Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple Welcomes Redmond Chinese History Research Team
A Cross-Generational Dialogue Witnessing the Heritage and Growth of Chinese Culture and Faith in Redmond, Seattle
[Seattle /Shi Lian Chi] On the morning of August 13, 2025, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple welcomed a special group of visitors — volunteers from the Redmond Historical Society (RHS) and the Little Masters Club (LMC). They carried an important mission: to research and document the development of the Chinese American community in Redmond in areas such as immigration, business, education, politics, religious beliefs, and cultural arts. Their work will contribute valuable historical records for Washington State’s “Chinese American History Month” next January.
The four guests included two high school volunteers — Meiling and Yixuan — along with LMC leaders Ms. Li Chen and Ms. Yingju Ren. This research project, initiated by RHS, commissioned the Redmond Chinese Heritage research team to explore different fields, with one group focusing on the “development of religious institutions.” As Redmond’s most historically significant temple and the very first Lei Zang Temple of the True Buddha School — the Founding Temple — Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple naturally became a key subject of study. The timing was especially meaningful, as next month marks the 40th anniversary of the temple’s official establishment (September 14, 1985), adding further significance to this research.
A Cross-Cultural, Cross-Generational Conversation
At 11 a.m., the delegation arrived at the temple and began the interview on the second floor of the temple library. Hosting the visit, Master Lian Chi responded to the six prepared interview questions in both Chinese and English, supplemented with reference materials from the temple. The topics covered included the origins of the temple’s location, the growth of its congregation, its relationship with other True Buddha School temples worldwide, the participation of younger generations, the temple’s community and charitable work, and how its historical records are preserved and shared.
Speaking about the origins of the temple in 1983, Master Lian Chi noted that as early as the end of 1982, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu had envisioned building a temple for long-term spiritual cultivation and large-scale Dharma assemblies. Redmond’s serene environment, fresh air, convenient transportation, and the auspicious geomantic qualities of the temple site made it an ideal location for building. After three years and twelve public hearings with the city government, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple was officially consecrated on September 14, 1985, and has since become the spiritual center of the global True Buddha School.
In the early years of construction in 1983, there were only a few dozen local followers, mostly early disciples and nearby residents. Today, the temple draws many local devotees as well as visitors from around the world, with weekend practice sessions and major Dharma assemblies attracting hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of participants.
Global Connection and Independent Operation
On the temple’s relationship with other True Buddha School cultivation centers worldwide, Master Lian Chi explained that the True Buddha School has hundreds of temples, chapters, and cultivation centers across the globe, all operating according to the school’s Bylaws. While each center is financially and administratively independent, they collaborate and support one another in Dharma affairs. In terms of teachings and spiritual practice, all True Buddha School centers share the same Root Guru — Living Buddha Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu — and uphold the True Buddha School’s lineage and liturgical rituals, maintaining a shared spiritual core and faith foundation.
Deep Participation of the Younger Generation
Addressing the role of younger generations, Master Lian Chi observed that the earliest group of disciples, after forty years, are now grandparents. Today, it is common to see three generations, and even four generations, visiting the temple together. Growing up in the temple environment, young people naturally learn harmony, kindness, and empathy. Inspired by the example of their elders, they not only worship and cultivate but also volunteer enthusiastically, joyfully passing on the Dharma and cultural traditions so that the faith continues to thrive across generations.
A Model of Religious Faith and Community Connection
When asked whether the temple participates in local community and charitable work, Master Lian Chi recounted the temple’s longstanding contributions — from the “Walk for Rice” food bank fundraiser, which it has supported since 1997, to decades-long winter relief programs, donations to medical and educational foundations, hosting health seminars, educational courses, cultural exhibitions and fairs, and receiving dignitaries and group visits. In August 2024 alone, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple donated US$200,000 to the Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation to support healthcare and educational opportunities for immigrants and underserved groups. All of this, Master Lian Chi emphasized, stems from Grandmaster Lu’s teaching that when one has the means, one should engage in charitable giving, help the community, and care for the minority/vulnerable groups.
These efforts have not only promoted cultural exchange but also deeply rooted the compassion and wisdom of the Dharma in the local community. The interview also touched on the temple’s long-standing cooperation with the Redmond Police Department — during major Dharma assemblies, the temple invites off-duty officers to guard the premises, a practice that has continued for over a decade.
Tours and Personal Encounters Bring Culture to Life
After more than ninety minutes of discussion, Master Lian Chi led the guests on a tour of the temple grounds, including the “Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu Time Corridor” exhibition, Grandmaster’s outdoor lotus paintings, and a two-story banner made from his 306 published books — an impressive testament to decades of continuous writing, talent, and dedication to spreading the Dharma. They also visited the traditional-style Yue Lao Shrine currently under construction, sparking lively conversation. Ms. Li Chen even remarked that she already had a friend in mind who might come to seek Yue Lao’s blessing for marriage.
The visitors then met and interacted with Abbot Lian Yin, Master Lian Wang, and Master Lian Chuan, who gave a brief introduction to the Buddhist concepts of worldly and transcendental teachings. At that moment, Grandmaster Sheng-Yen Lu, founder of the True Buddha School and Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, arrived at the temple. The guests were seated near Grandmaster during lunch, feeling honored, and witnessed devotees from the local community, other states, and countries such as the United Kingdom, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia, all dining together in a vibrant scene.
A Warm Farewell
After the meal, the temple presented each guest with a commemorative gift, including a volume of Grandmaster Lu’s collected works, bilingual “Time Corridor” guidebooks, a 40th anniversary temple keychain, and the rare 2008 publication The True Buddha Dharma Spreads Across the Ten Directions: A Retrospective of Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple. The guests said they would present one copy of the retrospective along with their final research report to the Redmond Historical Society for its archives.
Following a joyful blessing event in which they received Grandmaster Lu’s laying of hands, and a group photo with Grandmaster and Shimu (Master’s wife), the visit concluded in an atmosphere of warmth and goodwill. Master Lian Chi advised them, “Today you came for research work — next time, come without homework so you can fully experience and appreciate the temple’s religious culture and auspicious spirit.”
Continuing the Mission
This meeting not only provided first-hand religious and cultural material for Redmond’s Chinese history research but also allowed the younger generation to experience the power of faith within the community. When a place of worship becomes a platform for intergenerational dialogue, history transforms from static records on a page into living stories with warmth and vitality.
As the research team continues its fieldwork this summer, the resulting Redmond Chinese Heritage Development Research Report will be publicly exhibited in Redmond early next year, serving as an important bridge linking past, present, and future. As the Founding Temple, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple will likewise continue to contribute the compassion and wisdom of the Dharma to enrich the city’s diverse cultural landscape.