A Peace of Mindfulness

At first glance the tiny town of Zaoxi in Zhejiang Province, doesn't seem to have too much to offer visitors, but those who have discovered the peaceful respite of a stay at the town's Guang Jue Monastery would beg to differ.

A little over an hour to the west of the tourist mecca of Hangzhou lies Guang Jue Monastery, a temple first built in the Qing Dynasty and now welcoming those looking for a retreat from city life and an introduction to the mindful world of Pure Land Buddhism.

Pure Land, a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism, is focused on Amitabha Buddha (the buddha of infinite light) and meditation and chanting are both important parts of its practice. Weekend retreats focusing on mindfulness and guided meditation are held occasionally throughout the warmer months, but even if there isn't a formal retreat planned, the monastery's abbot Master Zheng Rong happily welcomes travellers who are seeking some quality time for tranquillity and spirituality.

After a night of simple, but clean and comfortable accommodation, the day at Guang Jue starts early, with the first wake up bell sounding at 4.30am. This summons brings the monks to the main hall to start their day with the centuries old traditional of chanting to answer the call of the dharma (path of Buddhist teaching). Although anyone staying at Guang Jue is welcome to come along and witness this morning ritual, Malcolm Hunt, a retreat facilitator and Australian monk who has been involved with the monastery for the past three years, is at pains to emphasise that activities at Guang Jue should be treated “like a buffet”, and participation isn't expected.

At 5am the first meal of the day is served. The simple and delicious vegetarian fare is prepared by the monastery's loveable, but incurably irascible cook 'Poh Poh'. This five-foot tyro has been known to make grown men tremble in their boots with her finger-waggling reprimands, and buddha help you if you don't eat every grain of rice she serves up at a meal. As she never tires of telling newbies to monastic life, “Every grain of rice is the tear of a farmer.”

The rest of the day, when there are no formal retreat sessions scheduled, is generally given over to solo meditation and reflection time, and with the soundtrack at Guang Jue consisting almost solely of bird song during the day and cricket chirping at night, it's difficult to imagine a better place to get some distance from the eternal cycle of business and busy-ness that defines life in Shanghai for many.

The opportunities for taking in the beautiful bamboo forests surrounding the walls of the monastery are plentiful, with gentle walks in the afternoon being the method du jour. Guang Jue is only 10 kilometres from the world heritage listed Tianmushan National Park, which boasts breathtaking mountain scenery, clear streams and the oldest Ginkgo Biloba trees in the world. Many who stay at the monastery also take the opportunity to visit this pristine part of China and immerse themselves in both its nature and history.

1 Xuzhou Lu. Tel: (0532) 6670 8888

Getting there

There are a couple of options available for those who want to take some time out at Guang Jue monastery, the most popular of which is a bus from Shanghai South Long Distance Bus Station to the city of Lin'an (RMB 70), followed by a RMB 60 to 80 (depending on your bargaining skills) trip onto Zaoxi township and Guang Jue (which is about 1km from the township).

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