This is the most beautiful and largest Vietnamese temple in the Houston, TX area. This is the only…read moretemple that I go to for worship for prosperity, great health, happiness, and praying for world peace.

Amazing to see such an authentic and beautiful large scale Buddhist complex in the United States…read more It is a testament to the devotion and hard work of Southeast Asian immigrants. The tempo is bilingual and has many educational aspects just from walking around. Definitely a must see cultural experience if visiting Houston !

Teo Chew Temple 本頭公廟 has been a national treasure for many decades. I only learned about this place…read moresince I start of CoVid pandemic. My company was looking to do a virtual lion dance performance. Then, I found Teo Chew Temple Lion Dance Team. Recently, the temple added a virtual guide by scanning the QR code on the door. You will get the description of each God in English. That was a lifesaver. Because the volunteers spoke only Vietnamese and very little Chinese. English is not a spoken language at the location at all. Teo Chew Temple is a must-see place for tourists. It's right off of the side street by Kim Som on Bellaire Blvd. there are plenty of parking as long as it's not a Buddhist holiday with celebrations.

Let me just start by saying I'm the type of person that's not superstitious at all or do I believe…read morein anything that's out of the ordinary. My sister went here during lunar new year and she donated also praying or our newly built business. When I say our business went up so much that couple weeks she comes back; I had to go here for my share of the donating. We got here on our first day in Houston and there was 3 older gentlemen in the front; they're extremely friendly but because my sister and I was speaking English they couldn't helped but to look at us. When I heard them speak Vietnamese that's when I asked them about where to purchase some items and they were nice enough to give to us for free. We did make some donations to different donation boxes and after 25 days now. I can tell you that my business went up so so much. To the person that complained that the temple has so much smoke... Like, what do you expected???? It's a temple! and for you to give them a 3 stars just for that. There's a special place for you in hell... just kidding Until next time!!! Peace

If you're in the area, take a moment to walk through this beautiful and peaceful house of worship…read more Admission is free. As we walked around the grounds we were gestured to come inside. Greeted by the smoky fragrant air of burning incense, we checked out each of the deities. Please be quiet as this is an active house of worship.

Very picturesque! Beautiful grand entrance. This place has a sense of calm and peace, especially in…read morethe incense area. The staff was kind enough to let us take photos and look around after it was supposed to be closed at 6pm. The place is gorgeous and I highly recommend to stop in for some great photos. Unfortunately, we did not browse in depth as we did not want to overstay during after hours.

I came here today (Saturday) with my mother. We are new to…read morethe practice of buddhism, and we make a substantial effort to be as respectful as possible. Today, we mistakenly thought that Saturday was the day for english instruction. Upon entering, I removed my shoes and greeted the woman at the front desk with a smile. She did not smile back. This did not make me feel welcome. Me and my mother proceeded further inside the temple, which is BEAUTIFUL by the way. We did take a moment to take it all in. There was no instruction or teachings going on, so we decided to seat ourselves quietly just to observe the beauty of the temple. There was a lively looking woman doing some work on the flowers. I decided to ask her what days of the week do I come for english teachings. Once again, I keep smiling at people to greet them, but they keep frowning! (I want to be clear and say that this is a normal faint smile that you do when you say hello to someone, I definitely was not doing anything weird or threatening) At this point I am thinking, Am I doing something wrong, or are these people really not pleased to have me here for any reason? She directed me to ask the lady at the front desk..so I went to ask. I respectfully stood outside of the room, waiting until she didn't look occupied. She greeted me with a disgruntled "Yes?" And I asked her my question. She answered me curtly, and I proceeded back into the center room of the temple. Me and my mother discussed plans for coming back, and then we decided to leave. As we were leaving, there were VERY kind women practitioners who were more friendly than the 2 workers I am discussing in this review. The woman at the front desk, closed the door on them as they were in prayer. She said "It's getting hot, sorry about that." And did not even say goodbye to us as we left. I am sure they have amazing teachings, its a shame I came on the wrong day! But overall, for a beginner practitioner who is a little unsure of themselves..I did not feel very welcomed or embraced in these interactions I had..I will not be returning. I don't know if these people were having a bad day, or if I did something wrong. But it was very uncomfortable for me. A temple is supposed to be a place where someone can take refuge, and feel safe around other compassionate people.

A little history of this temple and me: When I migrated from Taiwan more than a decade ago, I was…read moreshocked at how Buddhism was so difficult to find in America. Fortunately, my family was contacted by someone from Jade Buddha Temple. Even though I used to live in Baton Rough, LA, Jade Buddha Temple has ever since been my spiritual center to this point. Anyway onto the review! --- Located relatively close to the Houston Chinatown, Jade Buddha Temple is easy and convenient for visitors to access from the city without losing the serenity of the usual temple ground. In front of the temple is a large pond surrounding a tall, standing statue of Kwan-Yin (Avalokiteshvara). If the day is not too hot, the pond has benches surrounding it, so you can admire the pond and contemplate under the gaze of the merciful Bodhisattva. The temple's largest building is the Hero's Hall (The Main Hall), which houses the namesake jade Buddha statue with Maitreya (Popularly known as fat Buddha) as the cheerful greeter to those who enter the Hall. This is where services and festivals are held, but outside these times, the Hall is a silent yet serene ground to simply sit and behold. Quietness without coldness, simplicity with majestic extravagance, Jade Buddha's Main Hall is truly something that both practitioners and non-practitioners to visit to witness the spirituality and the art of Buddhism. Behind the Main Hall is a court yard that is followed by the second building, Kwan-Yin Hall, which houses the traditional Chinese Kwan-Yin in front and Cundi Avalokiteshvara in the back. In contrast to the more extravagant Main Hall, Kwan-Yin Hall displayed Zen simplicity in its decor, so it is no wonder that this is the Hall where the usual mediation sessions take place. Jade Buddha Temple offers many weekly scheduled events, almost all free, to the visitors that include yoga, mediation, service, and sermon. Although most of the staff and the reverends are Chinese-speaking, Jade Buddha Temple has English-oriented events for non-Chinese visitors. The Temple also has some volunteer opportunities to help maintain the temple ground and logistics. At certain times of the year, the Temple hosts traditional festivals including Buddha's birthday to pray for the welfare of all sentient beings. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, Jade Buddha Temple is worth to visit at least once if you are in the Houston area. The staff and the reverends at the Temple are very friendly and will happily answer any questions relating to life or Buddhism for you! You should temporarily escape from the loud urban environment and take refuge in the Jade Buddha Temple to relax, pray, or simply admire what Buddhism is all about.

So I took my parents here to see how beautiful Ive heard it was. Long story short while viewing…read morethis temple the owner came up to my mom and began giving her and I a cleanse. He slapped us with wet sticks and said a prayer/ chant.. It was awesome!

This is a very beautiful temple in East Downtown area right off of 45 near Cullen St. It is…read morededicated to Guan Di as the main deity but also a massive Shakyamuni Buddha at the back of the main building. There are numerous other deities as well which is typical of many Asian temples. This temple is dedicated to Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. People of all faiths welcome. Come pay a visit and have a look at the beautiful shrines. Make a donation (if you can - not mandatory) and take some incense to place for the deities. Think about what they represent and which virtues they personify. Ask to bring those same qualities into your life and the lives of those around you. Also, if something has been on your mind and you need some advice you can ask a question from a deity. There are oracle sticks for anyone to try and the nice gentleman at the temple can help to interpret the reading. Come enjoy the beauty and positive energy of Texas Guandi Temple.

Serene, quite, great place to meditate and connect with oneself! Comfortable seating as main hall…read moreused to be a church. A little different for a Bhuddist temple.

This is one of the larger Buddhist Temples around. Spiritual, beautiful and well-manicured with…read morelots of plants and herbs. We were visiting while moderate landscaping was underway, but still able to enjoy the grounds, pray and just take in the serenity of it all. Extremely friendly and welcoming staff. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us and sharing your history of this temple.

It is a very nice Buddhist temple and they have Spanish translation, they also have special healing…read moresessions, the master here is a very nice guy with special ability, if you believing in it. The food here is great as it is Latina America food but Vegetarian

Great place to meditate and relax been going for over 15 yrs and even longer with Master Cau Chin…read moreto visits when he was on Boone Rd

This place is a gem, Everyone here is so nice and so kind…read more You can breath peace and harmony here. It feels like never wanting to leave. It was my first time and the monks took their time to patiently teach me the different positions for meditation. After a 20 minute meditation the chants came and they were heavenly; we walked around in circles and then after the session was over, we went to a different room for the teaching. The master spoke so wisely and so calmly;it felt like I was in peace with my mind for the first time in my life. After that, they gave us food. Free food. WOW Free meditation Free teaching Free food Noble people. I am so glad there are still superior beings in this world. Thanks Chung Tai Zen Center, you are a true blessing from God.

How I missed coming here and missing all the masters here at Chung Tai. There's no judgement here,…read moreleave your troubles and worries outside the door. As soon as you step inside you feel immediate peace. Meditation classes are held in both Chinese and English (no charge) and there are also many other events that could help you gain knowledge in Buddhism and become enlightened. Take advantage of the meditation classes and Dharma talks. Masters are all very knowledgeable and helpful, you will be delighted and feel more peaceful after your visit.

Lien Hoa Pagoda and every Sunday morning from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., dishes are cooked to serve…read moreBuddhists who go to the pagoda to eat free vegetarian Hue vermicelli, sticky rice, braised tofu, chili rolls and other dishes, spring rolls.

I had just went on a nice long run at Archbishop park and wanted to stop by this awesome temple I…read morefound nearby. I get a thrill from finding places like Lien Hoa Temple. Ive been to many around Houston that people would be surprised to find. There is a sense of calmness amongst all of this chaos within these temples. Which is why I try finding different ones frequently. I definitely believe Houston needs more places like this to show our diversity and to promote cultural knowledge.

I came to Fo Guang Shan Chung Mei Temple 佛光山中美寺 was because my neighbor recommended. This is a…read morebeautiful place to visit. It has a Sunday service with monks and prayers spoken in Chinese Mandarin. Fo Guang Shan Chung Mei Temple 佛光山中美寺 is part of the International Buddhist Progress Society (IBPS). Located in Stafford, this temple sits on 89 acres of land. It officially opened in 2001. Fo Guang Shan as 佛光山 in Chinese translates to "Buddha's Light Mountain", was founded by Master Hsing Yun 星雲大師 in 1967. Fo Guang Shan is the largest monastery in Taiwan. There are over 300 branch temples worldwide. As far as I know, besides Houston, there is one in Austin and Dallas. I got a chance to try vegetarian food at Water Drop Teahouse. Prices were reasonable and food was delicious. Because most of the vegetation was damaged from a recent arctic blast. The garden was not as green as I wanted. So, I'll be back this summer. p.s. I uploaded 40 photos to go with my review. You need to use a computer see them at https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fo-guang-shan-chung-mei-buddhist-temple-stafford?userid=jwPVqdHpVHCBfAe4pZBbgA

My mom has been here before and recommended the tea house. We ordered 3 side dishes- lotus,…read moreseaweed, and edamame, kimchi soup pot, kale fried rice, potstickers, and the fruit tea and prosperity tea. Everything is vegan and they have education in the temple about how decreasing consumption of animal products is beneficial for the environment. The teas were both absolutely incredible. The fruit tea is so sweet, tart, and refreshing. The prosperity tea has a lovely floral smell and light taste. All of the food was incredible, though the kimchi was quite spicy. I should have ordered mild. There is a small shop in the temple, a library, and some books on buddhism available for a small recommended donation. Visitors are allowed to walk the grounds and it is so beautiful and peaceful