THE H.H. DORJE CHANG BUDDHA III CULTURAL AND ART MUSEUM
HAS OPENED, ASTOUNDING THE WORLD WITH ITS BEAUTY
There were auspicious dancing lions, many officials and dignitaries cutting the ribbon, fighter planes from World War II leaving cloud trails in celebration, first-day covers being quickly sold out, and astounding and peerless exhibits. How good, beautiful, lofty, and excellent it was! Words of admiration reverberated through the exhibition rooms.
(LOS ANGELES) The United States now has one more art museum: the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum. This museum exclusively displays on a permanent basis some of the accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III relating to Buddhism, culture, and art. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a recipient of the World Peace Prize-Top Honor Prize and is the highest leader of Buddhism in the world, His status being affirmed by the United States Senate in Resolution 614.
On the day of the grand opening of the museum, officials and dignitaries gathered and participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Seven planes that performed great feats during World War II flew in formation over the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum, spraying cloud trails as their gift in celebration of the museum's opening. The Post Offices of Washington, DC, the nation’s capital, the City of Los Angeles, and the City of Covina approved a special June 8th commemorative postmark for the grand opening of the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum. People swarmed to buy the first-day covers, which were sold out only hours after their issuance.
The opening ceremony began with the "auspicious dancing lions" performance. State Senator Ed Hernandez, mayors or city council representatives from eight cities in the County of Los Angeles, and the newly elected Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell all attended the opening ceremony to extend their congratulations and present congratulatory certificates.
The H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum presented Executive Committee Member Certificates to three VIPs: Madam March Kong Fong Yu, who served 17 years as the Secretary of State of California; Ms. Marina Tse, former chief of the Western United States Office of the U.S. Department of Labor and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education; and Ms. Vivien Lau, the President of Hong Kong Bowling Sport Association and the Vice President of Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China.
The museum presented Honorary Advisor certificates to three well-known people: Mr. Alessandro Vezzosi, an Italian art critic and director of the Museo Ideale Leonardo da Vinci in the city of Vinci near Florence; Ms. Olivia Ruchellai, who is founder of the Otto Place Art Museum in Florence, Italy that mainly displays vanguard art; and Ms. Barbara Berlusconi, who is Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AC Milan, Italy. The museum also presented a Commissioner of the Cultural and Art Promotion Department certificate to Mr. Michael Chueng, a former chairperson of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, Los Angeles.
The H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum was established by renaming and renovating a historical building in the City of Covina. On the day of the museum's grand opening, people from all over the world crowded into the exhibition rooms. On display were some of the cultural and artistic accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
Those visiting the museum that day highly praised the exhibits as the best of the best, and many could not stop expressing their admiration. Some praised the exhibits as astounding and superb art. Some praised the exhibits as amazing and highly elegant art. “Wow” was a word constantly heard at the scene!
Housed in a well-known historic building in Covina, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum has a Holy Evidence Room that displays the Yun sculptures "A Pillar Holding Up Heaven" and "Colorful Charm." Those sculptures not only imitate but actually surpass the beauty of nature. "Colorful Charm" is indeed an amazing multi-colored sculpture that seems to constantly change, making it a mysterious and marvelous creation. Even though it is a small faux boulder, when looking inside it, its depths seem endless.
Works of art by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III have sold for an extremely high price at art auctions. The highest record was set at the end of January 2010 when one of His paintings was sold at an art auction for the price of more than US$900,000 per square foot. The sale took place at the Hilton Hotel in San Gabriel, California, breaking the record for the highest price per square foot of any Chinese painting ever sold.
At an art auction held in New York in 2012, two limited release copies of paintings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III were sold. "Carp in a Lotus Pond," with only 200 limited release copies, was sold for almost US$380,000, and "Cat of Unique Charm," with only 100 limited release copies, was sold for US$253,000. Those sales broke the record for the highest auction price of a limited release copy of a painting. Oil paintings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III are sought by special collectors in the market for a price of over US$1,000,000 per square foot. The sculptures created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III are even more highly valued.
Mr. Brian Tyan, President of the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum, said in his speech that the museum will follow the teachings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and will actively participate in charitable activities in the United States and other parts of the world, such as disaster relief, poverty alleviation, and helping the old, sick, and weak. He also said the museum will set up youth art competitions and offer awards and scholarships in order to encourage and groom young artists and raise the quality of mind of different generations in society.
Mr. Tyan also stated that the artistic and cultural works created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III do not just belong to a single locality or group of people. Rather, they are cultural and artistic treasures to be enjoyed by all Americans and all of humanity around the world. He hopes that everyone will support the museum and help it to reach its goals.
At this time, touring the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum is free.