Year of the Monkey: celebrating the lunar new year 2016
Lunar new year is a time of renewal, marked by huge festivals and celebrations for the millions of people around the world who mark the annual transition.
Events are more low key in Canberra, and come from even more humble beginnings.
When Sakyamuni Buddhist Centre founder Quang Ba Thich arrived in Canberra more than 30 years ago, the lunar new year celebration was a small crowd of 100 people, all squeezed into a "temple", at the time a rented house.
Now, depending on weather and day of the week, the Most Venerable Thich expecting more than 1000 people to come to celebrate in the center of Lyneham Buddha.
Hoping for prosperity and good luck and ward off evil spirits is central to various cultural celebrations around the lunar new year, including the Chinese New Year.
Most Venerable Thich said the lunar new year is also a time of renewal, planned for next year, and celebrate with family and food.
It is common for people of Vietnam to set up an altar in the house where they put fruit, water, flowers, candles and incense in front of the name plaque of their ancestors.
Family is the center of the celebration, a time to show respect and gratitude to one's ancestors, the Most Venerable Thich said.
"Without a tradition of clan families, people have lost the way. Young people can enjoy a wider contacts to a friend but no friend can help you when you are at times down, just family.
"Family is very important but to hold the family tradition, you really should have a focal point and focus when it comes together, and especially in the lunar new year."
2016 is the Year of the Monkey, which is in the Most Venerable Thich own occasion he treated with caution.
"People can say a lot of things but I do not always take their word as truth," he said of what the Year of the Monkey means to him. "People are very creative, they can make things up, they make everything look good."
Sakyamuni Buddhist Centre Lyneham host a vegetarian meal on Sunday night, with a kiosk located among the plants and flowers and statues of Buddha.
One aide manned deep fryer, cook spring rolls in batches, as those taking place at the long banquet table to eat noodles soup, salad and fruit.
There are two lion dance in the temple planned for 09:00 and midnight. This temple will also host a service on Monday, the first day of the lunar new year.
Happy Chinese New Year 2567 Kongzili for those who celebrate!
