General

In the midst of the busyness of daily life, let us also pause and return to the island within ourselves. With each mindful breath and step, we can touch peace and stability. As spring approaches, new life begins to bloom all around us—let us also take a moment to appreciate these precious wonders of life. In this newsletter, let’s recap on recent events and share upcoming opportunities to practice as a community. Event Recap 1. Van Hanh Temple (Ten Thousand Actions Temple) Open Day It was almost five years since the time that Plum Village Hong Kong received the donation of the Amitabha Temple – now renamed Ten Thousand Actions Temple (萬行寺) in Luk Wu Village. The major renovation of the template is now completed. We held an open-house event for the new temple on Feb 16th. Click here to read more about the origin of Van Hanh Temple, or download the booklet: Van Hanh Temple – Ten Thousand Actions Temple. 2. Lunar New Year From January 28–30, Plum Village Hong Kong joyfully celebrated the Year of the Snake with traditional festivities. Monastic brothers performed lively lion dances, and a delicious traditional food fair was prepared. Monastics also decorated their rooms in unique styles, inviting visitors to enjoy tea and peaceful conversations inside. You can download the latest Chinese New Year couplets here! 3. The Third Anniversary of Thay Ceremony January 22, 2025 marks the third anniversary of Thay’s (Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh) passing. To honor his legacy, Plum Village Hong Kong, along with Plum Village Mindfulness Centers worldwide, held a commemorative event on January 19, 2025. The gathering included meditation, chanting, and heartfelt sharings to reflect on Thay’s teachings of mindfulness, compassion, and peace. Participants expressed deep gratitude for his profound impact on their lives and his contributions to global mindfulness practices. For more details about the memorial service, please read the article on our Teacher Memorial Service. 4. […]

The following is excerpted from the booklet Van Hanh Temple – Ten Thousand Actions Temple. It was almost five years, since the time that Plum Village Hong Kong received the donation of the Amitabha Temple – now renamed Ten Thousand Actions Temple (萬行寺) in Luk Wu Village, that the major renovation of the temple was completed and a Blessing Day for the Temple was made on June 27, 2024. The monastics of Plum Village Hong Kong gathered at the temple to carry out the blessing ceremony and to have a day of practice. The day of practice started with a sitting meditation and walking meditation in the early morning, the blessing ceremony in the mid-morning, and tea meditation in the afternoon. It was such a joy to see the first activities of the temple being held. In this article, I would like to share about the inspirations for choosing the name Ten Thousand Actions Temple, the root of mindfulness meditation of Plum Vilage, and planned activities for the Ten Thousand Actions Temple. The “Ten Thousand Actions Temple” was formerly known as the “Amitabha House”. Under the management of the Plum Village Hong Kong since 2021, PVHK has spent three years on renovation before renaming ti as the “Ten Thousand Actions Temple” in 2024. Inspirations for choosing the name Ten Thousand Actions Temple (萬行寺) Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022) was the founder of the Plum Vilage International Sangha, established in 1982 at Plum Village Mindfulness Meditation Practice Center in France. Plum Village Hong Kong has its root from Plum Vilage France and is a member of the Plum Village International Sangha. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (affectionally called Thay by his disciples) came to Hong Kong six times to propagate the Dharma in 1999, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2013. He visited Luk Wu Village in his 2011 trip, visiting and having conversations with monastics in local temples at Luk […]

Retreats Jan 8 – 12: Wake Up Retreat Apr 17 – 21: Spring Retreat Jul 16 – 20: Summer Retreat Jul 30 – Aug 3: Educators Retreat Oct 22 – 26: Body Mind Retreat Special Sunday DoMs Feb 16: Van Hanh Temple Open Day Feb 23: DoM @ Po Lin Monastery May 4: The Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak) May 25: Rain Retreat Opening Ceremony Aug 17: Rose Ceremony Aug 24: Pavāranā Ceremony Oct 4: Mid-autumn Celebration Education University Hong Kong DoMs Feb 22 Mar 22 Jun 28 Sep 27 Nov 20 Friday Night Practices Mar 7 (online), Mar 21 (Central) Apr 4 (online) May 2 (online), May 16 (Central) Jun 6 (online), Jun 20 (Central) Jul 4 (online) Aug 1 (online), Aug 15 (Central) Sep 5 (online), Sep 19 (Central) Oct 3 (online), Oct 17 (Central) Nov 7 (online), Nov 21 (Central) Dec 5 (online), Dec 19 (Central)

The following are the 2025 Chinese New Year Parallels from Plum Village. Feel free to print and stick them at home and workplace to nourish mindfulness and good seeds within us 😉 Parallel Verses 2025 – English Parallel Verses 2025 – Chinese Happy Chinese New Year!

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year that was the worst of times and the best of times—a time of profound loss and tender beginnings, a time of solitary struggles and cherished bonds, and a time of darkness and awakening. It was a year that taught us both the fragility and resilience of the human spirit. In this moment of transition, we are invited to pause and come home to ourselves, to embrace both the light and shadow of our experiences with mindful awareness. As we prepare to welcome 2025, may we gather these precious lessons—both gentle and challenging—as stepping stones toward a new beginning, carrying forward with hearts filled with wisdom, compassion, courage, and hope. Events Recap 1. Zen for Thousands 2024 (Nov 16 – 17) In November 16 – 17, Plum Village Hong Kong participated in the second session of the Zen for Thousands 2024, taking place in Jao Tsung-I Academy. Sr. Tu Nghiem and Sr. Đồng Hỏi made a special trip down from the mountain to lead deep relaxation, that participants could lie down on the floor to have deep rest, and walking meditation. Many fellow practitioners came to volunteer and help out in The Plum Village gift shop. New friends came to browse, shop, and chat. The shop manager specially arranged new items for everyone to choose from, encouraging mindful consumption. In the lower area of the Academy, we held a Zen music busking with our band Walk On The Earth. Through music, we introduced Thich Nhat Hanh’s work The Story of the River, which is included in Call Me by My True Names. Many fellows and friends stayed to listen to the story. For more, refer to the Facebook post. 2. Christmas Celebration (Sunday Day of Mindfulness – Dec 22) Every year in Plum Village Lotus Pond Temple we celebrate Christmas, to remember the Saint coming to the world. On Sunday (Dec 22), […]

After the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, the autumn breeze has gradually begun to cool us down, bringing comfort to both body and mind. This is the perfect time to venture outdoors and explore nature through walking meditation and hiking. Additionally, as many of us are doing, it is an ideal moment to plan travels and gatherings to reconnect with family and friends over the next two months, especially with the festive season in December approaching. Furthermore, let us gently remind ourselves to carve out some time to reflect on our experiences in 2024. This is an opportunity to pause, consider our journey so far, and plan for a more mindful year in 2025. Past Event Recap Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration Reflecting the themes of harmony and unity inherent in the Mid-Autumn Festival, we gathered for a heartfelt reunion with our friends and monastics at the serene Lotus Pond Temple on the evening of September 17. Bathed in lambent moonlight, we shared a joyful moment of walking meditation with lanterns and indulged in mooncakes to celebrate the festival together. “Youthfulness and Happiness”, the Day of Mindfulness for Wake Uppers “Youthfulness and Happiness” was a mindfulness day event exclusively for the Wake Uppers—the young friends of Wake Up Hong Kong, aged 18 to 40. On the serene Saturday of September 28, participants gathered to engage in walking meditation, sitting meditation, and singing meditation, while also gaining insights from a Dharma Talk. Set in the ancient and spiritual practice venue in Luk Wu on Lantau Island, they connected with nature outdoors and convened indoors to cultivate inner peace and happiness in the hope of fostering a healthier, more compassionate society. 2024 Mind-body Wellbeing Retreat In our last retreat in 2024, we gathered for five days at the Lotus Pond Temple from October 23 to October 27 to foster deeper self-understanding and connection as a way of navigating loneliness. Together, we engaged in Dharma talks […]