Empty Valley, Hidden Orchid: A Visit to Contemporary Chinese Hermits (Part 9)
About a kilometer from the small hill, we passed a stone stele standing alone among the millet crops. The guide said that there used to be a large temple here. After the Red Guards occupied the place, the entire temple was destroyed, leaving only this stele. Above the stele, we crossed the Tian River. Then we passed through a small village where all the houses were made of earth. Then we headed into the mountains.
A few minutes later, we arrived at a small hill. There used to be a shrine on the mountaintop, enshrining Yuanshi Tianzun (the Grand Pure One). It is said that Laozi was an incarnation of his. Our guide lit incense and candles before a stone stele, and then we continued walking. That stele was the only survivor of that shrine.
On the path, we met several woodcutters. One of them said that the last Daoist nun living in Yangtianchi (Sky Pool) had left there the year before last and gone to the peaks of the distant Taibai Mountain. There, she could have more space to grow vegetables and enjoy more solitude.
An hour later, we reached a saddle-shaped ridge, then took a forked path to a small shrine on the mountaintop. This small shrine is octagonal, like the shape of the Eight Trigrams in Daoism—the Eight Trigrams refer to the eight hexagrams in the I Ching (Book of Changes). This place is called "Qizhen Ting" (Pavilion of Dwelling in Truth). It is said that Laozi practiced meditation here during his stay at Louguantai. All the statues and ritual implements once enshrined and used in Qizhen Ting have completely disappeared. We went back down to the saddle-shaped ridge, continued walking, and arrived at a nearby small mountain village. There were six households in the village, their houses lined up along the north bank of a pond overgrown with rushes. This pond is Yangtianchi (Sky Pool).
We were welcomed by a farmer. He wore a blue sailor's hat, and his cheeks were so red that at first I thought he was Dutch. He led us between two farmhouses and opened the shrine that the last Daoist nun had abandoned the year before last. The walls inside the shrine were covered with murals depicting the rise and fall of the Zhou Dynasty and Laozi's travels around the world. The main statue in the shrine was the Jade Emperor. After Yuanshi Tianzun created all things, the Jade Emperor took over the leadership of the Daoist pantheon. To his right was a statue of Laozi made of clay, wearing a red scarf on his head, exuding a strange charm unlike any statue of this sage I had seen before. When the guide lit incense and candles before the Jade Emperor, I took a photo of Laozi.
“Before the Cultural Revolution,” the area around Yangtianchi was a Daoist temple inhabited by a large number of monastics. This desolate small shrine is all that remains of that temple.
After the farmer locked the door, he invited us to his home for a bowl of hot sugar water. After quenching our thirst, his wife began preparing fresh noodles, and the farmer started peeling potatoes. So I went back outside and lit a cigarette that I had almost finished smoking. Tall trees grew on both sides of the farmhouse, with several magpie nests in the branches, where the magpies were chirping. The pond took up most of the village's land, filled with dry rushes rustling in the wind. When I walked around the pond to the other side, I startled two frogs, which jumped into the water. The children in the village told me they were catching colorful fish in the pond. I wondered if these colorful fish were a type of salmon, but all I saw were rushes.
Looking south from above the pond, the saddle-shaped ridge dropped steeply, revealing a range of large and small peaks within about 30 kilometers behind Louguantai. About 20 kilometers to the southwest, I saw the 2600-meter-high Sifangtai Peak. I scanned the area with binoculars, but it was too far to see any traces of cooking smoke or thatched cottages. Next to the west of Sifangtai is Dong Laojun Ling (East Old Lord Ridge). Another 30 kilometers west of Dong Laojun Ling, in the mountain mist, is the huge white rock on Taibai Mountain. Taibai Mountain is 3800 meters high, the highest peak of the Zhongnan Mountains.
The cigarette didn't last long, and our guide was also eager to go home. We filled our stomachs with noodles and potatoes, thanked the farmer and his wife for their hospitality, and set off back to Louguantai. On the way down the mountain, we startled two quails; along the way, we stopped from time to time to pick some small white stars growing from the ground. Peach trees were everywhere, with peach blossoms in full bloom. Back at the inn, we washed off the sweat from the journey with a bucket of cold water.
Before going to bed at night, I asked the local official in charge of cultural affairs about the Daoists who used to live here. He said that a detailed history had already been compiled, but some editing work remained. It was expected to be published within the next two years.
When I asked about the current permanent residents of Louguantai, an old Daoist priest suggested we talk to the abbot. This old priest had only one lonely, long tooth left in his mouth, which grew to an unbelievable length. He pointed out a complex of buildings nearby to us. It was a former military camp, with a red five-pointed star still on the gate. The old priest said that to prevent destruction, the place had been paved with stone slabs, and at some point in the next five years, a brand new grand Daoist temple would replace this military camp.
We found the abbot's attendant in the vegetarian hall, and he led us into a reception room. There, we were introduced to the abbot, Ren Farong. Daoist Ren was from the neighboring Gansu Province, with a long black beard—a type of beard characteristic of people in Northwest China. He was also the president of the Shaanxi Provincial Daoist Association. Later, I learned from other Daoists that he is one of the most respected masters in China.
After mutual introductions, he gave me a scroll of his annotated version of Laozi's Daodejing—it was precisely the Daodejing that led us to Louguantai. During our deep dive into the Zhongnan Mountains, we visited Daoist Ren twice. Below are excerpts from those two interviews. Daoist Ren is now much more cautious in his speech than when he published articles in the China Daoist Association's magazine China Daoism (Autumn 1985, Issue 10, pp. 12-15). Therefore, I have explained certain parts of his comments as supplements to his answers.
Daoist Ren did not look very old, so I was surprised when he said he was 60 years old. I asked him how long he had been a monastic.
Ren: I left home when I was 19. I have been a monastic for over 40 years. When I first told my parents, they disagreed, but they eventually accepted my decision. So I went to Longmendong to live—Longmendong is to the northwest of here. I stayed there for 3 years. It was not easy. But if you live in a Daoist temple and are not willing to suffer for a few years first, no one will be willing to teach you.
Q: Were you here during the “Cultural Revolution”?
Ren: Yes. I have been here for the last 30 years.
Q: What happened at that time?
Ren: The Red Guards came, destroyed the Daoist temple, smashed the statues, and burned our books. They also persecuted the monastics. They troubled us for 10 years. (According to Daoist Ren's report in China Daoism, during the 10-year “Cultural Revolution”, almost all Daoist temples in Shaanxi Province suffered great losses. Since 1982, 10 out of the 72 Daoist temples in Shaanxi Province began to be partially restored. Among these 10 temples, only Louguantai, Huashan, and Baxian Palace in Xi'an received financial aid from the government. Taking Louguantai as an example, the amount was 130,000 RMB, or $25,000; Baxian Palace received 150,000 RMB; the amount for Huashan was not reported.)
Q: When did things start to improve?
Ren: In 1979, after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee. From then on, things began to slowly improve. (In Daoist Ren's report, he said that in the ten years after the announcement of the new religious policy, “leftist” trends continued to hinder the development of religion, especially manifested in the issue of taking over religious sites. He said that the problem in Shaanxi Province was particularly prominent in Louguantai, Chongyang Palace, Huashan, and Baiyun Mountain in Northern Shaanxi. Ren emphasized that placing religious sites under the management of religious practitioners is in everyone's interest; without doing so, religious groups cannot achieve the goal of self-sufficiency proposed by the government.
Q: Does the temple give money to the Daoist priests and nuns living here to help them pay for personal expenses?
Ren: Yes. Now everyone gets about 20 RMB ($4) per month, which comes from our income from selling tickets, incense, and handicrafts. The Daoist priests at Louguantai have always combined cultivation with labor. We also grow vegetables, such as turnips, cabbage, and potatoes. We wear the same set of clothes all year round. We don't need much money. We prefer to use the little money we earn to restore the temple or buy books.
Q: How is the temple organized?
Ren: Its organizational form is very similar to Buddhist temples. Buddhism has temples, Daoism has Daoist temples, and the names of different functional areas in temples and Daoist temples are the same, as are the management bodies. Every religion has an organization. We also have one. We have rules and regulations. But cultivation depends on the individual. (In 1987, the current China Daoist Association drafted the Rules for the Management of Daoist Temples. It allows each Daoist temple to organize itself according to local specific circumstances and to support itself in any way that does not conflict with public interest. It is said that responsibilities and income are distributed according to democratic principles. The current slogan proposed by the Daoist Association is “Let every Daoist temple support itself” and “Build the Daoist temple into a home”. In Daoist Ren's report, he pointed out that after 1949, the government prohibited the development of new monastics. In 1978, at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, this policy was abolished, and the Daoist Association was re-established in the same year. Since then, 23 main centers of the Quanzhen sect and another 200 small Daoist temples have joined the Daoist Association. Later, Daoist Ren told me that the current number of Daoist priests and nuns in China is about 10,000. However, officials of the China Daoist Association at Baiyun Temple in Beijing told me that this number is nearly 3,000; the number of Daoist temples in China is about 500, but most of them are too small to qualify for joining the Daoist Association.)
Q: What changes have occurred in Daoism in recent decades?
Ren: Many centuries ago, Chinese Daoism split into the Quanzhen sect and the Zhengyi sect. The Quanzhen sect is the main sect in the north, while the Zhengyi sect is more prevalent in the south. The Zhengyi sect is a lay sect, with centers in places like Sichuan, Shanghai, and Longhushan in Jiangxi, also known as the Celestial Masters sect. Members can marry, eat meat, and drink alcohol. They live at home. The Quanzhen sect is completely isolated from the secular world. Its members live in Daoist temples. We belong to the Quanzhen sect. As I just said, the Quanzhen sect dominates in the north, but now the Zhengyi sect is more popular. This is the biggest change.
Q: Which sect controls the Daoist Association?
Ren: Neither sect. There are people from both sects in the association. There are both lay believers and Daoist priests and nuns. It does not reject any sect, nor does it emphasize any sect, nor does it interfere with any sect. The association does not interfere with any form of belief or cultivation. (A quick glance at the publications of the China Daoist Association clearly shows that the senior officials and presidents of the Daoist Association are mostly Quanzhen monastics).
Q: If a person wants to learn from a specific Daoist master, can the master and the disciple decide this themselves, or must they get permission from the association?
Ren: People can do what they want. The association cannot interfere. (According to other Daoists we spoke with, local Daoist associations decide where disciples can study and which Daoist temples priests and nuns can live in.)
Q: Are young people still interested in becoming monastics nowadays?
Ren: Yes. Among the 50 Daoist priests currently living here, more than 20 are under 30 years old. (In Daoist Ren's report, he mentioned that although there is a severe shortage of young monastics in Daoist temples across the province, the government still does not allow young people who want to become monastics to stay in Daoist temples for too long, unless they first transfer their household registration, and the process of transferring household registration is always difficult and often impossible. He pointed out that this bureaucratic constraint makes it difficult for Daoist temples to attract young Daoists.)
Q: Have you taught classes?
Ren: Yes, sometimes. But now not many people are interested in Daoism. (In Daoist Ren's report, it is stated that in the past two years, the regular Daoism classes held at Louguantai only attracted 30 to 40 people, while a three-week Qigong class—or “Daoist Yoga” class—attracted more than 300 people, 200 of whom came from other provinces.)
Q: Do you encounter any problems when propagating Daoism to people nowadays?
Ren: The biggest problem we encounter is the difficulty in finding people who truly believe in Daoism. Daoism teaches us to have few desires and live a peaceful life. People willing to have few desires or practice stillness are too few in these times. This is an era of rampant materialism. Also, people nowadays learn Dao much slower. Their minds are no longer pure. They are too complex.
Q: As I know, many profound teachings of Daoism are secret and only passed on to a limited number of disciples. Is this true?
Ren: Yes, to some extent. A Daoist master takes on an apprentice and may test him for decades before passing on everything he knows. Very few apprentices have that perseverance.
Q: Is there religious freedom in China nowadays?
Ren: Yes. We can cultivate in whatever way we want. We can cultivate in the mountains or in the city. In Daoist temples, at home, anywhere is fine.
Q: Are there Daoists cultivating in these big mountains themselves?
Ren: Yes. There are still some people, just not as many as before. Many of their thatched huts were destroyed during the “Cultural Revolution”. A few years ago, a hermit living nearby attained immortality at the age of 96. Two years ago, another hermit ascended to immortality at the age of 140. I also know of a few people living at the foot of Taibai Mountain, but I have hardly ever seen them.
Q: Have you ever lived in seclusion?
Ren: Yes. But not for more than three years. It is a very good experience. All Daoists must eventually live alone for a period of time to concentrate on cultivation. For cultivation, you have to find a place isolated from the world, at least at the beginning. But the important thing is to learn to calm the mind. Once you can do this, then you can live anywhere, even in a noisy city.
Q: I notice that many religious centers like Louguantai have started to attract tourists. Does this affect your cultivation?
Ren: Yes. It is no longer so quiet here. Cultivation has become much more difficult. But things are the way they are. We have to use all the support methods we can find to restore the temple and train new monastics.
Q: What is the goal of Daoist cultivation?
Ren: Human nature is consistent with the nature of Heaven. Heaven creates all things, and all things move in different directions. But sooner or later they will return to the same place. The goal of this universe, its highest goal, is “Wu” (Non-being). “Wu” means return. Wu is the body of the Dao. Not only humans, but plants, animals, and all living beings are part of this “Wu” body, composed of this “Wu” body. All things are one with “Wu”. There is no second thing in the universe. Realizing this is not only the goal of Daoism but also the goal of Buddhism. Everything in the world is changing. Daoists and Buddhists seek what is unchanging. This is why they do not pursue fame and profit. They only seek the “Dao”, that “Wu” from which we are born and to which we return. Our goal is to merge with this natural process.
Q: How can a person achieve this goal?
Ren: This matter is phased. Success has many levels, and achieving the goal is difficult. But once you make it your goal, you must keep walking, step by step, one step at a time. Everyone's ability is different, but the goal is consistent. This goal is to become an immortal and return to the body of the Dao. As long as you cultivate, you will eventually succeed. In Buddhism, enlightenment is the main goal; in Daoism, enlightenment is secondary. After enlightenment, you must continue to cultivate until you gradually and very naturally merge with the Dao. If you do not succeed in this life, you will have another chance in the next life. But those who do not cultivate have no chance; their lives end there. Daoist cultivation is to cultivate an immortal body, which will separate from the flesh at the time of death. You can visit Laozi's tomb. When he became an immortal, he left his bones there. Our goal is the same as his, to merge with the Dao.
Q: Is it necessary to become a monastic?
Ren: The important thing is to live a life in accordance with the Right Way. To do this, it is not necessary to become a monastic. If you do not keep the precepts, becoming a monastic has no benefit. Keeping precepts is important. But anyone, as long as he lives a life in accordance with the Right Way, can do this. This is the foundation of cultivation. Precepts are your own requirements for yourself. Precepts make cultivation possible. If you do not require anything of yourself, cultivation will yield nothing.
Q: Have the methods of cultivation changed nowadays?
Ren: No, the methods of cultivation nowadays are the same as in Laozi's time. Humans have not changed, and the Dao has not changed. Our way of life, our method of meditation, and our method of health preservation are still the same.
Q: What exactly is Laozi's status in Daoism? Many people regard him as a philosopher rather than the founder of a religion.
Ren: That is a modern view. But Laozi is inseparable from religion. Chinese people have always believed in the Dao, and this belief prompted them to develop various religious cultivation methods. Do you think Laozi would talk about the Dao without believing in or cultivating the Dao? He knew that everything in the universe comes from the Dao, and it is impossible to leave the Dao. At that time, there was no organized religion, but the Dao was the same.