2012

2 Agenda T-shirts & buttons Welcome Workshop Module-by-module presentation Practice Q&A Roster signup T-shirts & buttons Group photo Handprints

3 MISSION To foster and promote better understanding of Buddhist history through a multi-media exhibit focused on Buddha's Birthday celebrations in medieval China.

4 Agenda T-shirts & buttons Welcome Workshop Module-by-module presentation Practice Q&A Roster signup T-shirts & buttons Group photo Handprints

5 Module One Orientation by Jue Wei

6 How do visitors know what is happening and where to go? Signs Banner

7 How do we manage the crowd? Peep into the future: Buddha or Universal Monarch Wait for guided tour: Videos in Information Center docent

8 docent Where do docent duties begin? No crowd: from the entrance to Harmony Hall Waitlist: from the Information Center

9 Module Two Title Wall and World Map by Ching Chausse

10 Title Wall & Quiz

11 32 inches Location of India, China, and Silk Road on World Map Kapilavastu Ye Luoyang 50 inches

12 Module Three Timeline by Nancy Cowardin

13 Module Four Silk Road by Nancy Cowardin

14 Module Five The Buddha and our Logo by Jue Wei

The Buddha on procession Born to King Suddhodana and Queen Māyādevī of Kapilavastu Buddhacarita (1 st 2 nd century): Then the queen with her babe having worshipped the gods for good fortune, occupied

15 The Buddha on procession Born to King Suddhodana and Queen Māyādevī of Kapilavastu Buddhacarita (1 st 2 nd century): Then the queen with her babe having worshipped the gods for good fortune, occupied a costly palanquin made of elephants' tusks, filled with all kinds of white flowers, and blazing with gems. Having made his wife with her child enter first into the city, accompanied by the aged attendants, the king himself also advanced, saluted by the hosts of the citizens, as Indra entering heaven, saluted by the immortals.

Lalitavistara (4 th century) The Bodhisattva entered the great city of Kapilavastu Five thousand maidens, holding palm-leaf fans Five thousand maidens, holding fresh, variegated, long garlands Five

16 Lalitavistara (4 th century) The Bodhisattva entered the great city of Kapilavastu Five thousand maidens, holding palm-leaf fans Five thousand maidens, holding fresh, variegated, long garlands Five thousand maidens, holding appropriate jewelled ornaments Twenty thousand elephants, arrayed in beautiful ornaments Twenty thousand horses, richly caparisoned and decked with golden ornaments Eighty thousand chariots mounted with white umbrellas, flags, pennons and networks of bells The magnificent chariot in which the Bodhisattva repaired had been decorated by Kamavachara devas with numerous collections of precious articles Between every two Apsarases there was one human female, and between every two human females there was one Apsaras

17 Our Logo Sam Sara Baby Karma

18 Module Six Later Zhao Carriage by Jue Wei

19 Stories Traveled to China During a period of turbulence in northern China (notably Sixteen Kingdoms: ) Later Zhao kingdom ( ) King Shile (r ) and Fotucheng ( ) from Kucha Commissioned Xiefei to build a spectacular altar carriage for Buddha s birthday

20 Buddha s Birthday Parade in Later Zhao Between 334 and 349 Shihu liked to glorify the Buddha with incalculable extravagances. He commissioned an altar-carriage. In breadth, it was more than a zhang (approximately 10 feet), in length two zhang, with a golden Buddha image on top of a flat four-wheeled cart and nine dragons above that. A wooden figure of a monk was placed before the Buddha, and all round the Buddha were more than ten monks, each a bit more than two feet in height, all wearing white kaṣāyas. When the cart moved, the nine dragons would spew water over the image of the Buddha, and the monk standing in front of the Buddha would rub the area between the Buddha's heart and his abdomen, as if washing a newborn. The other ten-odd monks would circumambulate the Buddha. As each would come just in front of the Buddha, he would do obeisance, then, taking incense in his hand, deposit it in a censer. When the cart stopped, so would the activity. Records from the Region of Ye

21 Frank Yuan Peter Martin

22 1. Title wall 2. Wall map 3. Timeline 4. Silk Road 5. Buddha and Logo 6. Later Zhao carriage

23 Any Questions?

25 Module Seven Northern Wei Triptych by Nancy Cowardin

26 Module Eight Research and Website by Jue Wei

27 Research Dr. Darui Long Dr. Lewis Lancaster Dissertation: Buddha s Birthday Parades: Dynamic Interactions between Buddhism and the Society in Northern Wei Luoyang Dr. Whalen Lai Dr. Howard Sage Dr. Ananda Guruge

Capital Relocation Decision to Relocate capital in 494

471 499) Pingcheng 494 Luoyang Emperor Xuanwu (r.

several crises threatening his authority: pro-xianbei

28 Capital Relocation Decision to Relocate capital in 494 Emperor Xiaowen (r ) Pingcheng 494 Luoyang Emperor Xuanwu (r ) Emperor Xuanwu inherited a prosperous nation and several crises threatening his authority: pro-xianbei forces and border garrison troops were dissatisfied with the previous emperor s sinification program and capital relocation

29 The Glory of Northern Wei Luoyang

30 Mutual Cultural Assimilation Sinification Surnames Costumes Hairdo Language in court Legal and other systems BUDDHISM Foreign Influence Literature Art Music Dance

Popular Variety Shows Accompanying parades in Han festivals were performances of martial arts, animals, acrobats, magicians, and clowns in the

31 Popular Variety Shows Accompanying parades in Han festivals were performances of martial arts, animals, acrobats, magicians, and clowns in the hundred variety shows (baixi). The Chinese audience was accustomed to entertainment from the Western Region and did not seem to tire of exotic displays.

32 Music and Dance Emperor Xiaowen re-established the standards of music by harmonizing Han and hu musical instruments and sounds

33 From Elephant to Carriage Both India and China had used elephants and carriages, for wars and transportation, as well as in their legends. When Chinese adopted the foreign activity of image processions, they also embraced the use of elephants and carriages, both being royal symbols of the universal monarch or cakravartin.

34 Image Processions This unprecedented scale of procession worldwide took place in Northern Wei Luoyang only about three hundred years after the introduction of image processions, a new metaphor, into China.

Image parade in a stūpa 319 351 Later Zhao Kingdom Over 1,000

35 Part of a larger Buddhism in medieval China phenomenon Automated carriage with circumambulating monks and dragons bathing Buddha Image parade in a stūpa Later Zhao Kingdom Over 1,000 images on parade Northern Wei Elephant parades 247 Wu Kingdom Eastern Han

In Summary Early sixth century, northern China: ruled by foreign regime (Tuoba Wei steppe people) In Luoyang, seat of ancient Chinese civilization

36 In Summary Early sixth century, northern China: ruled by foreign regime (Tuoba Wei steppe people) In Luoyang, seat of ancient Chinese civilization Procession of foreign images + foreign emperor, foreign musicians, foreign monks Open environment bringing together indigenous and foreign people In a festive carnival

37 (work-in-progress) Literature (Repository of literary and research materials) Art Projects (Latest art projects and related information) Events (Calendar, Google Map) About (Team, video and exhibition resources, etc.) Blogs Go Inside BBEP

38 Module Nine Significance and Teamwork by Jue Wei

39 Ephemeral but special The Parade < 550 A Record of Buddhist Monasteries In Lo-yang Recent Scholarship (Lai 1999, 60) (Wong 2004, 86) (Howard 2006, 235) (Hsiao 2010, 113) (Li 2010, 188) Etc Central theme of a Dissertation & a Triptych; Highlight of an Exhibition

40 The Art of Emptiness Nancy Peter Frank Alex Our artists and architects: Build from a short piece of literary description Research into historical, cultural, economic, political, and technological background of the period Fit the pieces together in a creative and realistic manner

41 Exhibition of Cultural History Not about Buddha s birth but the celebration of his birth Held during a period of Chinese history less frequently mentioned

42 Buddha s birthday carnivals in China Introduced birthday celebrations to China Introduced image processions to China Mirrored the mutual acculturation process that took place at the devotional level

43 International Teamwork and Expertise Over 70 volunteers from around the world

44 Significance of This Exhibition (in summary) Among the first of its kind in Southern California (backed by PhD dissertation research) Put together by a global team of volunteers Connecting people today with the festive and religious spirit of a historical period Supported by an ongoing website/blog Embraced religion, art, literature, history, music, and technology Buddha s birthday festival is the oldest international and extant celebration of the birth of a historical figure Buddhism introduced birthday celebrations into China

45 Module Ten Quiz, Activities and Souvenirs by Nancy Cowardin

46 Activities ORIGAMI BUTTONS COLORING PLASTER PAINTING / PARTY HATS

48 Module Eleven Tea, Survey and Catalogs by Ching Chausse

49 For everyone

50 Short Survey In Appreciation

52 Module Twelve Temple Activities by Ching Chausse

53 Questions? Feedback?

54 The Mantra

55 Next Meetings April 15, 2012 (2pm) for anyone who wants to ask further questions, practice, get status updates, or help the Activities/Souvenirs team April 27, 2012 (4pm or 7pm) Gallery Walk

56 General Information Keep each guided tour to no more than 15 minutes Keep each group within a manageable size (8-10 max) Send people with difficult questions to the Research Corner Check our website (About Inside BBEP) periodically for the latest videos and resources Do your own research At Hsi Lai Temple, please reserve the prime parking spots for our visitors You are welcome to the English Buddhism class on April 8, 2012 at 10:30am for more information on ancient Buddha s birth stories

57 Be an ambassador

58 Agenda T-shirts & buttons Welcome Workshop Module-by-module presentation Practice Q&A Roster signup T-shirts & buttons Group photo Handprints

Buddha s Birthday Education Project

Buddha s Birthday Education Project THROUGH THESE DOORS: Connecting Past and Present, East and West Second Meeting of Volunteers Nantien Temple 2 February 2013 Before we begin Someone to take minutes Turn