Art promoting peaceful co-existence
THE upcoming Wesak Day celebration in Penang to be held from May 18 to May 22 will focus on co-existing with others and caring for the environment.

Themed “Living Harmoniously, Thriving Society”, this year’s celebration will feature an exhibition titled “Preservation Of Life, Environmental Protection”.

Malaysia Buddhist Association (MBA) Penang vice chairman Venerable Kai Ling said wood carvings, calligraphy and paintings would be put on display throughout the five days.

“The harmony among humans, living things and the environment can be reflected in the Buddhism tenet of preserving life.

“Therefore, the exhibition aims to present the Buddhist concept of preservation and environmental protection to the public,” he said during a press conference at MBA in Jalan Burma.

Kai said the wood carvings were based on the paintings of renowned Chinese artist and intellectual Feng Zi Kai (1898-1975), and had been engraved by teachers, students and devotees of the Malaysian Buddhist Institute.

“Feng was a famous modern painter who was the disciple of the great monk Venerable Hong Yi before he was ordained,” he said.

Hong, who was born Li Shu Tong (1880-1942) and who entered monkhood around 1917, contributed significantly to China’s and the Southeast Asian art scene as a painter, musician, dramatist, poet, and teacher.

Feng is listed as one of Hong’s most famous students, with the other one being Singapore’s seminal painter Chen Wen Hsi (1906-1991).

Works using various recyclable materials will also be displayed at the exhibition to visually convey the concept and raise public awareness of environmental protection.

A Recycled Crafts Workshop will also be held from 4pm to 6.30pm on May 18 and 9am to 11.30am on May 19.

The celebration will kick off with an unveiling of the Buddha Statue Bathing Pavilion and launch of MBA’s float procession on the first day.

On the evening of the final day, the float procession will make its way through the city.

Penang social development, welfare and non-Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Lim Siew Khim, who was present at the media conference, said this year’s celebration would see a collaboration between the three major Buddhist traditions.

She explained that the gathering of devotees of the Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana branches of Buddhism was to reflect the diversity and inclusiveness in the faith.

Wesak Day, which falls on May 22 this year, is observed by Buddhists as a religious event to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and Parinirvana (passing) of Siddharta Gautama Buddha.
Wesak Day celebration,Penang,
THE upcoming Wesak Day celebration in Penang to be held from May 18 to May 22 will focus on co-existing with others and caring for the environment.