The deep winter at Holy Bright Temple remained bustling with incense burning, where even a slight approach allowed one to catch a waft of the mixed aromas, which intermittently drifted away with the wind...
A colossal golden Buddha, dozens of feet in height, was seated cross-legged amidst the burning incense, one hand resting on its knee, palm up, the other forming a seal across its chest. The Buddha's face flickered in the incense smoke, somewhat obscured, with the rising sun at its back highlighting its dignified and majestic presence.
The Great Scholar led several young boys and girls, his relatives, to the temple to offer incense and pay homage to the Buddha.
The monks greeted them with smiles, the pilgrims prayed fervently, and the cries of street vendors selling their wares added to the peaceful atmosphere along the way.
