Don't trample the earthworm

Taiwan | Anno 2013

 

Thursday 4 April | Alishan – Tainan – Anping

Friday 5 April | Tainan – Kaohsiung – Fo Guang Shan

Saturday 6 April | Fo Guang Shan – Buddha Memorial Centre

 

 

Thursday 4 April | Alishan – Tainan – Anping

Once, Tainan was an important port city. However, the harbour has long silted up, and its prosperity is not what it once was. Today, the city is primarily known for its cultural significance. It is no coincidence that it is still regarded as the birthplace of modern Taiwan, maintaining its traditional culture exceptionally well.

As the oldest city on the island, Tainan is still viewed as the cradle of contemporary Taiwan

As the oldest city on the island, Tainan is still viewed as the cradle of contemporary Taiwan. A central figure in the city's history is Koxinga. He was the one who expelled the Dutch from Taiwan in 1662, and since then, he has been regarded as a national hero.

 

Tainan – Koxinga Shrine

In fact, it was not the Dutch with whom Koxinga had a conflict, but the Qing from Manchuria. In 1661, they had definitively taken over the reins from the Ming in Beijing. As a loyal general of the Ming, Koxinga did not accept this and retreated to Taiwan with an army of 30,000 men to regroup and launch a new offensive – a strategy that Chiang Kai-shek would repeat three centuries later. But, like Chiang Kai-shek, Koxinga would never set foot on the mainland again.

 

Tainan – Koxinga Shrine
Tainan – Koxinga		Votive cards

In any case, Koxinga has been commemorated with a fine shrine. The fairly modest building exudes serenity. The rectangular courtyard is paved with red bricks. A stone path leads to a simple temple housing a seated statue of General Koxinga, accompanied by a few war gods. Votive cards with tassels of red strings express gratitude for supposed divine interventions. In the small park next to the shrine, a dragon spits water onto a golden orb.

 

Tainan

For the most beautiful temples and historical buildings, you need to be in the Anping district, according to our guide Charles. But you'll also find the Chen Family Oyster Roll Shop there, one of his favourite eateries. At first glance, it looks like a Taiwanese version of McDonald's. However, that perception is completely wrong. Charles introduces us to some excellent dishes from the local cuisine. The nearby sea provides the delicious seafood. We happily enjoy the grilled oysters, shrimp spring rolls, and soup with fish balls made from a type of fish they call saba here. And we mustn't forget the oyster omelette – Charles' personal favourite. It's a delicious omelette made with oysters, a traditional Taiwanese dish known as o-chien.

 

In the fall of 1958, China even shelled Kinmen for months. Three thousand civilians lost their lives during that time

Our appreciation of the cuisine makes Charles more talkative. He shares that he was 32 when he got married. His son is 22 and recently spent two weeks in Nepal volunteering as an English teacher. His daughter is 21 and travelled around Europe for 45 days. Charles completed his military service on Kinmen. That's no small thing, as the island is only two kilometres from the Chinese mainland. The Cold War atmosphere is never far away there. In the fall of 1958, China even shelled Kinmen for months. Three thousand civilians lost their lives during that time.

 

Anping – Fort Zeelandia

When the Portuguese discovered Taiwan in 1544 as the first Westerners, they were so impressed by its natural beauty that they named it Ilha Formosa – Beautiful Island. However, it was the Dutch who were the first to exploit the island's strategic position, using it as an important transit hub on the sea routes between Japan, China, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

 

Fort Zeelandia

It's no surprise that the city is filled with reminders of that time. Fort Zeelandia is one such place. Koxinga needed nine months to capture this fortress from the Dutch. After all, it was an impressive stronghold. The Dutch East India Company began its construction in 1624, and ten years later, the work was completed. The fortress consists of three defensive layers, with a bastion at each of its four corners. Red bricks were brought from Batavia, made from a mixture of clay, sticky rice, crushed oyster shells, and sugarcane juice.

 

Fort Zeelandia

The fort we visit today has been largely rebuilt. A bronze statue of Koxinga stands atop a high pillar, gazing down at the building. Cannons on the fortress walls serve as reminders of its bygone glory. A small museum sheds some light on the Dutch occupation of Formosa.

 

Anping – Small Matsu Temple

Charles calls the nearby small Matsu temple the oldest in Taiwan. We're sceptical, as many temples in Taiwan make such a claim. However, the popular devotion to Matsu, the most important deity in the Taiwanese pantheon, is deep and intense here. Young people, particularly those in their twenties and thirties, are especially active, offering incense sticks and burning imitation banknotes as part of their worship.

 

Small Matsu Temple

The Kochi ceramics on the roof are unparalleled. For minutes, we try to decipher the hectic imagery of dragons, war gods, riders, musicians, birds, and flowers.

 

The Kochi ceramics on the roof are unparalleled, with dragons, war gods, riders, musicians, birds, and flowers

Small Matsu Temple – Kochi Pottery

The deeply carved, decorative ceilings are among the most beautiful we've ever seen. Dozens of colourful deities, dressed in orange brocade robes and wearing bizarre headpieces adorned with red orbs, fill the altar.

 

Dozens of colourful deities, dressed in orange brocade robes and wearing bizarre headpieces adorned with red orbs, fill the altar

Small Matsu Temple – Offerings

We return to the centre of Tainan and come across a second historic fort, Fort Provintia. When the Dutch established this fortress in 1653, it overlooked the beach. Today, that beach has shifted more than five kilometres to the west.

 

Tainan – Fort Provintia

After the Dutch, the Ming, the Qing, the Japanese, and ultimately Chiang Kai-shek had their say here. Little care was given to Fort Provintia throughout this time. By the beginning of the 19th century, it had largely collapsed. What we see today are two buildings constructed on the fort's foundations at the end of the 19th century. They are now called the Chikhan Towers, a grandiloquent description for two structures with only three stories each.

Colourful koi dart around in the rock pond, nine steles with inscriptions stand on the backs of large turtles

Fort Provintia – Steles

Koi

Nonetheless, it is an excellent reconstruction in a picturesque setting. What first catches the eye are the nine steles with inscriptions on the backs of large turtles. Colourful koi dart around in the rock pond. A bronze statue commemorates the compromise reached between Koxinga and the Dutch after Fort Zeelandia fell.

The first tower, the Pavilion of the Sea God, honours the sea god who helped the Chinese in their struggle against the Japanese. Our gaze is involuntarily drawn to the striking fish with pink scales on the corners of the swallowtail roof. It almost seems as if they are set on devouring the decoration.

In the second tower, the Pavilion of Wunchang, Wunchang himself is honoured as the god of education. The well-known votive cards with tassels of red strings are testament to students who confidently entrust their academic fate to Wunchang. Some are accompanied by an A4 sheet filled with numbers and Chinese characters. We can’t make heads or tails of it, but we dare to wager an oyster omelette that these are favourable school reports.

The votive cards are accompanied by A4 sheets of numbers and Chinese characters. These are undoubtedly favourable school reports

Fort Provintia – Pavilion of the Sea God		Fort Provintia – Pavilion of Wunchang
Tainan – Guangong Temple

A little further along is the temple of Guangong, a general from the Han Dynasty who ultimately became the god of war. Officially, this Taoist temple is called the Official God of War Temple. For the people of Taiwan, it seems perfectly natural for generals to attain divine status. Charles emphasises that this is a Class 1 temple – whatever that may mean. We are supposed to see evidence of this in the many panels depicting emperors and presidents hanging on the wall.

 

Temple of Guangong – Chapel of Guanyin

Guanyin, the Chinese version of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, also has a chapel there. She wears a green stole over her shoulders.

 

With their hands folded, students stand there, murmuring their prayers, waving their enrolment documents through the smoke

Once again, the temple is bustling with people of all ages. It is especially crowded in the chapel dedicated to Kui Xing, the god of literature. With their hands folded, students stand there, murmuring their prayers. They then light some incense sticks and wave their enrolment documents through the smoke. Who would dare deny them a favourable exam result after that?

 

Grand Matsu Temple

We stroll over to the Grand Matsu Temple. This is the oldest Matsu temple in Taiwan, according to a plaque – where did we hear that before? Of the roughly 500 Matsu temples in Taiwan, it is certainly one of the most popular. However, Charles adds that it is also a Class 1 or 2 temple, given the emblems of emperors and presidents present there.

 

Grand Matsu Temple

Chapel of Yue Lao

There is also a chapel dedicated to Tu Di Gong, the earth god of folk devotion. He is usually depicted as an old man with a white beard, resembling Santa Claus. Nowadays, people turn to him for wealth and well-being, but in the past, it was mainly farmers who sought him out for good harvests.

The chapel of Yue Lao is particularly popular. Charles refers to this god as the matchmaker. Young people kneel there, whispering their prayers for a partner. Dozens of photos of beaming brides and grooms adorn the wall, proving that prayers are indeed answered here.

 

Dozens of photos of beaming brides and grooms adorn the wall, proving that prayers are indeed answered here

As we leave the temple grounds, Charles asks if we’ve ever tried pearl milk tea. His suspicion is correct – we’ve never heard of it. With a voice that leaves little room for disagreement, he guides us into a bar to fill this gap in our culinary experience.

Somewhere in the 1980s, someone in Taichung must have come up with the idea of mixing tea with fruit or milk and adding chewy tapioca balls. Because mixing creates a frothy layer, it is sometimes called bubble tea. We politely sip through our straws, but we’re not really enthusiastic about it.

Just after four, Mister Pen, our driver, drops us off at the hotel. But for us, the day isn’t over yet. With a few attractions within reach and the sun occasionally peeking through the clouds, we hesitate no longer. We set out to explore on our own for a little while longer.

 

Tainan – Great South Gate

In the past, Great South Gate was part of the fortress wall of Tainan. Today, this city gate is the only remnant of that structure. Two small cannons attempt to lend the building a heroic air, but it charms us more than it impresses. What particularly draws our attention is the way the thick roots of a tree have found their way along the ancient fortress wall, reminiscent of the temples of Angkor.

 

Tainan – Great South Gate

The thick roots of a tree have found their way along the ancient fortress wall

Tainan – Confucius Temple

Further along, we come across the Confucius Temple, built in 1666 by Koxinga's son. Unfortunately, Dacheng Hall, the main building, is already closed. In just nine minutes, the rest of the temple will also close. So, we decide to make a quick visit.

 

Confucius Temple – Kochi Pottery

Simplicity reigns in this temple. That’s how it should be, according to Confucius. But the largely bare walls overwhelm us a bit. There are no statues or decorations in the rooms, only a handful of quotes from the philosopher presented in golden calligraphic script on red tablets.

 

No statues or decorations in the temple of Confucius, only a handful of quotes presented in golden calligraphic script on red tablets

 

The park surrounding the Confucius Temple is an oasis of tranquillity. On ordinary days, that is, but not today. It's the day for children, and they have a day off to enjoy what seems to be some kind of funfair. Moreover, they even get a free ice cream in restaurants if the bill exceeds 200 Taiwan dollars – a little over 5 euros.

A stone arch across Nanmen Road catches our attention. According to the records, it dates back to 1777. Behind it, we discover Fuzhong Street. A lively atmosphere prevails among the trees in the pedestrian street. Peaceful chatter fills the air, outdoor seating is full, and food stalls are doing a brisk business.

 

Fuzhong Street

Street food

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Friday 5 April | Tainan – Kaohsiung – Fo Guang Shan

What 1 November is for us, 5 April is for the Taiwanese – Tomb Sweeping Day, a day of remembrance for the dead. The fireworks we saw from our hotel room this morning are likely related to this, as is the fact that yesterday was the busiest day ever on the highways in the north; many Taiwanese travelled to their hometowns to honour their deceased.

While Mister Pen navigates the busy city traffic, Charles asks what we did last night. Proudly, we report our little escapades – Great South Gate, Confucius Temple, Fuzhong Street. The more we share, the paler Charles’s face becomes. It turns out this was precisely the itinerary he had planned for us today.

Right in the middle of an intersection, Mister Pen is immediately instructed to turn toward the campus of Cheng Kung University. Charles can’t think of a better alternative, even though all the buildings will, of course, be closed on this holiday.

For official occasions, Taiwan still uses the calendar introduced by Sun Yat-sen in 1911. So currently, Taiwan is in the year 102

As we stroll past the Department of Physics, we notice that one of the buildings lists the year of construction as 60, while another states 62. For official occasions, Taiwan still uses the calendar introduced by Sun Yat-sen in 1911, Charles explains. So currently, Taiwan is in the year 102.

The rain doesn’t hold off, so we dig out our umbrellas. That’s not enough, so we seek refuge in the portal of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering. There’s no better opportunity to chat about universities than when you’re looking out over a campus in the drizzly rain.

Taiwan, despite being small, boasts around 180 universities. However, the birth rates are too low to populate them adequately. Too many universities and too few students, Charles summarises the situation. Unlike abroad, in Taiwan, it is the state universities that have the best reputation. Currently, there are about thirty of them. You shouldn’t expect too much quality from private universities. Charles himself taught at the National University of Kaohsiung until a few months ago, specialising in programming languages, specifically Visual Basic.

Just before ten, we continue south on Highway 1. A long, straight stretch of this highway has removable median barriers. If you take those away, the two sets of four lanes form a perfect runway for military aircraft. With communist China only 165 km away, you never know when that might come in handy.

Through the pouring rain, we drive further south to Kaohsiung. Until about ten years ago, this was the second-largest container port in the world. Now it ranks number 11. More importantly, this is Charles's hometown.

 

Kaohsiung – World Games Main Stadium

It is still raining as we arrive at the Kaohsiung World Games Main Stadium at a quarter to eleven. This is an ultra-modern stadium, built for the World Games of 2009. We had never heard of the World Games before. It turns out to be a global event for non-Olympic sports – kickboxing, sumo wrestling, roller skating, aerobic gymnastics, squash, bowling, bodybuilding, parachuting... just to name a few.

 

World Games Main Stadium

Part of the stands is covered with a futuristic-looking structure, a piping system they refer to as a spiral continuum. Solar panels have been installed as roofing on these pipes. The stadium boasts over 56,000 seats. We find it amusing that there’s a ban on using umbrellas in the open stands. Ironically, that’s exactly the item we cherish the most today.

 

World Games Main Stadium

A group of colourful totem poles catches our attention. It turns out to be a stainless steel artwork by Yaacov Agam, a pioneer in kinetic art, an art form that centres around movement. With his Message of Peace, he aims to create a meaningful symbol for sports. Nowhere between the poles, one can see the entire artwork; each person experiences it differently. Just like sports, this artwork reveals unexpected visual challenges – that is the dynamics of life.

Nowhere between the poles, one can see the entire artwork; each person experiences it differently – that is the dynamics of life

Message of Peace (Yaacov Agam)

In his hometown, Charles has a little extra in store for us – Central Park. This turns out to be a park that was established relatively recently, which means about eight years ago. It is indeed beautiful, but it’s still raining. We bravely walk into the park until the constant rain swells into a subtropical downpour. The deluge drives us into the central pavilion for shelter.

 

Kaohsiung

There's no better opportunity to chat about local real estate prices than when you're looking out over a park in the drizzly rain. In the distance, Charles points out a skyscraper. It's the second tallest building in Taiwan, approximately 400 meters high with 85 floors. As an investment, he has purchased a suite there that he now rents out. A square ping costs about 400,000 Taiwan dollars, which is over 10,600 euros for 3.3 square meters. A bargain, according to Charles, since in Taipei, you’d easily pay five times that amount.

We ask how much a secondary school teacher earns to make a comparison. Charles estimates the monthly salary to be around 60,000 TWD or approximately 1,600 euros. So, for an apartment of about 100 square meters, a teacher would pay the equivalent of 200 monthly salaries. A bargain indeed...

 

Kaohsiung – Central Park

We venture out to explore the park for a second time. Immediately a tropical shower – if possible even heavier than the previous one – drives us back inside, into the pavilion. As soon as the rain subsides to Belgian proportions, we make a dash for Mister Pen.

 

Teppanyaki

In search of a restaurant, Charles has only one criterion – it must have an underground parking lot. Apparently, everyone thinks the same way, as the count of empty parking spaces at the supermarket stands at zero. Nevertheless, Mister Pen dives into the parking lot. It's a bustling scene with cars coming and going, and soon enough, two out of the 105 parking spaces become available. It even turns out you can get your car washed in this parking garage, although that hardly matters in this weather.

 

Car wash in the underground car park

Excellent food in a fast-food environment – it seems to be one of Taiwan's hallmarks

Above ground, a number of restaurants appear to be housed. Charles treats us to corn soup, a pasta and seafood gratin, a pizza topped with duck breast slices, and black tea. Excellent food in a fast-food environment – it seems to be one of Taiwan's hallmarks.

The moment of truth is approaching. About half an hour's drive from Kaohsiung, the mighty contours of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist monastery emerge. We will immerse ourselves in the spiritual atmosphere of this monastery for twenty-four hours – including an overnight stay. What awaits us here is still a mystery for now.

What awaits us here is still a mystery for now

It’s a quarter to two when Mister Pen drops us off at the Bamboo Garden Lodge, the place where guests of the monastery stay. We’re assigned a monastic cell, which turns out to be an unexpectedly comfortable room, complete with a shower, toilet, sink, TV, air conditioning, plush carpet, and two armchairs. In the commercial sector, we’ve had to settle for much less. It’s said that here and elsewhere on the monastery grounds, four to five thousand guests can find shelter. For now, there aren’t many other guests around. This challenges our preconceived notions of what a Buddhist monastery should be like. Will this be an authentic experience, or have we stumbled into a commercial circus? The next twenty-four hours will likely provide the answer.

At three-thirty, a bald monk greets us with a broad smile in the lobby. Throughout our stay, this amiable man of European descent will be our constant companion. Born in Lower Austria, he spent ten years in South Africa, drawn to a daughter temple of Fo Guang Shan there. Eventually, he decided to retreat as a monk in the mother monastery of the order, where he received the name Hui Shou, meaning Wisdom Protection.

 

Hui Shou explains that we are at the headquarters of the Fo Guang Shan monastic order – literally the Mountain of Light of the Buddha. Taiwan itself has about a hundred monasteries of this order, and worldwide, you can add another hundred or so, including in London, Amsterdam, and Antwerp.

Hui Shou leads us along the Path to Buddhahood, pointing out Pilgrim’s Lodge along the way, the place where we will share meals with the monks and other guests. That’s a relief – it seems they also deal with earthly matters, like eating on time.

We are at the headquarters of the Fo Guang Shan monastic order – literally the Mountain of Light of the Buddha

Fo Guang Shan – Gate of Non-Duality

A monumental staircase leads to the Main Shrine. At the foot of the long stairs, Hui Shou points out in the distance the white Nonduality Gate. Raised in the Christian tradition, we immediately interpret this concept of nonduality as the denial of the duality of body and mind. No, no, Hui Shou responds with calm certainty. It’s about the duality of opposing concepts, such as beautiful and ugly. Such concepts are not absolute – The Beautiful or The Ugly as such do not exist. A true Buddhist will always walk the middle path between extremes, thereby avoiding any duality.

 

Fo Guang Shan – Nonduality Gate

Monumental staircase to the Main Shrine

Next to the path, Hui Shou points out a Bodhi tree. For Buddhists, such trees hold special significance, as it was under such a tree that the Buddha attained enlightenment. In winter, the tree loses its leaves. When new leaves appear, they are initially purple.

Hui Shou speaks with great respect about Master Hsing Yun

Hui Shou speaks with great respect about Master Hsing Yun. In 1967, he founded the order and immediately purchased this 30-hectare site (74 acres) in Dashu on the banks of the Gaoping River to build a gigantic monastery. The monastery also serves as a university and a meditation centre, where monks and nuns live together.

 

Fo Guang Shan – Main Shrine

In 1975, the Main Shrine was completed. We remove our shoes and, with a sense of modesty, enter the gigantic hall on tiptoe. Without a single pillar for support, the ceiling hovers thirty meters high above a floor area of more than 3,500 square meters.

Without a single pillar for support, the ceiling hovers thirty meters high above a floor area of more than 3,500 square meters

Main Shrine – Amitabha, Sakyamuni and Baosheng Dadi

From their niches against the northern main wall, three seated Buddha statues, each 7.8 meters tall, gaze down at us. In the centre sits Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha. To his left is Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. On his right, Hui Shou points out the Medicinal Buddha – referred to here as Baosheng Dadi. We had never heard of him before, but you can recognise him by the pot he holds in his hands. If you wish to be freed from an illness, you pray to this deity.

 

Main Shrine – Side Wall with Buddha Statues

On either side, this trio is flanked by a Pagoda of the Jewel of Light. The largest in the world, according to Hui Shou. We readily believe it. The cones rise nine meters high, arranged in 72 ring-shaped layers, adorned with a total of 7,200 small Buddha statues. This pales in comparison to the many thousands of Buddha figurines that gaze at us from all four walls – each with its own tiny light source.

In one corner of the south wall, a traditional drum is displayed, while in the other stands a traditional bell. The largest in Taiwan – how could it be otherwise? The bell alone has a mass of 3.8 tons.

Hui Shou then guides us to the House of the Devotees. This area is dedicated to more earthly pursuits. They teach the noble art of Chinese calligraphy, an important part of cultural heritage. Eighty writing desks await students, but at this moment, we are the only contenders.

We have to write out four sentences, each with four characters, in calligraphic symbols, along with the corresponding inscription

House of the Devotees – Calligraphy Hall

Calligraphy in practice

We have to write out four sentences, each with four characters, in calligraphic symbols, along with the corresponding inscription. This proves to be quite a task, even though for each character it is step by step prescribed in which order, in which direction, and with what thickness we must draw each of the ink-black lines. The characters vary significantly in complexity, with the most difficult counting more than twenty ink strokes. However, we manage well and can take our results home.

With inky black fingertips, we continue our journey. On the glossy black granite Wall of Wisdom, profound calligraphic texts are displayed – we even recognise one of the characters we just penned ourselves.

Then we head to the Cultural Exhibition Hall. An exhibition about what they call pop-up books is about the last thing we would expect as a cultural expression in a monastery. Refined three-dimensional figures emerge when you open such a book. Dozens of examples are available – from children’s books with fairy tale figures to architecture books with complex structures.

 

Niches containing life-sized Buddha statues fill the four outer walls of the beautiful Golden Buddha building

Golden Buddha Building

Niches containing life-sized Buddha statues fill the four outer walls of the beautiful Golden Buddha building. The strict geometry of the niches, the ecru facades, and the gilded statues exude a serene grandeur.

Hui Shou leads us to the third floor of the Tathagata building, where the meditation hall is located. In the dim light, we see a large, quiet space with a wooden floor, a pavilion in the centre, and two rows of benches along the walls.

 

Tathagata Building – Meditation Hall

Hui Shou turns on the light. A little blunder, it turns out, as there is a monk meditating. Disturbing someone in meditation is not done. Even when meditating as a group, you must take the necessary precautions to avoid disturbing anyone – no coughing, no sniffing, no sneezing, no eating meat or garlic beforehand, and even avoiding intense thoughts, as they can disturb your neighbour. Hui Shou plans to make it up to his fellow monk later.

There are no gilded Buddha statues in the niches on the facades of the Jade Buddha building, but rather simple, painted ones that are coated with a wax layer to protect them from the rain. Beautiful, but it cannot compare to the Golden Buddha building.

Through the Lumbini garden, we descend to Pilgrim’s Lodge. The nuns have prepared dinner – vegetarian, of course. We find a spot at the communal tables. There are mostly Asians, but also Westerners.

These monks do not seek enlightenment by retreating to a monastery. On the contrary, they consciously confront the profane society

Our conversation seems to have caught the attention of one of our Western dining companions. We make contact. It turns out to be a Brit from Birmingham. To our surprise, he is very familiar with Dutch. His specialty is translating the poems of Guido Gezelle and Hugo Claus from Dutch into English.

Hui Shou concludes the tour with a thirty-minute DVD about the origin and activities of the monastic community. We then take a stroll on our own to the Great Buddha Park. A thirty-six-meter-high Amitabha watches over 480 small Buddha statues there – reportedly the largest standing Buddha in Southeast Asia. Raindrops urge us to find our room.

 

Pilgrim’s Lodge

In the early evening, we settle down on the hard beds. As befits monks. At ten o'clock sharp, the nuns mercilessly close the doors of Bamboo Garden Lodge.

Evening reading teaches us that this charming monastic community practises a socially active Buddhism. This is a contemporary trend within Mahayana known as humanistic Buddhism or renjian fojiao. These monks do not seek enlightenment by retreating to a monastery. On the contrary, they consciously confront the profane society. They bring the Buddhist concept of compassion into everyday life. They expand the traditional Confucian concept of obedience to elders, grandparents, and ancestors to include empathy and respect for society in general. Rituals become less important, while the role of the layperson becomes increasingly significant. Humanitarian work is a key component. It is no surprise that it is primarily urban middle-class individuals and professionals who are attracted to this contemporary variant.

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Saturday 6 April | Fo Guang Shan – Buddha Memorial Centre

Quarter to six. Hui Shou beams as always when he waits for us in the lobby for the early prayer service. The same cannot be said for us. In the morning darkness, we ascend to the Main Shrine. It is not acceptable to just wander in here. Entering the Main Shrine must be done in style. Together with other guests, Hui Shou lines us up neatly, inspects our posture and clothing, and quickly gives a few instructions. Then we may shuffle in silently behind him. Strangely, this time we are allowed to keep our shoes on.

In the prayer hall, square cushions are arranged neatly in rows on the floor

Main Shrine – Early Prayer Service

In the prayer hall, square cushions are arranged neatly in rows on the floor. About fifty monks have already taken their positions behind their cushions on the left. On the right, more than thirty nuns are waiting behind their cushions, along with just as many guests who want to experience authentic monastic life for a while. Our status is that of humble spectators – we take our seats at the back on the wooden benches.

Our status is that of humble spectators – we take our seats at the back on the wooden benches

The cones rise nine meters high, arranged in 72 ring-shaped layers, adorned with a total of 7,200 small Buddha statues

Main shrine – Side wall

The bell rings to signal the beginning of the ceremony. Accompanied by the bell and drum, the worshippers start singing while standing, holding the hymn book to their chests. The text is read from right to left and from back to front. Sometimes they kneel with their foreheads on the ground, palms facing upwards. Gradually, the singing accelerates and transitions into the recitation of mantras without any elevation in voice. The timbre is a bit lighter than in the remote monasteries of Tibet and Ladakh, thanks to the female voices. Latecomers are quietly guided to an empty cushion. A nun hands them a opened hymn book, pointing out the correct spot with her finger so they can join in immediately. The singing lasts for about half an hour.

 

Main Shrine – Side Wall with Buddha Statues

A monk lights a candle for Baosheng Dadi

Apparently, in the Shrine of Great Compassion, there was a morning ceremony too. The cushions are still there when we walk in. This shrine is dedicated to Guanyin, the local version of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Thousands of white Buddha statues fill the niches along the walls. The shrine dates back to 1971 and is identical in every respect to the Main Shrine. With its twenty-meter-high ceiling, it is just a bit smaller. It appears that this was a practice run for the construction of the Main Shrine.

 

Shrine of Great Compassion – Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara)

Only four Western visitors show up at Pilgrim’s Lodge for breakfast. In a separate room, they have prepared jam, toast, lemonade, tea, and instant coffee especially for us.

After breakfast, we climb on our own to the five hundred arhats at the foot of the monumental staircase. In the Buddhist pantheon, these disciples rank just a step below the bodhisattvas. They are of all ages, each statue has individual facial features and its own clothing, but they all wear a broad smile.

In the Buddhist pantheon, the arhats rank just a step below the bodhisattvas. They are of all ages, each statue has individual facial features

Monumental staircase to the Main Shrine

Arhats

We continue our walk to the Shrine of the Great Practice, located on the highest of five hilltops that together form a lotus flower. It is somewhat off the beaten path, but Hui Shou deemed it definitely worth a visit.

Each time he takes three steps, he kneels down and bows with his forehead touching the ground

Shrine of the Great Practice – “Three steps complete bow”

Samantabhadra on elephant with two times three tusks

Shrine of the Great Practice

A steep staircase leads to the temple. Coincidentally, just before us, a very young monk has arrived. He has his own way of climbing up. Each time he takes three steps, he kneels down and bows with his forehead touching the ground. Three steps, complete bow, Hui Shou will later call this ritual. You won’t see many monks doing that these days, he adds admiringly.

Samantabhadra is seated on an elephant with six tusks representing the Six Perfections

As soon as we enter the shrine, a friendly monk hands each of us a candle. An electronic candle, to be precise, with a tiny light powered by a lithium battery – the monk has a whole box of them. The bodhisattva honoured here is Samantabhadra, seated on an elephant with six tusks representing the Six Perfections. While Samantabhadra may be less known, he forms a trinity with Manjushri and Sakyamuni. We take our place in front of the altar and hold the candle to our foreheads. That’s how it’s done, or at least we suspect so. We then place the candles on the altar. Later, when we leave, the monk will discreetly recycle them.

 

Fo Guang Shan – Gardener

In the meantime, Mister Pen has arrived at Bamboo Garden Lodge with his van. We drop our bags in his vehicle. However, our immersion in the monastery atmosphere is not yet complete. It is half-past eight when Hui Shou greets us for the final part of our visit. He is visibly pleased that we have visited the Shrine of Great Practice.

Playfully, he points out the Shrine of Great Vows, dedicated to the fourth important bodhisattva. He wants to test our knowledge by asking who these four bodhisattvas are. We only manage to get as far as Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and a clumsy attempt to pronounce Samantabhadra. The fourth one, Ksitigarbha, we’ve never heard of.

Concerned, Hui Shou urges us to be very careful not to trample this living being

Great Buddha Land

But it is the Great Buddha Land that he wants to introduce us to. A corridor turns out to spiral through the pedestal of the large Amitabha statue. The walls are adorned with colourful stucco of hundreds of Buddha images. This is an attempt to imitate the lively figures of the world-famous Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, in western China. Beautiful, indeed, but the idea that this bears any resemblance to the Mogao Caves is farfetched, to say the least.

The walls are adorned with colourful stucco of hundreds of Buddha images – an attempt to imitate the world-famous Mogao Caves in Dunhuang

Hui Shou rings the bell

Imitation of the Mogao Caves (Dunhuang)

An earthworm has decided to cross the cement path. You might think this is a creature with suicidal tendencies. Not so, because Hui Shou jumps in to protect it. Concerned, he urges us to be very careful not to trample this living being. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting conclusion to this part of our visit to Fo Guang Shan.

 

Great Buddha Land

But it is not over yet. Half a kilometre to the north awaits us the immense Buddha Memorial Centre. We thought we were becoming sufficiently familiar with the megalomaniac concepts of Fo Guang Shan, but what we are now faced with far exceeds all that has come before.

Rather a shopping centre than a temple, that is the first impression we get in the immense Entrance Hall

Buddha Memorial Centre

This is about a relic of the Buddha. At the end of the last century, Kunga Dorje Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama, managed to preserve an authentic tooth of the Buddha unscathed through the ravages of the cultural revolution in China. However, it was not possible to give the artefact the religious aura it deserved. The fact that Fo Guang Shan was doing well did not go unnoticed by Kunga Dorje Rinpoche. So, the lama gifted the tooth to the Master, asking him to provide an appropriate framing for it.

The tooth was flown to Taiwan with proper honours via Thailand – an event that was described as an honour and a blessing for all humanity

And so it happened. On 8 April 1998, the tooth was flown to Taiwan with proper honours via Thailand – an event that was described as an honour and a blessing for all humanity. Hsin Ting, the then Master, immediately designated a domain with an area of one hundred hectares (247 acres) for it – more than double the area of Vatican City.

Dale Longmore is eager to guide us through the domain. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she comes here as a volunteer to gain experience for a year. Starting in May, she will implement this experience in the Fo Guang Shan temple in Sydney. Her body language reveals her enthusiasm for the good cause.

Rather a shopping centre than a temple, that is the first impression we get in the immense Entrance Hall. Spread over an area of no less than 8.4 hectares (21 acres), you find a jeweller, a chocolate shop, a bakery, a tea shop, a Starbucks Coffee, various restaurants, and so on. Indeed, everything is allowed, Dale clarifies in response to our question. As long as it is vegetarian and non-alcoholic. This is both a spiritual and cultural meeting centre, exactly as the Master intended. Fully in line with the philosophy of humanistic Buddhism, Fo Guang Shan is open to the profane society. Especially for its mercantile aspects, it flashes through our minds.

Only after we leave the immense Entrance Hall do the gigantic dimensions of this domain sink in – 150 meters wide, a kilometre long. Before us stretches the Great Path to Buddhahood, flanked on both sides by four pagodas, each with seven stories. These refer to the Noble Eightfold Path that every earnest Buddhist should follow to attain Enlightenment.

With its substantial dimensions, the statue seems within reach, even though it is almost a kilometre away

Buddha Memorial Centre

Almost on the horizon, but still within the domain, we distinguish the Great Hall, with a stupa at each of the four corners. These remind us of the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha. Behind it rises a colossal Buddha statue – 36 meters high and weighing 1,780 tons. If you include the building that serves as its pedestal, the statue reaches 108 meters above the ground. Interestingly, 108 is exactly the number of desires we must be liberated from. With its substantial dimensions, the statue seems within reach, even though it is almost a kilometre away.

 

Buddha Memorial Centre

Bringing good news and allowing everyone to express their truth. That was, in fact, the wish of Master Hsing Yun, Dale continues. However, TV programs only confront you with bad news. This conditions our children for all that is negative. So, it no longer surprises us that Fo Guang Shan operates its own TV station.

Each of the eight pagodas has its own function. In the Pagoda of the Six Perfections, we can delve into calligraphy. In his old age, Hsing Yun, the founder of this monastic community, was almost blind. Yet, some calligraphic works he created at that time hang here. Staff would pull the paper under his pen as he traced the characters without lifting his pen. The Pagoda of the Five Harmonies, on the other hand, is where marriages can be officiated.

There should be no doubt about the authenticity of the tooth. DNA analysis has provided conclusive evidence

We approach the large Square of Bodhi Wisdom, with the bell tower on the right and the drum tower on the left. Eighteen more-than-life-sized arhats are arranged around the square – fifteen men and three women. Female arhats are hard to find in traditional Buddhist sanctuaries, Dale rightly points out. On the outer wall, Chen paintings are displayed. The paint used is said to be unique because it does not penetrate the concrete and is resistant to rain and sun.

 

Buddha Memorial Centre

Slowly, the highlight of our visit is approaching – the tooth. As we enter the building, Dale emphasises once again that there should be no doubt about the authenticity of the tooth. DNA analysis has provided conclusive evidence. Isn’t it necessary to have a reference specimen, we ask. Shouldn’t there be something to compare it to, a relic that is 100% confirmed to have belonged to the one true Buddha? Dale remains unshaken. The many teeth of the Buddha that are spread across Asia, the authenticity of which is established, provide sufficient reference material. In particular, no one doubts the authenticity of the tooth preserved in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

As far as we can see the tooth, its dimensions seem excessive to us

The enormous building houses various shrines, museums, and auditoriums, but we are not easily distracted. We want to see the tooth. It turns out to be located in the Shrine of the Jade Buddha. Heavily reinforced doors block the passage leading to a staircase. This takes us to a vast underground space. The security surrounding this precious relic is taken very seriously.

Precious panels of sandalwood, intricately carved with pagodas, adorn the side walls of the enormous shrine. At the front, there are towering panels on the left and right, depicting the Eastern and Western Pure Lands. These panels were crafted in China. For the figures, various natural colours of jade have been used – while we always associate jade with a pale green colour. A reclining Buddha is carved from precious, pure white jade from Myanmar.

But it is the tooth that is the focus here. It is located high up on a towering pillar inside a glass orb. So high that we have to use a binocular to examine the relic. As far as we can see the tooth, its dimensions seem excessive to us.

What was once a meaningful ritual has been reduced to polished formalities performed on autopilot

The Shrine of the Golden Buddha – also well secured – houses the largest seated golden Buddha statue in Southeast Asia. Thailand was the generous donor. The niches along the wall hold more than 6,000 Buddha statues.

 

 

We climb to the roof and tour the stupas at the four corners. In the Stupa of Compassion, the familiar image of Avalokiteshvara awaits us. Sometimes we are allowed to make offerings ourselves, such as in the Stupa of Vows, where we repeat this morning’s ritual. This time it is a bowl filled with stones that we bring to our foreheads. Or in the Stupa of Practice, where we offer an artificial flower. Cold efficiency is the norm here. Neatly arranged in glass jars, the appropriate offerings await the pilgrims. What was once a meaningful ritual has been reduced to polished formalities performed on autopilot.

 

Buddha Memorial Centre

It begins to drizzle on the roof. We descend to the ground floor and take one last look in the third shrine, dedicated to Guanyin, the local version of Avalokiteshvara. We don’t have much time there, as Charles starts to get nervous. We say goodbye to Dale, thus concluding our remarkable interlude at Fo Guang Shan.

For the answer to our initial question – is this an authentic movement or a commercial circus – we invoke the principle of nonduality. There are no extremes; the truth lies in the middle.

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Jaak Palmans

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A crack in the marble