Volunteering at a temple
For Huang Yaxuan, a 24-year-old photographer, one Chinese New Year unfolded far from home — inside a Buddhist temple.
Two years ago, her grandmother passed away. Her father, who had cared for her for years, wanted something different. After seeing a notice recruiting Spring Festival volunteers, the family traveled from Nanchang, Jiangxi province, to the Liuzu Temple, where the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism, Huineng, stayed, in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province. They stayed for nearly three weeks.
During the holiday, the temple hosted hundreds of visitors daily. More than 20 volunteers handled chores: cleaning rooms, sweeping floors, washing dishes.
Huang, drawing on her professional skills, was responsible for photographing the temple's activities. She also photographed her parents at work — moments she rarely captured at home.
"These simple, physical tasks calm you," she says. In her spare time, she copied scriptures, practiced tai chi, or played with stray cats.
Days began before sunrise and ended early. Before bed, the family sat together, reflecting on the day — on moments when they might have chosen patience over anger.
On Spring Festival Eve, the temple gathered everyone to set off fireworks.
"It's hard to say which day stood out," Huang says. "Every day felt ordinary, but everyone wore smiles, and my family quietly enjoyed the sense of peace that comes with the New Year."
Another volunteer, Zhou Danfeng, spent last Chinese New Year at a temple alone. After her parents divorced and formed new families, she struggled to find a place where she felt she belonged.
At the temple, she met others like herself — young people navigating family rifts or career uncertainty. They did not ask about one another's past. They cleaned, made dumplings, and welcomed the Chinese New Year together.
"I didn't expect to receive so much kindness," she says.
The Chinese New Year of her childhood exists now only in memory. Yet, she still seeks ritual.
Perhaps this is what the holiday increasingly represents for younger generations: it's no longer about strictly adhering to custom or being in a specific place.
Instead, it's about finding those who matter most — to share the weight of the past year and the quiet hope of the one ahead, side by side.
Bai Shuhao contributed to this story.
