Guqin at Canada’s Parliament Hill
It was a great honor to be invited to perform traditional Chinese guqin music at Parliament Hill in Ottawa in celebration of National Gathering Day.
In front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada’s capital, this historic pan-Canadian Buddhist gathering has drawn to a close. Yet what mattered most was not simply the success of a single day’s event. It was the expression of a collective aspiration for peace, compassion, and understanding in Canada.
At 3:00 PM, a Buddha Bathing Ceremony was held in front of the Century Flame Plaza. Water was poured over the statue of the young prince, encouraging people to reflect on their own hearts and minds — set aside restlessness and conflict during a time of uncertainty and division, and to rediscover compassion and clarity. After all, lasting social harmony begins with inner peace.
At 4:00 PM, 150 monastics from the four major Buddhist traditions, together with over 300 members of the public, officially set off on Canada’s first ever National Peace Walk.
No slogans. No banners. Only quiet, resolute footsteps.
We walked for peace. We walked for understanding. We walked for a more harmonious future for this land.
One heart, one purpose.
Our steps have only just begun.
