Temple Gazetteer Project: Integrating Fieldwork and Education

Since 2021, Fo Guang University has launched the project as part of its interdisciplinary 2.0 teaching initiative, aiming to integrate theory with practice. The Department of Buddhist Studies introduced two specialized courses:

• Temple Fieldwork and Oral History

• Theory and Practice of Temple Gazetteer Writing

Over several years, faculty and students have systematically documented the histories and oral testimonies of temples throughout Yilan County.

By June 2025, approximately 50 faculty members and students had completed oral histories and historical records for numerous temples. Four volumes of the Yilan County Buddhist Temple Gazetteer have now been published.

From December 2022 to July 2025, the university also organized four consecutive Temple Gazetteer Training Workshops, training more than 100 participants, including temple staff, cultural historians, and graduate students.

Commemorating Seventy Years of Dharma Propagation

The special exhibition traces its origins to 1953, when Master Hsing Yun began leading chanting groups at Leiyin Temple in Yilan, marking the beginning of his epoch-making Dharma propagation work in the region. From then until his passing in 2023, his presence in Yilan spanned exactly seventy years.

To commemorate this historic milestone and the completion of all four volumes of the gazetteer, the exhibition showcases rare archival photographs and precious fieldwork materials, preserving the collective memory of Yilan’s Buddhist heritage.

Speeches and Reflections

University President Chao noted that compiling local cultural histories such as temple gazetteers is both challenging and deeply meaningful. He also mentioned that next year marks the centennial memorial of Master Hsing Yun, and that this exhibition serves as the starting point for a series of commemorative activities.

Venerable Hsing Yun’s long-time disciple, Venerable Yikong, remarked that Fo Guang Shan will publish a series of accessible Buddhist texts for modern readers and initiate temple gazetteer projects across its branch temples, emphasizing that historical preservation is like “planting trees for future generations.”

Other speakers stressed the importance of documentation and archival work, noting that without captions and contextual explanation, even valuable historical photographs could lose their meaning.

The Department of Buddhist Studies also highlighted how temple gazetteer writing offers students a concrete example of combining academic training with real-world cultural preservation.

Exhibition Highlights

Following the opening ceremony, attendees viewed documentary videos showcasing fieldwork courses and past workshop. Participants later gathered for photographs in front of the bronze statue of Master Hsing Yun and enjoyed tea while freely visiting the exhibition.

Key highlights include:

• Publication of Volumes III & IV of the Yilan County Buddhist Temple Gazetteer

• Documentation of five additional temples

• Extensive historical records and local Buddhist archives

• Dozens of rare early photographs of Master Hsing Yun’s activities in Yilan

📷 Photo gallery: https://reurl.cc/vK4xDj