In search of repose for the soul

One commonality among men and women is our thirst of the body, of the mind, of the heart and of the soul, but the practicalities of daily life hinder us from satiating all these yearnings. The Western remedy of "always keeping busy" as a way to avoid an idle mind from turning into the devil's workshop is a way to avoid the pressing need to confront a restless soul or a troubled mind.

We tend to find the highest number of unsettled minds in times of revolutionary turmoil or social transformation. Contemporary China is going through the process of profound social change, which has reshuffled interests in the political, economic, social and cultural realms. Many are aspiring to something they cannot clearly define. If pressed to articulate this pursuit, they would probably say they want a career, car, condominium, children and money. But even after the fulfillment of these coveted items symbolizing happiness, especially in Chinese cities, the thirst never wanes.

The list of methods people draw from to alleviate this inner thirst is long and consists of a great variety of activities. Take, for example, three well-educated young individuals from well-to-do families.