SF Chronicle | 2026-06-02T14:41 PT
Investigators believe a late-night fire that destroyed a meditation center at a historic Buddhist monastery near Big Sur about two months ago was intentionally set by a Bay Area woman motivated by hatred, authorities said Tuesday. GuoGuo Lu, a 36-year-old Mountain View resident, has been charged with arson, making criminal threats and committing a hate crime. Investigators found public, online statements that traced the fire back to Lu, who also allegedly threatened more violence against other Buddhist temples in California. Under the name Fiona GuoGuo Lu, a Facebook user posted a photo and video of a burning structure with the caption: "Egyptians think they can revive Zen." The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, established in 1962, is among three locations run by the San Francisco Zen Center and marks the oldest monastery in the U.S. for practicing Soto Zen. Residents battled the flames with hoses and buckets, and volunteer firefighters helped contain the fire, which destroyed only one structure. The 2,000-year-old stone Buddha statue was among the items lost.
Impact: The case highlights rising hate crimes against religious communities in the Bay Area. The Tassajara Zen Center is a culturally significant institution and the oldest Zen monastery in North America.