Rebalance Tibetan Buddhism Surging In China

Mary Kay Magistad (TheWorld.org/NPR, Dec. 1, 2011) "Happy Buddha," the Zen Buddhist monk Hotei (Ericmichel Def/Flickr.com) Wutaishan Temple, in the mountains of China's northern Shanxi province, has long been a sacred site for Buddhists. They hike mountain paths, and visit temples dating back to the 8th century. On one mountain path, a group of middle-aged guys hang a rainbow of prayer flags between two trees, and watch, satisfied, as they flutter in the breeze. One declines to be interviewed. He's a government official, and wants to keep his practice of Buddhism private. The other, former pharmaceuticals salesman Zhang Jiankun, 42, is downright loquacious. "I used to smoke, drink, gamble, fight, and chase women. I used to like to do all this all day," he says. "And then, by the time I was 30, I had money -- but I also had hypertension, and liver damage from all the drinking. I'd take clients out, so I'd drink every day. And I was fat." Now, he says, he's slimmed down, quit drinking, and can climb these mountains with no problem. He credits his embrace of Tibetan Buddhism 11 years ago with helping him clean up his act. Wutaishan Temple (Mary Kay Magistad/TheWorld.org) "Many people are trying to find balance, and at some point I realized that material prosperity doesn't mean your spiritual life is rich," he says. "I wanted freedom, but to have freedom, you need wisdom. I found that Buddhism helps you attain the wisdom to pursue freedom." "Many people are trying to find balance, and at some point I realized that material prosperity doesn't mean your spiritual life is rich," he says. "I wanted freedom, but to have freedom, you need wisdom. I found that Buddhism helps you attain the wisdom to pursue freedom." Zhang took some of his wealth, and spent six years in Tibet, meditating and studying Buddhist scripture. By the time he came back, he says, he was calmer, kinder and nicer to his parents. More plus photos