Harmony Hill: A Kongshan Temple Anecdote (Part 1)

Driving north from the heart of New York City, the dazzling phantoms of Times Square still linger in the mind. But in an instant, the scene swiftly shifts, seemingly transporting you into a boundless new world...

This is upstate New York, an earthly paradise graced by the sounds of birds and the scent of flowers. After a few winding turns, it feels as though you have returned to the embrace of emerald mountains. A dense network of lakes and rivers supplies fresh water to the entire greater New York area. Kongshan Temple is situated within this idyllic setting.

Looking down from the air, you will notice that the core of the temple sits atop a small hill surrounded by mountains, like a Treasure Bowl —an ideal place to gather the world's treasures. For Chinese people, this shape is also seen as a Golden Ingot, symbolizing good fortune and wealth, though the most crucial treasure it welcomes is the transcendental wealth of the Dharma.

While here, you can relax your body and mind: stand, sit, or slowly engage in walking meditation through the pine forest. Allow the morning mist and clouds to wash away all worldly clamor and exhaustion. Bathe in the sunlight, feel renewed, and reborn between heaven and earth. Before you know it, your heart, too, will have broadened.

It's easy to understand why the earlier residents of this place gave it a fairytale-like name: Harmony Hill.