Iu Mien - 2008 Grand Opening (Part VI) - King Pan Buddha Light Palace in Oakland, California USA

According to our parents, grandparents, and spiritual leaders, we IU MIEN (Yao) people had our own temples a few centuries ago when we lived in China. We believe that having a temple, a spiritual space, for contemplation helps us re-connect to our cultural roots and also helps us adapt to our new environments. In September 2007, the Lao Iu Mien Culture Association (LIMCA) began construction of its very first temple in the United States - The King Pan Buddha Light Palace. It is a spiritual space for our Iu Mien people. Here, we can worship our forefather "King Pan", our ancestors, deities, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas for our well beings. It will help our people reconnect with one another and help to preserve our identity and pride of being "IU MIEN". It will bring together the strength and energy of the greater Iu Mien Community by calling upon a wider community to help heal the individual, the family, our ancestors, and the world around us. This spiritual space will help us find a balance in life, a balance between the material and spiritual worlds. By Kouichoy Saechao