Lunar New Year at Hsi Lai Temple with LA County Sheriff

To welcome the Year of the Tiger, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva led a delegation to visit Hsi Lai Temple on February 2nd, the second day of the Lunar New Year. He was joined by Assistant Sheriff Tim Murakami and several department representatives.

Community leaders, including Kenny Chang (Commissioner of the LA County Insurance Commission and President of KCAL Insurance), attorney Daniel Deng, and resident monastics of Hsi Lai Temple, attended the event to join in the celebration.

A Message of Safety and Unity

Sheriff Villanueva wished everyone a Happy New Year and said he was glad to celebrate the holiday with the local Chinese community. He emphasized the department’s ongoing concern for public safety in Chinese neighborhoods and reaffirmed his commitment to solving issues like crime and homelessness.

As the county’s top law enforcement official, he called on Chinese Americans to engage with their communities and encourage their children to consider careers in public safety. The department currently faces a shortage of bilingual officers, especially those fluent in Chinese.

Hsi Lai Temple's Warm Welcome

Master Huidong, the abbot of Hsi Lai Temple, warmly welcomed the Sheriff’s visit. He expressed gratitude for the Sheriff’s Department’s long-time support, especially in helping manage traffic and maintain order during the temple’s busy New Year celebrations. Their work has helped create a safe and peaceful environment for all visitors. In honor of the Year of the Tiger, Venerable Master Hsing Yun offered a message:

“Live fearlessly and coexist peacefully.” The temple encouraged the public to face challenges like the pandemic with courage and compassion.

Kenny Chang shared that he has visited Hsi Lai Temple during Lunar New Year for decades and praised the strong partnership between the community and law enforcement. KCAL Insurance has also helped as a volunteer partner over the years, offering support with traffic arrangements.

Attorney Daniel Deng emphasized the importance of Lunar New Year in Chinese culture. He noted that Hsi Lai Temple serves as a spiritual and cultural center for people across Southern California.

The event concluded with all guests and members of the media participating in the temple’s traditional ribbon-tossing ceremony at the Wishing Tree. Together, they made the shared wish for the pandemic to end soon and for life to return to normal.