Taipin Heavenly Kingdom Museum - Nanjing, China - February 26th, 2012

This entry will be one of my more stranger entries in the Faith Blog. For one it's not a proper house of worship. The Museum was once the home of a Ming General before the Taiping rebellion conquered Nanjing and made it their capital. It then become the home of the leader of the rebellion.

The quarters themselves are wonderful in their layout. At the entrance as you pass by the trees you meet a bust of Hong Xiuquan that greets you as you enter. Behind him is a painting that looks like a propaganda poster with him riding in his white and yellow robes being greeted by cheers from the peasants. The man himself was born Hakka and failed the Imperial Exam three times.

Inbetween he experienced a vision which he would later interpret as his meeting of God and Jesus. He would believe that he was then told that he was Jesus's younger brother. This would inspire his movement which in turn was inspired by Protestant tracts he'd read growing up.

The Taiping rebellion believed that as an end goal the land should be redistributed the peasants and that those who have nothing should be then receive something more as part of his Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. He never did this and had it as a work progress "To be initiated at a certain time." So he could tax to fund his rebellion and Kingdom. He was pretty fanatical in his religious devotion, at one point creating an edict that the men and women would be separated until he agreed they should be together again.

What is also fascinating is how much he still kept the old ways though. There were royal robes and dragons that decorated the hall, and though there was peasant art of the animals of the countryside, what represented royalty were still grand dragons.

In a way this showed the corruption of power, and also the power of inspiration and visions. He started a whole new way of being and because of his inspiration coming from the state of the peasantry is a bit of a hero to the Party in China. He was the first to propose land distribution and a highly organized resistance to Imperial and Colonial power.


He was also probably a bit nuts...which makes me think of all the others who have taken them for themselves. Whether it was John the Baptist, Elijah, Moses, Muhammad, Jesus and others...They weren't exactly what you called stable. Unlike the other people of this time period and religious heroes of China...these people rocked the boat. Not like Confucius, Laozi and Buddha who at the core saw change as being gradual and inevitable and therefore to upset harmony would be to go against virtue, since it would be failing to recognize how all people are connected and part of a greater whole.

I think I relate much more to them, even as I find inspiration in the prophets and monotheistic holy men who did a lot of good and a lot of bad in their decisiveness and shaking of the status quo.

White Egret Isle Park and Buddhist Temple - February 26th, 2012

The next area we would discover is a place we would find by accident. White Egret Park is park off the old road (Where the Confucian Temple is and where we were going to later). This area is a special place away from the tourists. It's the area where many of the older folks come to dance, do Tai Chi, play cards and play and sing music.

The area is pretty big and Randy and I weren't able to see all of it. But what we did see was the Gratitude Pagoda (a Pagoda is a tower at this Pagoda there was an area covered in red charms and ribbons for luck where an older man was playing a Jinghu (a single stringed traditional Chinese instrument). It was beautiful, like most of the area itself.

The park is peaceful, but also has a stark contrast, especially when one reaches the Buddhist Temple on the grounds.

First the the thing that was jarring. Right next to this old Buddhist Temple was a area for kids to win prizes and go on rides. It was like any small amusement park in the States.

The old people sat outside the Temple and some of the couples walked through into the different areas where there were the names of the did with some small rooms with Guan Yin in (one where she was bald, another where she had a red cape) in these rooms where the names of those who had passed along the walls. This place had tiny areas of peace where a person could connect with those who had passed on.

 The final area of the Temple was a large area was an area of gold with three Buddhas bowing. This was the main ritual area and here I was able to be completely alone in great contrast to Linggue Temple where there were always folks at every area looking for donations. I donated here as I remembered and honored those who had died last year.

Return to the Nanjing Confucius Temple (Fuzi Miao) - February 26th, 2012

Last Sunday was my second time returning to the Nanjing Confucius Temple (called Fuzi Miao in mandarin). It was the first area visited that day. What I would discover is just how much more secular it was when I came initially. To illustrate show I'll start with the last area that the Temple entrance ticket covers.

In the back of the Temple is a cultural arts building and grounds where craftsmen sell their wares. It is part of the Temple and compliments the musical building that comes before it. In a way it kind of fits one of the themes of what it means to be a Gentlemen in regards to general knowledge. A gentlemen should be good in writing, music and the rituals. So in that way it was connected, though the final building was more about craftsmen proper. This music hall also functioned as a gift shop.

The building before the music hall is a huge contrast between the secular and religious. There are the artifacts and ritual instruments laid out with what purpose they served when the Emperor would come. Such as the ritual drum and bells and around the Temple were stories and Legends about the life of Confucius himself. There was a large tapestry of Confucius with an area for donations and to bow. It was this area that was like any Buddhist or Taoist Temple in China.

The New Years and Lantern Festival are still very much alive here. For the New Years a whole court was created at the entrance of the Temple and around the Temple and the old street were living lanterns of small dragons to celebrate the New Years and red lanterns along every street. In the area at the entrance where there is a statue of Confucius and 8 of his disciples. Last year when it was Confucius's birthday he was wearing a red cape. This year with the New Years an entire lantern court was behind the statues of the disciples and by Confucius was an area of full of names on charms and names on a board who had been a part of the celebration.

 After honoring the past and the present with reflection and the charm my name joined the others who had come here both in the past when the Emperors came and now. The purpose of the Temple hasn't changed as far as the ritual of the lunar festivals and bringing people together, and even the honoring of Confucius. It's amazing how even as things change that some core aspects can continue on, even if the meaning changes as the people change.

Baoying Adventure and Return to Linggue Temple - The pros and cons of Organized Religion

[Posted late because Cameron's girlfriend couldn't remember how to sign in to Blogger while Cameron's overseas.]

What an adventure today has been! It started with going around town with Randy (the other teacher from Washington State who I've become friends with) and going to KFC (which was a nice break from the usual but of course totally unhealthy) and visiting the classic Chinese park when we walked over to Linggue Temple.

Now for the interesting part. After walking for about fifteen minutes we came upon Linggue Temple, I had remembered correctly where it was! Once there we began walking around and taking in the silence and serenity of the open spaces that made up the Temple squares and walkways around each building that housed a Buddha, Bodhisattva or all of the above.

Most of the building were locked, except for two. We entered that one where a Golden Buddha was. It was here we learned the Chinese way of prayer at the temple full bow on the ground/mat with hands open palm upwards. We did this three times for luck and than rung the lucky gong three times for luck. During this time I talked to a young monk who was a teenager or younger. He was very kind and I told him about my study Buddhism in college. After the ringing and prayers we were asked to make a donation, I made of twenty-yuan and then recieved a booklet.

After we made our way to the back to the City God Temple area. This building is made of grey stone compared to the others that are painted yellow. A man who works at the Temple opened it and showed us around as well as giving us incense to burn to the local deity. After we were asked to make a fifty yuan donation. We got blessed necklaces and another booklet for it but it was there I realized once again the negative of so many organized religions and the disadvantage of organizations in general...

How many poor would be able to make that kind of donation to the Temple and local deity? How it goes is one who is well off is already in a better position to receive many more blessings of wealth, luck and success (the big three emphasis in regards to the supernatural in China). In old Catholicism and probably still in some corrupt parishes money does talk...someone who can give more is likely to be respected more and less likely to be questioned. The only way out of this for someone who is poor is to gain power in the Temple, Church or Institution itself. This I think is one of the greatest cons of organized faith in general (obviously not all faiths are guilty of it, but it does happen).

The pros can best be described in the times of silence bowing where extreme peace experienced, or in the sound of the gong that the monk, man or I rang...the sound can make one fully present in that moment and with it a release of all the anxiety from the day or past moments. There is a space here for people to remember those they've lost, to celebrate a birth or simply to reflect. It was made for people and it clearly shows this.

I plan on returning again and will write about those future visits. But this is what it was like my second time coming where I really had to time truly take it all in and notice the pros and cons present.

Linggue Temple Visit, Baoying, China

s been a long time since I've visited a Chinese Buddhist Temple, an entire year actually (last time it was in Hangzhou when I was studying abroad). There three things that stood out in my visit yesterday.

First was how incredibly peaceful it was...outside was the bustle of shopping, people going to the doctor and countless other things they had to do in their lives. I felt at peace at Linggue Temple, more so than I've felt anywhere else in China since teaching. The Temple truly is a beautiful place. There are the golden statues (Which will be a part of the next post), open squares, halls where monks are chanting, and an area where incense is burned to honor the dead. It allows community while slowing everything down. It's easy to be present in the moment and find peace and balance.

The second part was how parts of it reminded me of the Nanjing Confucius Temple I went to. There was a tree with red ribbons tied on it for wealth, prosperity and luck, there was the bell that could be rung for luck (without a cost attached unlike the Confucius Temple) and a store that I think supports the temples ability to run. I used to be abhorred to this idea...for example the amount of shops in the Vatican and the large showiness was a turn from me from religion. Now I would say it is less so...it matters whether the money is being towards good and if it is supporting the livelihood of those who live simply and up-keeping the sanctuary of the Temple or Cathedral...I say that's a good cause. If it's ever used to cover up or not used for betterment...then I take issue.

On the subject of the first part of the second paragraph. Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism really are a source of solidness for many of the people who believe in these traditional faiths. The philosophies in many instances are forgotten (except by the monks and scholars), but in it's place is a focus on the people and looking for one another...giving a place for a person to feel safe and honor what they've lost...or to celebrate a marriage or birth. The philosophies can sometimes get so isolating or to universal that they lose sight of the communities or lead to isolation and non-human interaction. Like the Yogi's in the mountains or monks who never leave the monastery.

If you achieve enlightenment and forget the world, did you really achieve it? (How can one live virtue without interacting with others?).


Now, can it's up to me to try to find that balance I found in the Temple always and to live by goodness.