Westerners have been romanticizing the East for a long time, from the Silk Road trade to colonization to today’s Matcha Latte culture. Eastern philosophies and religions are part of that too. Buddhism has been a stable religion in the East for a long time, and it quietly spread to the West over the years. Many Westerners convert to Buddhism for almost opposite reasons from people in the East: peace, tranquility, and most importantly, they see Buddhism more as a philosophy or way of living rather than an Abrahamic religion. I have met people here in the States telling me, “Are you guys peace of mind?” whenever they find out I practice Buddhism. I always answer, “We are just like yours.” If we look back at the history of religion and war, Crusades and Jihad have filled many history books, so people assume Buddhism and Hinduism are more tame and have less conflict. It is true they have less BEEF (no pun intended), but that does not mean they are always peaceful.

There are five major Theravada Buddhist countries, yet all of them are in conflict in some ways. Nobody is really living in peace. So is Buddhism really a peaceful religion? We are not going to argue about that here. Instead, this project focuses more on the misconceptions of Buddhism, or more specifically, the different perspectives of Buddhism in the East and the West.

The West admires Buddhist temples for their unique architecture and presentation, but mostly through stupas and statues. I assume Westerners love Buddha statues so much that they bring them home as souvenirs. You often see Buddha statues here as decoration. They can be on tables, stairs, gardens, or parks. They can be giant Buddha heads or tiny statues. In Asia, many households also have at least one Buddha statue. But what is the difference? What changes when a Buddha statue is placed inside a Buddhist Altar instead of being used as decoration?

In this project, I visited six Burmese Buddhist households across the Bay Area to document Theravada Buddhist altars, a tradition connected deeply to both Buddhism and Burmese culture.

01 - My first destination is a Burmese household in Concord. I have been there quite a few times and I am always amazed by how big their altar is.
In fact, they have a dedicated worship and offering room for Buddha. This is also a common practice in Burma. If you have a big house or extra rooms, one room is often given as a prayer room.
Illustrated poster of Buddha.
02 - I traveled back to West Oakland to document the Buddha altar inside Granny’s bedroom. She explained that she wanted it in the living room, but because the living room is directly connected to the kitchen, she decided to place the offering space inside her bedroom instead.
Very unique Buddha statue wearing Burmese ancient Royal ornaments and Helmet.
03 - Golden Buddha surrounded by three photographs.
The Host, Aunty Sak showing her altar cabinet containing religious items, books, and documents.
A printed illustration of Buddha that she has kept since medical school in the 1980s. She valued it so much that she carried it with her to the States after the 88 Uprising.
04 - Another household in San Francisco. By this time, you may notice the basic arrangement of a Buddhist altar: the Buddha statues are placed in the center, surrounded by decorative lights and flowers on either side. In front of the statue(s) are offerings of food (swon) and holy water. These offerings are traditionally placed early in the morning and removed at noon.
05 - Hand fan with a picture of Bo Min Gaung. It says, “May you be healthy and wealthy, and may your wishes come true.”
Food offering for Bo Min Gaung.
06 - I traveled all the way to Pittsburgh for the last stop. The couple living in the household turned one spare bedroom into a worship and offering room.
Offering Holy Water to Buddha.
Glittering flower-shaped lamp.
Artist's statement.

Photographer – Fio

Fio is an emerging documentary photographer from Burma. As an immigrant residing in the United States, he wishes to explore and document the lives of people in exile, traditions, and the political impact on youth, as well as their hopes and dreams for the future.

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