Since receiving the novice precepts on Kuan Yin Bodhisattva’s birthday, 1977, Heng He has taken up residence at Joyous Giving House at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Heng He did not have occasion to learn English, so now she studies English as a second language at Dharma Realm Buddhist University.

Joining In the daily activities of the nuns, Heng He's time is filled with work, study, and worship in the women's monastic complex of the City. Planting the gardens, cooking the vegetarian meals, and helping tend the grounds comprise the "work" part of her days.  Reciting the Universal Door Chapter of the Dharma Flower Sutra and recitation of chapters from the Avatamsaka Sutra are practices Heng He does daily in addition to the combined services of morning and evening recitation and the noon meal offering which all the nuns join in.

      Every evening lectures on the Dharma are heard in both Chinese and English so nuns and novices as well laywomen have a chance to develop their bilingual capacities.

Friday through Monday a series of lectures are given by the Venerable Master Hua on the Avatamsaka Sutra, and the four-fold assembly of disciples as well as students and guests gather at the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas to listen to the Dharma expounded. Heng He, as a novice, is afforded the opportunity to broaden her knowledge of Buddhism as she simultaneously trains to learn how to put these profound principles into practice.