Dharma Drum Mountain Rings the Lotus Bell 108 Times to Welcome the Lunar New Year, Praying for World Peace

February 16, 2026, is the last day of the year according to Lunar calendar, known as Lunar New Year's Eve for Chinese-speaking people. On this night, Buddhist temples and monasteries traditionally strike their great bell 108 times to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one. In Buddhism, it is believed that human beings have 108 kinds of mental afflictions. Thus, each of the 108 bell tolls on Lunar New Year's Eve symbolizes the removal of afflictions from the past, present, and future.

Beginning at 9:30 p.m. (Taiwan time) on February 16, 2026, the Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain, Venerable Guo Huei (果暉法師), together with prominent figures and honored guests from all sectors of Taiwanese society, will strike the Lotus Bell 108 times and deliver a Dharma talk, praying for the happiness and peace of all sentient beings in the coming year and for world peace.

On the Lunar New Year's Eve, Dharma Drum Mountain has specially set up a landscape art installation titled "Heart of Water" at the Welcoming Guanyin Park, located beside the main parking area of the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education. Under the starry sky, visitors may light a lamp before the Guanyin statue to pray for themselves and for the world. Afterwards, they may proceed to the Lotus Bell Tower to take part in the Lunar New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony. Afterward, they can visit the Wish-Fulfilling Guanyin Hall to write down their wishes for the coming year on prayer cards.



For those unable to attend the Lunar New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony in person, a live online broadcast will be available, thereby allowing viewers to listen to the bell tolls and receive blessings from wherever they are. We warmly welcome your participation.

Live stream URL: https://newyearbell.ddm.org.tw/live_tw_3.php





Photo: Dharma Drum Mountain 
Original text in Chinese: 張曜鐘
Translation: Patricia Yang
Editing: Keith Brown