I arrived at the Hsi Lai Temple in the city of Hacienda Heights around 3pm on March 7, 2014. Even though I am Chinese, I have never been to this temple before because the My family doesn't practice Buddhism. This is the first time I have collected data on His Lai Temple. This method is called participant observation which is “the anthropological method of collecting data by living with another people, learning their language, and understanding their culture” (Arenson and Miller-Thayer 521). The temple is built on the top of a hill. After driving up the long hill to the parking lot, I discovered that I had to climb a lot of stairs before entering the temple. In the brochure For Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple, it says that the name Hsi Lai stands for “coming to the West”. The temple, founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, represents the dedication of Taiwan's largest Buddhist organizations called Fo Guang Shan. The temple took ten years to build and was completed in 1988. This $30 million temple on 15 acres of land was financed by donations from Buddhist devotees from all over the world. At the first sight of the temple, I felt I had entered another culture. Culture is “the way of life of a people, including their behavior, the things they do and their ideas” (Ibid 518). The city of Hacienda Heights is the center of the largest Buddhist temple in North America. There are many symbols of Chinese culture in the temple. From the golden hip and gable roof to the red pillars that support the temple. The monks and nuns are the ones who organize the temple events. They wear a light brown robe. I noticed that all the monks and nuns shaved their heads. I believe this is called rites of passage which “are ceremonies that mark c... in the center of the card... beautiful scenes within the temple. It was very interesting to learn about the specific interactions and lifestyles that many Buddhists go through when they are at the temple and their perspectives on life. The location of the temple was such that it truly provided a heavenly atmosphere. The architecture and buildings were meticulously constructed. The scenery was very beautiful and the atmosphere was very relaxing. I felt at peace and calm when I was at the temple. I also feel closer to understanding my culture. Works Cited Arenson, Lauren J., and Jennifer Miller-Thayer. Cultures of the United States. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Pub., 2009. Print.Fo Guang San Hsi Lai Temple. Hacienda Heights: np, nd Print.Miller-Thayer, Jennifer. “Religion and Belief Systems.” Lesson in class. Anthropology 3: Cultural anthropology. Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga. 06 March. 2014