Chuang Yen Monastery: One Year Later
This past Labor Day Weekend, I found myself once again at Chuang Yen Monastery. Unlike my previous visit, this time I arrived at the tail end of summer, late in the afternoon. The monastery was already closed to the public by the time we arrived, but this worked in our favor. The lack of tourists transformed the space into a sanctuary of stillness, leaving only nature, the stone paths, and the whisper of the trees to accompany us.
The weather was overcast, and the skies hung heavy with clouds. I had brought along my Kodak Gold 200 film, which I hadn’t used before. The cloudy skies gave way to muted tones in the photos, but in an unexpected way, the subdued colors aligned perfectly with the mood of the moment. The film captured something deeper than a sunny day might have—a peaceful sentiment, as though the monastery itself was in quiet contemplation, in harmony with the changing season.
Even though the gates were closed, it was a different kind of opening: a space for reflection, without distraction. In those few moments, I was able to connect with the pure tranquility of the place, as though it existed just for me in that fleeting hour.
Photos taken with my Nikon F3HP, Nikkor Ai-S 35mm F2.