Experience a day in the life of a Buddhist monastery

Weekend 17-18 May 2014

Join our group visiting the Zhaoxian Bailin Temple. Dating back 1,200 years, the  temple is an important Chan Sect (Zen) Buddhist monastery in China. Today 160 monks and Buddhist students practice Chan and Pure Lotus Buddhism here and thousands of laypersons come to worship.

When: 17-18 May 2014 (weekend trip)

Where to meet: Meet RASBJ’s Matthew Hu no later than 10:15 AM at Beijing West railway station for the 10:48 AM train to Shijiazhuang (#G6701), arriving Shijiazhuang at 12:07 PM (scheduled). The temple is 45 minutes’ mini-bus ride from Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province. Return on the 18:36 PM (scheduled) train to Beijing (#G6718). we’ll arrive at 20:02 PM (scheduled)

Cost: 600 RMB per person based on 15-20 paying participants. Includes round-trip train tickets Beijing-Shijiazhuang; round-trip mini-bus between Shijiazhuang and the temple; food and accommodation at the temple, cost of tour leader.  THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE PERSONAL ITEMS OR A DONATION TO THE TEMPLE (SUGGESTED AMOUNT: 200 RMB PER PERSON).

Registration: registration and prepayment is required [email protected]

More information:

We’ll take a Beijing-Shijiazhuang train, then a minibus to the temple for an introduction to the grounds and the monastery’s code of conduct. Then we’ll join local monks for evening prayer, followed by a simple vegetarian meal, and a Buddhist lecture (It will be in Chinese; RASBJ’s Matthew Hu will translate). The next morning, we can rise early to join monks in morning prayer (optional); then have breakfast followed by a meditation session. We’ll then take the minibus in the early afternoon–stopping to see the famous Sui Dynasty Zhaozhou bridge–for a ride to Shijiazhuang, and  to meet the 18:36 PM train to return to Beijing.

NOTES: This is an unique opportunity to experience life in a Zen temple. Shorts/skirts are not recommended; women’s clothing should cover shoulders and upper arms. Food is vegetarian. Accommodations are simple but clean. No mixed-gender couples are allowed to stay in the same room; men and women sleep in different areas. Each guest room has a private bathroom but two or more (same gender) guests may be asked to share a room. The group is limited to 20 people.