Update February 23, 2023:

As of yesterday morning, with the support of the community and many watchful eyes, we were able to recover the temple bell. There is an ongoing investigation into how it went missing, but the bell is now securely back at the Tallahassee Chan Center.

History of the Bell

The outdoor temple bell is a mainstay of the Tallahassee Chan Center. It was uniquely purchased and hand delivered as a gift from donors in Taiwan. The temple bell is used during our intensive meditation retreats, which are normally held under noble silence. Thus, the use of tools to signify the next scheduled event is important. See this video for how the bell was used (this footage was taken just two days before it was stolen).

Founder of the Chan Center, Guo Gu, installing the bell in 2017 with Dewaine Rester

Neighbors of the Tallahassee Chan Center often recounted how peaceful the bell was, and how it reminded them to be more present during their day.

When It Was Stolen

On February 8, 2023 at 2:00am, two people came on bicycles and cut the rope that tied the bronze bell (approx 15″ tall and 10″ wide) into a large container. If you have any information about these people, please contact us at: tallahassee.chan@gmail.com or by phone at 850-888-2616.

Front of the Bell


Back of the Bell