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On January the 25th, the eve of Chinese New Years the Texas Buddhist Association (TBA) hosted its annual hot pot dinner at the Jade Buddha Temple in honor of the volunteers. The night was full of surprises, from the hilarious Chinese speaking cowboy with an emperor's shirt, who we later learned teaches Chinese at the University of Houston to special guest driving all the way from San Antonio Texas to attend this special night. Sunday evening weather was prefect for the dinner; members started arriving around 6PM. As most of the tables were seated, Rev. Jain Hai, started the feasting with a short blessings.
Members of the temple, family, Chinese and English speaking friends, old and young, grandma’s and babies were among the 300 to 400 hundred visitors who shared and enjoyed the wonderful dinner. Accompanied by the cold air of a chilly night was the perfect welcoming of the New Year, while cooking vegetables, clear noodles and vegetarian meat balls over a warm fire creating the most perfect ambiance in which one was able to share and enjoy with one another.
In China, and in many other parts of Asia, a hot pot dinner is a popular way for family and friends to share a meal around a dinner table. Similar to the fondue concept, vegetables, noodles, vegetarian meatballs and dumplings are brought to the dining table, and then cooked in a boiling broth. A pot specially designed with a flue and commonly fueled with flaming charcoal is set in the middle of the table. Before central heating was widespread in China, the heat from the pot could always be counted on to warm the family at dinnertime.
Those who stayed behind, went to the Grand Hall to ring the temple gong in welcoming the coming of the New Year.
To everyone we wish a “Happy Year of the Ox”. Prosperity and Good Health
On January the 25th, the eve of Chinese New Years the Texas Buddhist Association (TBA) hosted its annual hot pot dinner at the Jade Buddha Temple in honor of the volunteers. The night was full of surprises, from the hilarious Chinese speaking cowboy with an emperor's shirt, who we later learned teaches Chinese at the University of Houston to special guest driving all the way from San Antonio Texas to attend this special night. Sunday evening weather was prefect for the dinner; members started arriving around 6PM. As most of the tables were seated, Rev. Jain Hai, started the feasting with a short blessings.
Members of the temple, family, Chinese and English speaking friends, old and young, grandma’s and babies were among the 300 to 400 hundred visitors who shared and enjoyed the wonderful dinner. Accompanied by the cold air of a chilly night was the perfect welcoming of the New Year, while cooking vegetables, clear noodles and vegetarian meat balls over a warm fire creating the most perfect ambiance in which one was able to share and enjoy with one another.
In China, and in many other parts of Asia, a hot pot dinner is a popular way for family and friends to share a meal around a dinner table. Similar to the fondue concept, vegetables, noodles, vegetarian meatballs and dumplings are brought to the dining table, and then cooked in a boiling broth. A pot specially designed with a flue and commonly fueled with flaming charcoal is set in the middle of the table. Before central heating was widespread in China, the heat from the pot could always be counted on to warm the family at dinnertime.
Those who stayed behind, went to the Grand Hall to ring the temple gong in welcoming the coming of the New Year.To everyone we wish a “Happy Year of the Ox”. Prosperity and Good Health
