My favorite places in China

My favorite sites were the Yu-gang Stone Cave, the Hanging Temple, and Shao-lin Temple.

The Stone Caves are like nothing I’ve ever seen. I think everyone’s first reaction was, ‘How did they do that?’ Mine was, ‘Wow, its so big!’ The great effort to nothingness astonishes me. Consciousness, effort, and nothingness; Wow.

The Hanging Temple, again, like nothing I have seen; and again, what a huge effort! I had only gotten through half of the Temple when I saw all of ya’ll on the ground, ready to go. I ran through the second half and was very glad I did at least that. I wish we could have stayed longer; I wish we could have spent the night.

But, in succession, one temple out shined the one before it. Shao-lin Temple is great. Those are the luckiest monks in the world. I hope they didn’t mind too much while I (all of us tourists) snapped our cameras at them. They seemed pretty tolerant of our intrusion and ‘geeked-out interest.’

The place seemed peaceful, beautiful, and ACTIVE, orderly, purposeful, clean and clear; and that is not a compliment, more an observation of esthetic. I am glad China has/or is in the process of shedding her spiritual-phobia. I feel happy and relieved for Shao-lin that is so well preserved and cared for.

I loved the environment at Shaollin, the little signs (of which I have made a pictoral), and the pagoda forrest that seems so appropriate for its purpose.

I would return to China to see any or all of these places again.