The osmanthus petals fill the air with sweet fragrance as the continuous flow of tourist came to The Maitreya Center of O-Mei. Visitors from all corners came to give reverence to the Buddha Maitreya and to enjoy the festivity of a New Year spirit. Red prayer cards were written and tided to the foot of the Maitreya hoping that their hearts wish would be fulfilled. In the presences of the Buddha, they are filled with joy as the loving spirit of the Great One quietly seeped into their hearts. Without awareness they are relief from their burden and an openness of heart was felt.
The five billboards of the Little Maitreya with a golden pig, a violin, a lotus leaf, and greeting hand were so loved by many people. ˇ§Come, lets take a picture with Buddha Maitreyaˇ¨, they exclaimed. The sincere laughter from people of all ages seems to have materialized a Pureland before our eyes.
At the front door of the temple, there were full of people drawing Maitreya Lucky Straws. People inquired about their health, career, school, children, and so on, and desirable answers were expected to be found in the straws. Many were surprised by the immense accuracy of the straws. Some people smiled feeling blessed after hearing the explanations given by masters; some shed tears feeling touched by the words. All of a sudden, fortune/misfortune, love/ hate, success/ failure seemed to have melted in the great torch of Maitreya love. When people are willing to accept Maitreyaˇ¦s guidance, their wisdom certainly increases. Everyone is capable of revealing the beauty of conscience.
The center was visited by approximately two thousand people from the third to the sixth day of the Chinese New Year. Grandmaster Wang greeted them and expressed the working together to love nature, to promote the beauty of mankind, and to mutually respect, protect and love the respectability of all life.ˇ@
ˇ§We are opening to the 21st Century and so should have a brake through on the many wrong things that we valued in the past. We seem to have valued and respected wealth and position more than anything. Our fights and struggles over them have created much tragic in life. In the advancement of technology, the IQ of human has declined. The more people rely on technology and science, wealth and position, the wisdom and compassion of humans declined. Many do not understand the richness of the formless wealth. Material wealth can not come with us when we take our last breathe. We become history and are quickly forgotten. Material wealth may not bring us fortune. Only the wise understands how to generate the wealth that is formless. Maitreya reminds us that true fortune is inner happiness, joy and wealth.ˇ¨
The words of Grandmaster Wang rejuvenated our inner Self. Life is indeed a journey of Self awareness and enlightenment and great fortune is to surrender oneˇ¦s life of the conscience.
The square was packed with people during lunch time. The youth volunteers were full of spirit as they serve the meals to the visitor. The kitchen staffs were busy bodies in whipping up delicious dishes. Everyone was grateful and enjoyed the festivity of the beginning of a new year. 
