A Spiritual Approach to Secular Concerns

Every day Xuecheng fields questions from readers of his blog. The author recently watched one netizen, by the online name “Heartrending,” write for advice on how to assuage feelings of bitterness. The master responded: “More than trying to forgive others, focus on freeing yourself first.”

Another reader asked how to live righteously in the materialistic world of the present. Xuecheng replied: “We need to have goals in life; we should know where we are headed and should sustain our passion for our work.”

Xuecheng has noticed that brisk economic growth and subsequent improvements in people’s standards of living over the past years have stoked a surging demand for religious conciliation and a richer spiritual life. Xuecheng says he doesn’t regard religious revival as being at odds with the progressive, secular goals of the government; indeed, he is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee. “Social progress has changed the landscape of Chinese society. Renewed interest in religion is one facet of that change,” he said.

In the past, the Chinese government discouraged religion in favor of strict adherence to communist doctrines. Today, as the government takes a more relaxed attitude, Chinese people from all walks of life are both discovering and rediscovering faith. This resurgence is not restricted to Buddhism; all faiths found in China, from Taoism to Islam and Christianity, are finding new converts.

A Life Dedicated to Learning

Born into a Buddhist family, Xue- cheng became a monk at Guanghua Temple in Putian, Fujian Province. The year was 1982, and Xuecheng was 16. Seven years later he was promoted to abbot of the temple, the youngest person at the time to hold such a position in the Han Chinese Buddhist instruction. He was also the only abbot nationwide with a master’s degree.

Under Xuecheng’s leadership the temple won acclaim from Zhao Puchu, late chairman of the Buddhist Association of China, as one of the country’s three model monasteries.

In 2004 Xuecheng was made head of the prestigious 1,700-year-old Famen Temple in Fufeng, Shaanxi Province. The next year he was also selected to hold the concurrent position of abbot of Beijing’s Longquan Temple.

In addition to educating the clergy, the Master has been dedicated to bringing together academic and Buddhist circles to ensure his teachings reach a broader swath of the general public. He has invited scholars from different disciplines to his temples to give talks on traditional culture, opened religious observances to anyone with interest, and attracted lay Buddhists to the temples’ live-in study sessions.

Longquan Temple, in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, runs an online school offering video and audio lessons on Buddhist teachings. On August 8, 2008, to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, the temple launched a website, longquanzs.org, dedicated to discussions on traditional Chinese culture as well as interfaith dialogue between Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Its goal is to parse secular issues of wide concern from the perspective of traditional values and give prominence to the universal relevance of Chinese culture.

Despite his tight schedule, Xue- cheng still finds time every day to reply to comments visitors post on the website. Longquanzs.org now runs in three languages – Chinese, English and Japanese. Page views come from 170 countries and regions worldwide.

“Buddhism is open to all, and one of its fundamental tenets is to establish friendships with as many people as possible. To do so, the ways and means of spreading the religion have to advance with times,” said Xuecheng. Though the doctrines and scriptures of Buddhism have been handed down from ancient times and should be observed, those who are currently practicing them live in the world of the present, he added.

Buddhism has been practiced continually over its 2,000-year history in China. Today, the religion is far from being an “antique” or a “preserved specimen.” Thanks to its ability to blend with local culture, Buddhism remains relevant to the daily lives of the Chinese people.

Enhancing Buddhism’s connection with contemporary culture is in the interests of both Buddhism and society at large. “In an era of globalization when humanity faces multiple challenges ranging from pollution to ecological imbalances and dwindling resources, Chinese Buddhists should take on the social obligation of reviving traditional culture and promoting a wholesome spiritual life,” said Xuecheng.

He regards blogging as a conduit through which the world is able to learn more about China. Buddhism is practiced and respected throughout the world; it represents common ground on which to build consensus and understanding between China and the world.

“As cultural exchange involves at least two parties, it is inevitably a process that involves collisions and contentions. But instances of discord also serve to expose ideas that both sides hold in common.”