“Who I am?” It is a simple question but also a hard one. The obvious symbol is I am Chinese, which is also I am proud of. I love my country no matter how people say about it. I know there are a huge number of problems in my hometown, China. However, The idea of China in my heart is like Jerusalem for its follows. Jerusalem has death, pain and problems, but people says that, it is our holy city. So do I. Therefore, I am going to talk about my identity closely connected with China.
I have born in a small town in China. It is called Hangzhou, a very beautiful place. Here are some pictures:
It is also a holy city in China, according to a popular story, it is the birth place of a very nice and warm-hearted Buddha. From my grandma’s idea, she told me that we are protected by the Buddha. What’s more, this is why we could have happy life, and people in the city are nice and warm-hearted. Thus, in Hangzhou, most of people are Buddhism. There is a very famous Temple called Lingyin Temple where people will go when they want to see Buddha.
It has been built in Tang Dynasty that around 1050 AD. It has a very long history, but very different from church. We wouldn’t go there very often, such as once a week. In the most time, for buddhist, they have a small place in their house for pray. For example, in my grandma’s house, there is a place where she will prey every morning. It is just as I heard from my mom that, Buddha is everywhere, so people can prey wherever they want. There is a very famous quotation in Buddhism, “Buddha is in our heart.”
For me, I am not strictly Buddhist, because my mom and daddy is not an religion person. However, they still have some beliefs connected with buddhism, so it is really hard to explain. Maybe, I am a selective Buddhist.
Here is a picture of Lingyin Temple.
Even if I am a selective Buddhist, I have went the Temple one time when there was a depression in my life. As there was an emotional connected with me, I got a feeling of peace from the Temple. Because of my experience, I understand that religion is not a simple thing for its followers. It is a symbol to people living in a poor or depressive situation to have courage. This is why I think we should respect everyone’s religion, because religion is the hope for people who have a belief about it.
I really enjoyed this entry Qing. Your home town is very beautiful and I really like the style of the buildings there. I would also like to thank you for giving me a greater insight into what your life was like in China. I feel like American news only reports bad things about China but never the good things. This post showed me a new side of China that seems pleasant and peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! You really said a lot and have such a unique perspective in this class. This holds true especially from a religious perspective. Most of us have been raised in the traditions of one of the three monotheistic religions (or are not religious at all), but there are many different ways that people seek and experience the sacred. Also, I loved the pictures!
ReplyDeleteHey Qing. The pictures of your hometown are absolutely beautiful, so much green I love it! I really like your point that most people are able to recognize the problems with their hometown or country but that that doesn't change the fact that they love and cherish it despite its faults.
ReplyDeleteAs the others have said, your photos are stunning. It's easy to see why you love your country. I'd be interested in hearing more about your relationship with Buddhism.
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