As the world ushered in the Year of the Horse, San Francisco’s Hua Zang Si Temple marked the Lunar New Year with a three-day Chinese New Year Blessing Dharma Assembly, held February 17–19. The Dharma Assembly coincided with the beginning of the Lunar New Year on February 17 and honored the enduring cultural and spiritual traditions cherished by Asian communities worldwide.

The Year of the Horse—emblematic of vitality, progress, and steadfast resolve—served as a timely call to advance with compassion and renewed purpose. In keeping with this spirit, Hua Zang Si opened its doors to the public for a series of New Year observances, including sutra chanting, blessing lamp lightings, and bell-striking ceremonies at the Main Hall.

For many Asian families and international students living far from their home countries, Hua Zang Si has become a vital place of reunion and cultural belonging. The New Year blessing events drew community members from across the Bay Area, with eager registrations reflecting a deep emotional connection to tradition, which transcends geography and distance.

Visitors entering the temple were welcomed by New Year decorations, lanterns, and offerings that infused the space with warmth and festivity. Over the course of three days, participants gathered to pray for world peace, global harmony, relief from worldly hardships, and the well-being of families everywhere.

The celebration also underscored Hua Zang Si’s longstanding commitment to community service. Following the teachings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, the temple has, throughout the years, supported local families, offered cultural and educational programs, and provided spiritual guidance to individuals from all walks of life. This year’s Lunar New Year events continued the legacy by inviting the public to take part in acts of kindness, generosity, and collective goodwill.

Attendees from around the world joined in shared prayer, lighting blessing lamps on both floors of the temple, praying for their loved ones’ health and peace. The New Year bell-striking ceremony, conducted continuously over the three days, symbolized the clearing of obstacles and the welcoming of auspicious beginnings. With each resonant chime, participants were invited to cultivate a release of burdens and aspire toward peace and well-being for all beings, guided by the True Buddha Dharma. Visitors also had the opportunity to receive blessing rice and make charitable donations to support humanitarian efforts.

The Lunar New Year is not only a time for renewal of mind, spirit, and communal bonds, but also an occasion to honor the cultural and Buddhist values that foster compassion. Through the Year of the Horse celebration, Hua Zang Si united people across cultures, generations, and continents in a shared hope for a brighter year ahead.