China 2001: Butler University/Freeman Foundation Student-Faculty Fieldwork Trip
Modified 24 June 2001
Today was another day trip to different locations in Meixian, the county bordering Meizhou City. Our first stop was Ling-guan Temple, about 45 minutes away by van. Our van took us most of the way up a mountain and we only had to walk up a fairly small part of the way to reach the temple gates. The Ling-guan temple is one of the older and larger temples, founded by a Chan (Zen Buddhism, as it is known in the West) monk. What was especially interesting for everyone was a chance to watch a Buddhist ritual being performed. We arrived on a day when an overseas Chinese person asked some monks to perform a ritual for someone who had passed away. Six monks recited a sutra (Buddhist scripture) for the deceased. In the picture, Sarah Li is pointing out the items that have been laid out for burning to Jen; the monks reciting the sutra can be seen in the background.
The sutra recitation lasted close to two hours -- in the middle of the recitation, we made a quick side trip further up the mountain to see another temple. We came back in time to watch the end of the sutra recitation, after which the paper items that were brought to the temple were burned. Paper and wood structures are made to resemble material items (everything from cars, televisions, to the clothing, bridge, and pagoda that they are burning here) and are burned to transfer these items for use by the deceased in the spirit world.
Our timing was fortunate, to give everyone a chance to observe these rituals for themselves -- such is the nature of fieldwork. We also visited the ancestral home of Marshall Ye Jianying, a famous Hakka general who saved Chairman Mao's life during the Long March, and other places around the area.