This year, the Winter Solstice falls on December 21 (the second day of the eleventh lunar month). In celebration of this special occasion, Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou held an offering ceremony, presenting incense, flowers, lamps, candles, tea, fruits and delicacies to show offerings and repay the grace of the Dharma.
In the morning, the Lingyin Sangha gathered in the Mahavira Hall to perform offerings, praying for favorable weather, national peace and people's wellbeing, and for the Dharma wheel to turn perpetually and the Buddha’s light to shine brighter.
After the offering ceremony, the Buddhist masters split into groups to pay respects at Master Li’s Pagoda, Yueheng Hall (Hall of Patriarchs), and the Pagodas of Past Patriarchs, among other sites. The ceremony was solemn and reverent, as attendees reflected on Lingyin Temple’s past abbots and virtuous masters who established the temple, nurtured the Buddhist community, and transmitted the Dharma light to keep the flame alive.
The Winter Solstice is one of the most important traditional festivals for the Chinese people, symbolizing the return of light and the renewal of all things. The philosopher Zeng once said, “Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice - then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence.” It is a longstanding custom for Chinese families to make offerings in honor of their ancestors on this day. In Buddhist tradition, keeping a vegetarian diet and practicing Buddhism during the Winter Solstice can bring blessings. Good fortune and blessings are believed to be bestowed upon those who engage in altruistic behavior with a benevolent heart.
