CW Chu College The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

On 12 Nov 2016, the College organised a day trip to Tsz Shan Monastery in Tai Po, taking 30 students to explore the wisdom of Buddhism. Organised by Prof Wong Suk Ying, Warden of the College, and her team of resident tutors, the trip introduced participants to new perspectives in life and to the enduring Buddhist culture.

The tailor-made visit features a mind-freshening guided tour and a series of mindfulness activities, all conducted in English by a professional team at the Monastery. Without language barrier, our incoming exchange and non-local students could thoroughly enjoy and benefit from the cultural elements of the journey.

Through the Main Gate, participants entered and sauntered through the spacious courtyard of Joyful Terrace. They visited the Maitreya Hall, listening to stories of the Bodhisattva Maitreya and the Four Heavenly Kings on the two sides, and then the Grand Buddha Hall, looking at the wonder of its three Buddha statues. The tour went along a soothing path surrounded by magnificent sceneries and among buildings and statues designed to harmonize with the surrounding, set apart from the hustle and bustle of city life, and worked well as a transition into mindfulness that begins with the water-offering.

The water-offering aims to pay tribute to Guanyin by pouring water into the Thousand Wishes Pond. Participants had to walk towards the Guanyin while holding a bowlful of water without spilling it. The exercise encouraged participants to remain calm, preparing them for the Zen Calligraphy and the Walking Meditation.

The Zen Calligraphy is a sutra-copying exercise; the Walking Meditation is a walk in deliberately slow pace. Both looked easy but proved challenging. As seconds built into minutes, copying the Heart Sutra and barely moving one's feet required great attention and endurance to still the many thoughts and ideas. The exercises invite participants to focus on the present moment, and to cultivate mindfulness amid an increasingly materialistic and superficial view of life in society. Many participants described the experience as mind-blowing.

Participants are grateful for the hospitality and thoughtful arrangements. As tokens of appreciation, Prof Wong Suk Ying and the participants prepared two thank-you cards for the Monastery.

Thank you, Tsz Shan Monastery.