Thousands Enjoy Themselves at Tzu Chi’s Festive Charity Fair

From 7 to 8 January 2023, Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Organization (Singapore) Ltd held a two-day Tzu Chi Festive Charity Fair, attracting around 7,000 participants. (Photo by Khor Kim Seng)

"I took the MRT at 7am, transferred at Jurong East station to arrive at Pasir Ris station, and took another bus transfer to reach here," said Lim Choon Wee, who has extremely poor eyesight. Assisted by his walking stick, Lim Choon Wee was one of the first to arrive at the Tzu Chi Festive Charity Fair.

The fair was held online for the past two years due to the pandemic. It finally resumed a physical fair and “returned” to Jing Si Hall after thirteen years. Although the venue was not spacious, volunteers made good use of the space to contain booths selling delicious vegetarian food and Chinese New Year goodies. They also prepared 12 interesting stage performances, 13 sessions of family-bonding handicraft workshops, tea art sessions, flower arrangement experiential classes, art exhibitions, etc.

Tzu Chi Festive Charity Fair returns to its former roar after two years. (Photo by Tim Wong)

The two-day fair on the 7^th and 8^th of January 2023 attracted about 7,000 people, including faithful supporters like Lim Choon Wee, who has known Tzu Chi for more than 20 years. Despite his poor eyesight and inconvenience of travelling, Lim Choon Wee came to the fair for many years because he believed it was a good deed for the earth.

45-year-old Lim Choon Wee had an accident when he was young, and that caused him to gradually lose his eyesight. When he heard from volunteers about Tzu Chi's good deeds, he immediately offered his donation, expressing his firm belief that he gains happiness by helping others. At the fair, Lim Choon Wee filled his reusable bags to the rim with Chinese New Year goodies. He planned to share them with his parents and siblings. As a vegetarian for more than ten years, he enjoyed the variety of delicious vegetarian dishes at the fair with the help of the volunteers.

Lim Choon Wee (right), who has extremely poor eyesight, arrives early at the fair on the first day. He bought some dry rations from a child at the fair compound. (Photo by Ng Hock Soon)

Love Converges to Complete Good Deeds

At 10am on 7 January, Low Swee Seh, Managing Director of Tzu Chi Merit Organization (Singapore) Ltd., hit the gong to kick off the two-day fair. This year, there were 30 stalls selling Chinese New Year biscuits, festive flowers, gift bags, medicinal herbs, nuts jams, handicrafts, and many more. Considering the uncertainties associated with the pandemic, online ordering was also made available. However, the public was more interested to join in the crowd onsite.  

 "Please feel the temperature of this jar of jam."

Ronald Neo, jam stall owner demonstrated the making of cold-pressed organic nuts jam and allowed everyone to taste the variety of nut jam. He also introduced the different ways to enjoy the jam.

"We sold more than 500 cans on the first day, surpassing the total number of last year’s online sale, and we will continue to support this event next year!"

Jiang Lily, who is also a stall owner, said excitedly. Six years ago, in order to find a healthy nut jam, Jiang Lily began to research how to make a healthy jam that is without any additives so that everyone can eat healthily and at a reasonable price.

At the neighbouring section, there were 28 stalls selling mouthwatering and flavourful vegetarian dishes. There was a stall selling burgers made with plant-based meat and another one offering vegetarian laksa using wholesome organic ingredients. Tzu Chi youths (a.k.a. Tzu Ching) also used various promotional materials to educate the public on how to implement a low-carbon diet and lifestyle.

"I finally appreciate what comfort is after I am able to sit down."

Peh Oon Kee, a businessman, said with a smile after standing on duty for two days at his fruit stall. His "Harmony Vegetable & Fruit Juice" stall, especially his avocado juice, was very popular. Besides juices, he also offered guava. And in response to environmental protection, he ditched the small plastic bags and used small reusable bowls for the guavas.

Peh Oon Kee first participated in the fair over a decade ago. At that time, the fair was held at Jing Si Hall. He and his wife would always turn up together with a group of friends whenever they were participating in the fair. And he would rack his brains to come up with different fruit and vegetable combinations and even sold fruits such as yuzu and coconuts before. 

In addition to the juice stall, the director of the Kimly Group, a coffee shop chain, also sponsored CNY goods for the fair, saying that it was easier to "pay" to support the charity fair for two years during the pandemic but it was more joyful to come to the site and physically contribute to the effort.

He said that among the many tedious details, the most important thing is that everyone has a consensus to come together to do good deeds. He further shared his insights from years of supporting the charity fair, "Don't fret over minor details, think big and stay positive."

Peh Oon Kee (left), a businessman, has been supporting Tzu Chi’s Festive Charity Fair for many years, and he feels happier to be able to physically contribute to the event onsite than conducting the online sale during the pandemic.

Tzu Chings holding a signboard to promote environmental protection and low-carbon diet to members of the public. (Photo by Bong Kian Hin)

Member of the public Tan Chin Seh, who is also a regular supporter of Tzu Chi’s Festive Charity Fair, enjoyed the food on Sunday morning in a family of four from three generations. They also went to the Buddha Hall on the third floor to watch the drum performance, martial arts and sign language performances to get an early taste of Chinese New Year.

"Happy, happy."

The elderly mother said happily with a thumb up. The volunteers also encouraged her daughter to register as a marrow donor and wished the family a pleasant and meaningful Sunday.

Tan Chin Seh (first from left) arrives at the charity fair with her family of four from three generations to feel the lively atmosphere of Chinese New Year in advance. (Photo by Douglas Lee)

Permeating with the tantalising scent of food, the food offered in the food section includes Omni meat burgers, Vietnamese banh mi, satay vermicelli, braised noodles, laksa, thunder tea rice, dumplings, braised aromatic dishes, etc.  (Photo by Tim Wong)

People Crowding both Outdoor and Indoor of Jing Si Hall

Tzu Chings made good use of technology to create a digital "treasure map" to guide the members of the public in finding food and shopping for Chinese New Year's groceries and helping themselves to Jing Si Hall to watch the hourly stage performances as well as attending the floral arrangement and tea art experiential classes. Tzu Chings, together with Tzu Shao, the Parent-Child Classes, the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association, and the Great Love Preschool, rehearsed several times to present the best performance for the audience.

In the Buddha Hall on the third floor, three famous calligraphers were seen writing Chinese calligraphy onsite. Mr Ma Shuang Lu wrote“慈义非凡” (which means the purpose of Tzu Chi is extraordinary) for a Jing Si ceramic piece. Mr Chua Tok Nam wrote, "Society is safe when people’s hearts are purified. Things will go smoothly in this world when there is no natural and man-made disaster”. Last but not least, Mr Teng Wen Chang wrote the Tzu Chi theme for this year: “Lead life with compassion and wisdom to pass on legacies to future generations”.

There were 13 different art workshops on the first floor, ranging from origami and soap making to 3D printing, allowing children to express their creativity. Parents of Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool also responded enthusiastically to Tzu Chi's annual event by volunteering to come up with ideas, prepare materials, fix prices, and make posters, allowing parents and children to play and learn while doing good deeds.

Dressed in performance costumes made of environmentally friendly materials, the volunteers advocate environmental protection with lively and fun plays. (Photo by Ng Shey Ying)

The Jing Si tea art experiential class brought everyone together to experience the true beauty of Tzu Chi’s humanistic culture. (Photo by Khor Kim Seng)

Eco Protection Effort Stepped Up

This year, more than 150 volunteers were mobilised to sort and recycle recyclables, and no disposable packing containers or plastic bags were provided onsite. Since 2008, Tzu Chi Festive Charity Fair has gradually transformed into a green bazaar, recycling and sorting cartons, plastics and metals, and turning food waste into compost, hoping people can shop and do good at the same time while reducing harm to the earth.

"It's especially heartwarming to hold a charity fair at home. It is easier to move our things around too. It also allows the members of the public to visit our home, Jing Si Hall, and learn more about the footprints of charity, medicine, education and humanistic culture."  

Ong Wee Heng, the coordinator of the charity fair, shared how the volunteers worked together to make the best use of the limited space. At the same time, the event brought together volunteers who had not returned to Jing Si Hall for a long time since the pandemic.

Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool teachers are sorting recyclables at the corner of Jing Si Hall. (Photo by Bong Kian Hin)

While the patrons enjoyed their meal, volunteers worked silently at the back of Jing Si Hall to wash the reusable dishes.

The two-day Chinese New Year Bazaar ended with a chorus of "cheers and thanks!" and the total waste volume produced by this year's Festive Charity Fair reduced from ten rubbish bins in 2020 to six 660-litre sized rubbish bins. Also, 168 kind-hearted people registered for bone marrow donation during the two-day fair.

After the event, the volunteers of the transportation group helped the patrons who bought a lot of Chinese New Year goods to carry their goods and stayed back until the venue was restored. The housekeeping team tidied up all the dishes the next day. Everyone was getting ready to usher in the Year of the Rabbit with great joy while hoping to carry on the practice of waste reduction, energy saving and carbon reduction in daily life!  

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