Brookline High School in China

China 22: Buddhism and Meat

School Rule: Though I haven't posted any pictures of it, I've grown a nice little goatee in the past two weeks. However, Gao Xin High apparently discourages the physical maturation of their students and have, as of today, required me to shave it off. My girl-like long hair is still up for discussion. (for pics of the soon to be shaved goatee go to the bottom)

Today after school, I went straight home after a call from host mama. I was a unsure what the deal was though the call wasn't totally unexpected because she had metioned something about something yesterday. Nonetheless, I was still pretty irked when I got the call after my 10 hour school day. Going out with only my host mom can be pretty exhausting, and I was wiped after playing a lot of bball under today's hot sun.

So I went home on this beautiful day to go somewhere with my host mom. As we drove off in her white Kia, I finally understood that we were on our way to Qing Long Si (Clear Dragon Temple) where we'd been before. It'd a Buddhist temple on the top of a big hill in Xi'an overlooking the apartments and shacks. Like the two times before, we drove up to the closed gates of this peaceful oasis and my mom blasted the horn impatiently expecting a mond to have anticipated our visit. Though I have a continuing interest in Buddhism, I was thankful that the monk she wanted me to meet wasn't there. We turned the car around, and went back down the hill.

I don't feel right walking around with my mom in this temple which isn't on those tourist places. The times I went there before were both in the dark of night. Only the light of the surrounding city meandered in and out of the carved holes in the wall. The monks care for three dogs who each wear a cow bell around their necks which constantly rattles as they'd chase us around making the sure the serenity doesn't tranquilize you but rather cleanse you. A monk led us around to different symbolic Buddhas and I touched my head to the ground in front of their chubby, chuckling, golden faces. Fragrant incense burned standing upright in a giant mound of ashes. Truly, this place was peaceful. It is during times like these that I am reinspired to drive forward with my absorption of the Chinese langauge. Not that I really had much to say to the monk or my mom during these trips, but how much do I miss not knowing the langauge when I'm at a place like this?

So I was relieved to be turned around this time. Perhaps, it's simply my narrow mindedness about Buddhism and its role in modern life that makes me think that the way my host mother acts at this monastery is inappropriate, but I am very embarassed to be with her there.

So instead of going home, my mom took me out to dinner outside the city. For some reason as we drove away from the monastery and the limbless trees lining the street, I got a second wind. The buildings we were passing started to deconstruct until we came to a few goats and their kids leisurely traversing the road and the lush green fields. The sun was beginning to set, and it made all those beautiful colors through the foggy pollution. The tree's stubs of limbs were also sprouting that sprout colored light green. Some city workers were wheeling their bieks up the hill returning home as we sped by. When we arrived at the top, I felt an overwhelming breath of fresh air as I saw kites flying above a little "kao rou" restaurant. Even more impressive, was that through the haze I see the buildings we'd come from clustered together. So we sat down and ate this delicious, juicy, spicy goat meat on metal spikes watching a setting sun and an awakening moon. I think I really needed a breath of fresh air like that. But don't we all? I mean that's what Bhuddism is about right? Eating meat on top of a hill in the country when you've been stuck in the most crowded place you've ever been for 1 and a half months eating "xi fan" (a tasteless rice porridge w/ a couple beans here and there.)


here's the goatee:




At the aquarium in Xi'an w/ the host mom.



Outside the aquarium w/ a "host cousin"

posted by dAVID @ 8:16 AM