Ep. 114: Jingci Temple, Hangzhou

The aptly-named "Pure Compassion Temple"

Well, in Episodes 107-113 (with a detour at 110) we dawdled our way through Lingyin Temple as I did on that hot August day 12 years ago, so now we'll speed through Jingci temple (as I was forced to), just a little ways counter-clockwise around West Lake, Hangzhou's most famous and prominent feature. (You can barely go anywhere in the city without a view of the lake. Surrounded by pavilions, bridges, and quaint hotels, it's definitely the biggest tourist draw, and a beautiful sight.)

But we can dash through Jingci, pretty much, as when I was there it was much smaller than Lingyin. (There was a vigorous building plan being carried out, though, so by now it may have been "spoiled.")

There used to be a saying in Baja California (before it was spoiled by the 1973 completion of the Transpeninsular Highway): "The worse the roads, the better the men." I'm not sure that's true; it's in the same category as "small town folk are friendlier than people in the big city"--which may often, but not categorically, be true.

Well, here's my truism: the smaller the temple, the warmer and more pious the monks (virtually all nuns are warm and pious, regardless of the size of their temple). The monks in larger temples seem to be there for the material, rather than the Buddhistical, benefits.