Nan Hua Temple is the largest Buddhist temple and seminary in Africa and it is situated in the Cultura Park suburb of Bronkhorstspruit. It is the African headquarters of the Fo Guang Shan (Buddha’s Light Mountain), a Mahayana Chinese Buddhism monastic order, established in 1967.
Its name means Southern Flower, which refers to the location of the temple and symbolizes beauty and virtue. Built by the Taiwanese Buddhist community in South Africa, the temple is home to monks and boasts a museum and a tea house.
It is known for its architectural splendour and the temple guided tours come highly recommended. They happen every Sunday at 1pm at no cost. A vegetarian lunch is also served on Sundays at R30 per person.
Nan Hua offers high quality retreats throughout the year that focus on meditation and mindfulness techniques that can applied to everyday life. These provide an opportunity to rest, to restore energies and to give attention to your inner development.
The Temple’s annual cultural events that are open to the public include the Chinese New Year Cultural Festival in February; the Bathing Buddha Ceremony; the Ceremony of Light and Peace in September and New Year’s Eve Sky Lantern Offering Ceremony.
