Calm within

At a camp for Zen Buddhism at Lushan Mountain in East China's Jiangxi province, travelers lead a cloistered life for about a week. The daily routine begins at 5:30 am, when a bell is sounded. Campers then take part in an hourlong reading session from the "Diamond Sutra", a Buddhist text on wisdom, initiated by a Zen master to improve their concentration.

The campers are allowed to use cellphones but prohibited from leaving the mountain. It takes some time to get used to waking up at dawn and going to bed at dusk, but the feeling of seclusion is so complete that after five days of meditation, one of the campers claimed to have felt a strong sense of inner calm.

At the campsite, which is a monastery, visitors are given a set of meditation guidelines. Before going to bed, campers take turns striking a bell, in a gesture that symbolizes repentance for any wrongs. Walking meditation is also practiced outdoors, with the aim of achieving a balance between body and mind.

wangqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/19/2014 page4)