God of Fortune hands out candy during Chinese New Year celebrations at the Fo Guang Shan temple in Mississauga.

If you have a good heart, do something good, speak good things and work out present and positive thinking, then you will always (have good fortune).

Happy Lunar New Year! Rabbit Year! Bunnie Ears!

The Rabbit is a clever and peaceful animal. People I interviewed for my story wished for those rabbit qualities in their household and personal relationships.

However, Abbess Chueh Chu of the Fo Guang Shan temple had a different but very thoughtful message.

“If you have a good heart, do something good, speak good things and work out present and positive thinking, then you will always (have good fortune). It doesn’t matter which year you were born or which year it is,” said the abbess.

Goal for next year: CNY in an Asian country.

I also got to interview some people of non-Chinese descent who celebrate Chinese New Year. One mentioned there was no reason not to partake in the festivities and spread happiness and joy while another was happy at a second new years celebration.

For me, Chinese New Years is always a great way to check up on my Jan 1 resolutions. My resolutions for this year were, according to my new year’s post:

This year is going to be focused mainly on photography, exploring my world, sharing memories w/ people, kung fu and journalism.

I think I’m off to a pretty good start. Slow, but steady. When I haven’t been working on a weekend, I have been spending it well with friends. This weekend is going to be busy. Winterlicous, Super bowl and work all on the same weekend.

For those of you who celebrate more than one New Year, how does the second fit in your life?

The Chinese New Year is the cause of the single largest annual human migration on the planet as around 700 million people return to their homes and families for the holiday.

Attending the Fo Guang Shan temple on Millcreek Dr. in Meadowvale, where celebrating the Chinese New Year has been a tradition since it opened in 1997, is a homecoming for many Mississaugans and residents from across the Greater Toronto Area.

The temple held its annual celebration last night.

Helen Chan has been volunteering at the temple since it opened.

“This is like our home, our family,” said Chan. “It’s like coming home for the Chinese New Year. It’s like a family reunion.”

“People come here to enlighten themselves, clean up their inside mind, bring up their wisdom and luck with the whole family,” temple abbess Chueh Chu said through a translator.

Kevin Zhang has brought his family to the temple for five of the 10 years he has resided in Canada since moving here from mainland China.

“(The temple) is wide open to any people, not based on any religion,” said Zhang adding that religion is not a big factor in China. “For myself, it’s not only a Chinese temple, it’s more like a Chinese community, keeping the traditional culture.”

Many facets of a traditional Chinese New Year’s Eve could be observed at the temple. There was the offering of incense and a traditional Chinese New Year’s chant. There was a lion dance to ward away evil spirits. A peace bell rang in a harmonious year.

There was a wishing tree and traditional foods, sweets, ornaments and plants.

“We have a traditional Chinese bazaar downstairs,” said the abbess.

Betty Wang, who has been coming to the temple for more than a decade, said in Chinese that “everyone Chinese person knows about Fo Guang Shan, so they are used to coming here every year.”

Chan also noted that the celebrations, which usually see around 3000 people pass through the temple’s doors, were not limited to the Chinese.

James Rowan celebrates Chinese New Year with his girlfriend’s family.
“For me, it’s a celebration of happiness and joy. Whether or not I’m from that culture doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate wishing everybody good fortune,” said Rowan.

Rowan’s favourite part of the celebrations was the lion dance that spreads good fortune and happiness.
While many in the crowd hoped for peace and harmony in their lives and relationships, hallmarks of the incoming Year of the Rabbit, abbess Chueh Chu shared a different wisdom.

“If you have a good heart, do something good, speak good things and work out present and positive thinking, then you will always (have good fortune). It doesn’t matter which year you were born or which year it is,” said the abbess.
For those who couldn’t attend last night’s Chinese New Year chant, the temple is offering chanting services on Sunday from 10-11:30 a.m.