This page is for Southern California Chinese Buddhist temples 南加州. See separate pages for: Northern California (San Francisco) | New York and New Jersey and Pennsylvania | Northeast (Boston, Massachusetts, RI, CT) | Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin) | Southeast (Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama) | Pacific Northwest (Seattle Washington, Portland Oregon) | All Other USA

Listings jump to: San Diego | LA South (Long Beach, Anaheim, Orange County, Irvine) | LA - Center/North/West (Chinatown, Downtown, Santa Monica) | LA - East (San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, City of Industry, Pomona, Ontario)

Overview 南加利佛尼亞州:

Southern California is home to a large Asian-American population and accordingly, an array of Chinese Buddhist organizations. Here, we have listed the greater Los Angeles area as well as San Diego. Los Angeles is divided into general regions - South (including Orange County and Anaheim), Central (Chinatown, downtown, and north and west), and East (San Gabriel Valley, Rosemead, and more), with the San Gabriel Valley in particular representing one of the most Asian and Chinese-American regions of the United States.

In the LA metro region, pretty much every Chinese Buddhist organization has a chapter here, whether mainly mainlander, Cantonese / Hong Konger, Southeast Asian, Taiwanese, or some mixture. The representation of ABC (American-Born Chinese) is mixed, as some groups have more activities like summer camps and Chinese language schools, while others are more traditional and have an aging “membership”. Listing the larger Buddhist associations represented in the region: Fo Guang Shan has its US headquarters at Hsi Lai Temple as well as University of the West, IBPS Columbarium, and Hsi Fang Temple; Chung Tai Chan Monastery has Middle Land Chan Monastery; Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation has its US headquarters at San Dimas as well as several nonprofit medical clinics, preschools, and local branches; Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association has a LA monastery; Dharma Realm Buddhist Association has Gold Wheel Monastery near downtown LA, and branch temples Blessing Prosperity Longevity Monastery and Long Beach Monastery in the south side; and the Amitabha Buddhist Society Pure Land Association operates out of Amida Society. Significant other temples include Hu Kuo Temple Anaheim Buddhist Association, Pao Fa Temple in Irvine, and BOCA Dharma Seal in Rosemead, just a few among the many!

Hsi Lai Temple is the largest Buddhist temple building in the United States, and a popular tourist attraction for spiritual pilgrims and Instagram-worthy visual seekers alike with its traditional Tang-dynasty Chinese monastery design. (Note that to maintain a respectful atmosphere, photography is not allowed inside the main shrine halls.) There have been several books and video series featuring Hsi Lai Temple, which is one of the very few (if not only) US Buddhist institutions to have hosted a Vice President. Remarkably, at just three decades old, Hsi Lai (which means Coming West) Temple already serves as an inspiration as an example of the integration of Chinese Buddhism into America.

Jump to top | LA South (Long Beach, Anaheim, Orange County, Irvine) | LA - Center/North/West (Chinatown, Downtown, Santa Monica) | LA - East (San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, City of Industry, Pomona, Ontario)

San Diego area 聖地亞哥

Hsi Fang Temple 西方寺 (Fo Guang Shan San Diego Buddhist Association)
4536 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92116
hsifangtemple.org
facebook.com/hsifangtemple

Fo Guang Shan (Buddha’s Light / International Buddhist Progress Society) San Diego branch Hsi Fang Temple is the premier Chinese Buddhist monastery in the San Diego area. Built in 1987, the two 3-story buildings in a walkable neighborhood include a main shrine/altar room in one, and a tea cafe, bookstore / gift shop, and library/classrooms in the other. Hsi Fang Temple has resident monastics, but monastics from nearby Hsi Lai Temple in Los Angeles also frequently come to give talks. They also offer some classes in English and for children/youth, though admittedly most Westerners have left to attend groups at Dharma Bum Temple, of which the current physical location (a former church that became the temple in 2017) is within walking distance a few blocks away. (In the early 2000s, Westerners attracted to the Dharma gathered at Hsi Fang Temple, but many felt a lack of resonance with the Asian flavors of Buddhism there, and it can be viewed as a strength of the diversity of Buddhist practices in San Diego that Dharma Bum Temple, which hosts very Western-oriented Vipassana, Theravada, Zen, mindfulness, and Tibetan / Vajrayana practice groups, can co-exist alongside Fo Guang Shan Hsi Fang Temple.)

Tzu Chi San Diego 慈濟聖地亞哥
5754 Pacific Center Blvd., Suite 202, San Diego, CA 92121
TzuChi.us
facebook.com/tzuchisandiego

The San Diego chapter of global Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation is active in many efforts, including community service, disaster relief, fundraising for charity, and so forth. From around 2012 to 2017, it also operated an Ecoverse Jing Si tea cafe and bookshop with vegetarian light fare and environmentally friendly goods in trendy downtown SD, but this little haven is now closed.

International Bodhisattva Sangha 菩薩寺
Formerly at 9715 Carroll Center Road Suite #105, San Diego, CA 92129 United States
www.ibstemple.org

Founded by Venerable Huei Guang around 2006, IBS currently does not have a public physical location or regularly scheduled religious activities. It is focusing work on prison outreach with mindfulness programs and prison “sanghas” to help inmates develop more calmness and insight, as well as a school and orphanage in Nepal. As a graduate of UCSD and with mixed ancestry including African-American, Ven. Hueiguang is multilingual and well suited for activities in English; he was previously part of Fo Guang Shan until leaving the organization probably in part to try to be more innovative in his work with Westerners. However, he spends much of the year in Taiwan or Nepal, so activities at IBS are led by other monastics or lay volunteers most of the time.

Chinese Friendship Association 華人聯誼會 觀音堂
3876 50th St, San Diego, CA 92105

Perhaps the oldest Chinese Buddhist temple in San Diego, this group was founded before 1982, mainly by Southeast Asian refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos of Chinese descent, and in its heyday helped refugees and immigrants transition to life in the United States. As the Asian diaspora grew, Vietnamese, Lao, Thai, Khmer, Hmong, and other groups left to form their own temples. This group has never had a resident monastic, and nowadays the congregation is aging and dwindling — formal religious services, mostly chanting devotional, now only occur twice a month, on lunar 1 and 15th.

Jump to: Top | San Diego | LA South (Long Beach, Anaheim, Orange County, Irvine) | LA - Center/North/West (Chinatown, Downtown, Santa Monica) | LA - East (San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, City of Industry, Pomona, Ontario)

Greater LA - South: Long Beach, Orange County, South Bay, Anaheim, Irvine, Torrance, Downey, etc
洛杉磯南部: 南灣, 波莫納, 奧蘭治縣, 阿納海姆, 長灘

Hu Kuo Temple 護國禪寺
1501 W. Katella Ave. Anaheim, CA 92802
www.facebook.com/hukuotemple

Founded in 1980, this large temple is close to Disneyland and hosts traditional Chinese Buddhist events such as chanting services and meditation. A summer camp is held for youth each year as well.

Blessing Prosperity Longevity Monastery 福祿壽聖寺 
4140 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90807
bplmonastery.org

Founded in 1994 as part of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, this branch temple now attracts a combined Vietnamese-Chinese congregation.

Long Beach Sagely Monastery 長堤聖寺
3361 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90803
longbeachmonastery.org

Founded in 1993 as part of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, Long Beach Monastery was the site of marking founding Venerable Master Hsuan Hua’s entering paranirvana in 1995. A former Catholic convent for 40 years, the beautiful oceanfront location was acquired by DRBA when the Catholic nuns moved to Santa Barbara. Long Beach Monastery opted to keep the existing Virgin Mary statue outside, as many local Catholics prayed daily in front of the divine statue. In order not to disrupt their sincere devotion, the Buddhist temple kept the Virgin Mary altar along the road intact. Perhaps one of the few Buddhist temples in the US with a beach seaside view, though the nuns here are very diligent in their daily cultivation.

Pao Fa Temple American Lotus Buddhist Association 寶法寺
2692 Beckman Ave, Irvine CA
paofatemple.org

The American Lotus Buddhist Association was founded in Irvine in 1990, but the completion of the construction of Pao Fa Buddhist Temple was not until 2002. This large temple also hosts Chinese school and a summer camp for youth. It is affiliated with two other monasteries in Taiwan.

Fa Kwang Temple  法光寺 
12110 Pomering Rd. Downey, CA 90242

Founded in 1978, Fa Kwang Temple is a fairly traditional Buddhist association housed in a suburban concrete-style building. We are looking for more information about this group!

Mahavaipuya Buddhist Association 大方廣學會
8781 Knott Ave. Buena Park, CA 90620
mba-la.org (Website down as of 2020)

Wan Yuen Temple 萬緣寺
18616 Alburtis Ave, Artesia CA 90701

Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation branches 慈濟
tzuchi.us
Tzu Chi Cerritos: 14618 Carmenita Road, Norwalk, CA 90650
Tzu Chi Orange County: 22911 Mill Creek Dr., Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Tzu Chi Torrance: 1355 Board Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744

Jump to: Top | San Diego | LA South (Long Beach, Anaheim, Orange County, Irvine) | LA - Center/North/West (Chinatown, Downtown, Santa Monica) | LA - East (San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, City of Industry, Pomona, Ontario)

Greater LA - Center/North/West: Chinatown, Downtown, North Los Angeles, and Santa Monica, etc
洛杉磯北部和西部 :唐人街, 市中心

Gold Wheel Monastery 金輪聖寺
235 North Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90042
goldwheel.org

Western American Buddhist 圓覺寺
2451 Workman St., Los Angeles, CA 90031

This temple is fairly traditional serving a Chinese-American diaspora, with a resident monastic and bi-weekly chanting services.

Ming Ya Buddhist Temple 佛學明月居士林
4371 Valley Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90032

Mystic Dharma Temple  妙法院 
5206 N. Figueroa St.  Los Angeles, CA 90042

Quan Yum Temple 美國加州洛杉磯普陀觀音菩薩寺 
1349-1351 N.Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012 

Southern Calif. Chinese Buddhist Temple  延壽寺 
1301 Lilac Terrace, Los Angeles, CA 90026 

Kuan Yin Buddhist Temple 觀音寺
242 E. Avenue 39th, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Tzu Chi Northridge 慈濟
8963 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, CA 91324
tzuchi.us

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Greater LA - East: Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, City of Industry, San Gabriel, Pomona, Ontario, etc 洛杉磯東部地區

Middle Land Chan Monastery 中洲禪寺
1173 San Bernardino Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767
middleland.org
Facebook

Opened in 2008 as part of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, Middle Land Chan Monastery offers meditation classes in English and in Chinese, as well as vegetarian cooking classes, flower-arrangement and cultural activities, Zen meditation retreats, Children’s mindfulness weekend activities, and more. This monastery is a very serene environment to practice Zen meditation and cultivating the way, and great for both beginners and experienced practitioners.
Originally planned to be in the City of Walnut dating prior to 2002, the Buddhist group suffered religious discrimination and was unfairly denied use of its land even when much larger neighboring Christian churches were approved, which the federal Department of Justice investigated and found to be true, siding with the temple in noting that the city systematically denied religious freedom. This event helped spur local diversity and civil rights training in order to protect minorities and uphold American freedoms.

BOCA Dharma Seal (Fayin) Temple 法印寺 
3027 North Del Mar Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770 
fayin.US
www.facebook.com/FaYinSi

Founded in 1977, the Dharma Seal Temple or Fayin Temple moved to its current location around 1990. BOCA stands for Buddhist Ortho-Creed Association, and this group publishes monthly magazines, hosts children’s youth camp, and has many other wholesome activities.

Dharma Drum Los Angeles 法鼓山洛杉磯道場
4530 N. Peck Rd, El Monte, CA 91732
ddmbala.org
www.facebook.com/ddmbala

While members began meeting 1992, Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association Los Angeles did not have a permanent location until 2012, opening a converted former church complex with classroom buildings. Resident monastics arrived in 2014, and today, DDMBA LA offers regular Zen meditation classes and groups in both English and in Chinese. It is the first Dharma Drum temple outside of New York, though now there are Dharma Drum branches in Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta, St Louis, Chicago, Boston, and other cities.

Hsi Lai Temple 佛光山西來寺 
3456 South Glenmark Dr, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 
hsilai.org

The largest Buddhist temple building in the United States, Fo Guang Shan’s Hsi Lai Temple opened in 1988 to great fanfare, establishing the Chinese Buddhist monastery in American society. While original plans included a large statue of Guan Yin Bodhisattva (Avalokitesvara), much revision was done to scale down the monastery design in order to appease skeptical neighbors. (It is worth noting that much larger statues of Christian crosses dot the American suburban landscape without facing much opposition.) Still magnificent though, the temple features several grand halls, a cafeteria open for lunch, a tea room, library, conference facilities, and a meditation hall. The most popular holiday includes the week-long Chinese New Year festivities with dragon-dances and grand cultural celebrations. Many of the resident monastics rotate from Fo Guang Shan parent monastery in Taiwan, as efforts to develop more American roots have not been as successful.

International Buddhist Progress Society Buddhist Memorial Columbarium 佛光山玫瑰陵
3888 S. Workmill Road, Whittier CA 90601
www.hsilai.org/pl/ch/index.html
facebook.com/ibpsrosehills

Part of the Rose Hills Memorial Complex, this picturesque cemetery with a Buddhist pagoda is the resting place for ashes, urns, stupas, and graves, for funerals and the deceased, affiliated with Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple, and was opened in 1999.

University of the West
1409 N. Walnut Grove Avenue, Rosemead, California 91770
uwest.edu
facebook.com/universityofthewest

An accredited university offering degrees in business, English, and psychology, in addition to religious studies and chaplaincy, the University of the West was founded as Hsi Lai University in 1991.

Tzu Chi USA Buddhist Foundation 慈濟
San Dimas, Southern California, and National Headquarters: 1100 S Valley Center Ave, San Dimas, CA 91773
Tzu Chi San Gabriel: 9620 Flair Dr., El Monte, CA 91731
tzuchi.us
facebook.com/TzuChiUSA

The global Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation was founded in 1966 from humble beginnings when Buddhist nun Dharma Master Cheng Yen gathered housewives to collect mere cents every day to contribute to charity in then-impoverished Taiwan. Since then, Tzu Chi (meaning Compassionate Relief) has grown into the world’s largest Buddhist charity, with activities in humanitarian relief, education, healthcare, charity, and more. The US branch started in 1985, with activities including community service, donations to the needy, food banks, and more. There are 8 branches of Tzu Chi in Southern California, plus three medical clinics for the uninsured, two stand-alone bilingual preschools / elementary schools, several weekend-only Chinese schools, and a small fleet of mobile dental and vision clinic trucks.

Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool and Elementary School 慈濟大愛幼兒園 & 慈濟大愛小學
Walnut Campus: 1920 S. Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd, Walnut, CA 91789
Monrovia Campus: 429 E Wildrose Ave, Monrovia, CA 91016
English: education.tzuchi.us
中文 education.us.tzuchi.org
facebook.com/Tzu-Chi-Great-Love-Preschool-Walnut-CA-431176310316613/
facebook.com/tzuchimonroviapreschool

The first Great Love Preschool and Elementary School in the United States by Tzu Chi was opened in Monrovia in 2006, with the Walnut campus opening in 2013. Tzu Chi Preschools and Elementary schools teach children compassion and holistic life skills, often in bilingual (English and Mandarin Chinese) settings, helping educate them both in academics and in wholesome character and virtue.

Tzu Chi Medical Clinics
Alhambra: 1000 S. Garfield Ave. Alhambra, CA 91801
Wilmington: 1355 Broad Ave., Wilmington, CA 90744
South El Monte: 10414 Vacco St. South El Monte, CA 91733
medical.tzuchi.us
facebook.com/tzuchimed

Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation provides medical care to underserved and uninsured populations, including migrant workers and other needy communities, without regard to religion or background. Services include community clinic / primary care, vision / optometry and glasses, dental, immunizations, healthcare screening, and acupuncture / traditional Chinese medicine. Mobile dental and vision trucks provide routine services to migrant workers and indigent in Central California, with regular stops in Fresno and Modesto. There is also a podiatry and dental clinic in Milpitas, near San Jose in Northern California. The Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) goes on medical mission trips internationally, especially after disasters such as earthquakes, to provide humanitarian and medical aid in countries such as Nepal and Mexico.

Rosemead Buddhist Monastery 羅省佛教聯合會 菩提寺 
7833 Emerson Place, Rosemead, CA 91770
labuddhist.org

Amida Society 洛杉磯淨宗學會 
5918 Cloverly Ave, Temple City, CA 91780
amtb-la.org

Members of the Amitabha Buddhist Pure Land Society of Los Angeles officially incorporated in 1990, and this temple location was opened in 1997. Devotional chanting in the Pure Land School of Master Chin Kung means most activities involve mindful recitation of Buddha’s name “amituofo” or sutras such as the Amitabha Sutra as means to cultivate a pure mind.

Sino American Ching-Chueh Buddhist 戒光禪寺 
11108 Lower Azusa Rd, El Monte, CA 91732

Yuan Yung Buddhist Center  圓融禪寺 
6310 East Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022 

Kuan Yin Meditation Temple  觀音禪寺 
215 W. Foot Hill Blvd, Monrovia CA 91016

Ling Yen Mountain Temple
13938 Decliff Dr, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739

Lu Mountain Temple & Wei Mountain Temple 廬山寺 & 潙山寺
7509 Mooney Drive, Rosemead, CA 91770
7732 Emerson PI, Rosemead, CA 91770
chanpureland.org

Lu Mountain Temple opened in 2012 and nearby Wei Mountain Temple opened in 2018 in a renovated old Presbyterian church (originally built in 1925). Rumors are that the founding monk here split away from Dharma Realm Buddhist Association.

Vairocana Zen Monastery 毗盧禪寺
13735 Yockey St. Garden Grove, CA 92844

Rumors are that the founding monk at this temple split from Chung Tai Chan Monastery in a somewhat non-amicable manner to found his own center in Southern California, and now has an additional branch in Mexico.

Buddha Monastery Support Association 觀音精舍
129 N New Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91755

Smaller Chinese Buddhist centers (some are essentially in houses):

Global Buddhist Association 靈山草堂寺 
127 N. Huntington Ave., Monterey Park, CA, 91754

Buddhist Fellowship of South California  南加州學佛聯誼會
9473 Las Tunas Drive Temple City, CA 91780
greatwisdombfsc.org

Sheng Nen Temple 聖能寺 
1212 W. Hellman Ave, Alhambra, CA 91801 

American Buddhist Fellowship 澄清寺 
1032 S. 1st Street, Alhambra, CA 91801 
meifotemple.org

Founded in 2009 by a monk from mainland China, this small temple is really just a house, but still hosts traditional Buddhist services.

Pacific Buddhist Association 太平洋佛教會 
2810 San Pasqual St, Pasadena, CA 91107 

Society for Buddhist Renaissance  新雨佛學社 
6831 N. Lotus Ave, San Gabriel, CA 91775 

Jump to: Top | San Diego | LA South (Long Beach, Anaheim, Orange County, Irvine) | LA - Center/North/West (Chinatown, Downtown, Santa Monica) | LA - East (San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, City of Industry, Pomona, Ontario)