I was also impressed by the many foreigners I saw here paying tribute to Buddhist achievements and rites. We get our fair share of tourists in Guilin, but it was especially wonderful to see Western tourists at Wutai and on Hengshan. Many Chinese have falsely been led to believe that Westerners are only materialists, but here I looked in their eyes and saw that they are truly in awe of the masterworks created by the faith of Chinese Buddhists throughout the millennia.

After Wutai Mountain, we crossed to the other side of the mountain and went on to the famous Hanging Monastery on Hengshan, another marvel of Buddhist faith and ingenuity.

In the picture, you see me at the foot of the cliff with a monk at my side. There are many nuns in China today, but our number is still far below that of monks. In some places, nuns are not even allowed to go to certain temples but my convent is not like that.

We are all very well accepted in the community and are able to live our religious lives freely, so it was wonderful to share my faith with my sisters and brothers alike. The smile on my face bears witness to the fact that I am happy from the inside out, radiating thankfulness that I was able to make this journey. It is a journey I will never forget.