Yuan Tong monk parade

I've heard quite a few oohs and ahhs about the Monk Music. great, isn't it? here are a few more photos of Yuan Tong temple to complete the mental image.

last week we visited while a Buddhist service was in progress. worshipers buy candles and incense to burn in large urns full of melted red wax. see,even the girl dressed like one of Justin Timberlake's backup dancers is burning candles. incense is heavy in the air, as is the chanting of the monks. Ben and I sat in front of the temple and listened to the the music. at the end of the service, the entire congregation left the temple, led by monks in saffron robes, and paraded around the temple grounds. the rest of the congregation (wearing black robes) followed the monks, chanting the whole time, and one monk beat a drum to keep everyone in time. we turned our cameras off while the service was in progress and during the monk parade, so no photos, but I am sure you can imagine the surreal experience of literally being surrounded by the chanting and incense. apparently Buddhists have been worshiping in this way, in this very spot for over 900 years.







turns out that this week is special in the old Chinese calendar. people have been out in the streets all week burning "money" (actually it is paper effigies of money) so that their ancestors will be rich in the afterlife. apparently, doing so is against the law, and punishable by up to 15 days in jail, but the old school Chinese do it anyway. I guess it is a matter of priority; 15 days in jail isn't so bad as compared to your deceased relatives living in poverty in the great Beyond. who says Chinese are not religious?