This generation of young people, in the midst of seeking people and themselves, turned to seeking Buddha;
Between going to work and being motivated, he jumped to Shangxiang without hesitation;
In the process of part-time work and entrepreneurship, he chose to practice as a monk.
Whether it is the Lama Temple in Beijing, the Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, and the Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, groups of young men and women have poured into the temple.
Relevant data shows that the search volume of "temple" has increased by 368 times in the past four years, especially since February this year, nearly half of the people who book tickets are post-90s and post-00s.
Visiting temples, buying hand skewers, burning incense, and worshipping Buddha, which used to be regarded as feudal superstition, have unknowingly become a new way for young people to travel and check in, and various strategies are spreading rapidly on social platforms.
Out of curiosity, we interviewed four young people – including white-collar workers in first-tier cities, graduate students who are suffering from academic pressure, and working girls who often visit temples to relax.
For them, what exactly is it asking for to worship Buddha?
The last time I went to Lingyin Temple was an unexpected coincidence. Strictly speaking, I believe in Christianity, and I don't go to temples and Taoist temples on weekdays.
One weekend in late February, I traveled from Shanghai to Hangzhou and stayed at a homestay near Lingyin Temple. Early that morning, I was woken up by the sound of ringing bells and chanting Buddha in the distance, and it was only 5 o'clock in the morning when I looked at my mobile phone in a daze.
I originally wanted to lie down and continue to sleep, but my brain suddenly became extremely awake, as if I felt a "call" in the dark. So I woke my boyfriend up and called him to go over and say goodbye. It took less than 10 minutes to walk to the temple, when it was not yet dawn, and there were already many people gathered at the gate, and it took about half an hour to queue to enter.
The whole process was quick, and it ended in less than an hour. As soon as I entered, I went straight to the place where the incense was burned, and then meditated and prostrated in front of the Buddha statue and prayed to God. Because I didn't know much about those rituals and etiquette, I didn't do my homework beforehand, and quietly observed how the people in front of me worshiped, so I followed along with the gourd drawing scoop.
▲Hangzhou Lingyin Temple|Entrance
▲Interior view of Lingyin Temple|Taken on February 25, 2023
My purpose is clear, that is, to pursue a career. I have been in the public relations industry for more than two years, but my work has not improved, and coupled with various external factors, my business has not been smooth in the past year. In this situation, I feel very confused about my future career plans.
By early March, everything was all about to turn around. The big customers who lost a few years ago suddenly came back and expressed their willingness to continue to cooperate with us. Leadership started letting me lead projects alone, which was a whole new opportunity for me.
A week later, I returned to Lingyin Temple to make a wish. This time, I did my homework in advance, such as not wearing too bright clothes in terms of dress, entering from the left and exiting from the right, and crossing the threshold with the right foot first...
Not only that, but on my workstation are amulets from the temple and a collection of Starbucks, Luckin, and other blessing stickers. When something goes wrong, I will pick up the imperial guard to make a wish and meditate on the blessing on the sticker, which can temporarily relieve my anxiety.
I also bought the "Koi Fairy Life" series of blind boxes from the trendy play brand Mighty Jaxx, and I happened to see their brand mentioning: "It is not so much that young people burn incense to worship Buddha as superstition, but when everything is ready, find another spiritual comfort and sustenance, which becomes one of their driving forces in work and life."
Now look at the immortal koi on the table from time to time, and instantly feel that I have obtained double divine power and double efficacy!
▲ A corner of the station | Mighty Jaxx full set of blind boxes
If we want to talk about the harvest of burning incense and worshipping Buddha, the main thing is to be more peaceful in mentality. In the past, if something happened, I would often think in a bad direction, but now I have one more thought in my mind, maybe one day my wish will come true.
The deeper reason is that I always feel that my personal efforts are very limited and may not achieve the desired results, so I will put some of my hopes on the gods.
A few years later, my friend and I traveled in Chengdu with a group of four. Returning from the giant panda base that morning, we happened to see that Wenshu Monastery was also a popular attraction, so we went straight to the temple to worship Buddha and petition.
On the way, I quickly checked the customs of praying Buddha in the car. After all, I didn't have this experience before, so I first went to the Internet to search for precautions, such as washing your hands before worshiping, touching the sacred beast can only touch its feet, and inserting incense also scores the left and right hands.
▲Chengdu Wenshu Monastery|Source: Little Red Book @kido
Arriving at Wenshu Monastery at about 12 noon, there was not much crowd at that time. Visitors can receive three pillars of incense for free, and then burn incense in the big stove, the more vigorous the flame, the better, and then insert the incense. People who kneel and pray on the spot are rare, and most of them stand and pray twice, closing their eyes and meditating on their wishes.
After walking inside, there is a 20-meter-long and 10-meter-wide courtyard, and there are already people around the perimeter who are already half-circled, waiting in line to worship Buddha, touch blessings, and touch sacred beasts. There is a guide staff next to it, and although the line is long, the progress is very fast.
There is a prayer pavilion with lights in the courtyard. At that time, the shelves were filled with lamps lit by pilgrims, and even the ones on the ground were placed outside the pavilion. The number of different lamps represents different meanings. I bought 7 lamps, symbolizing academic success, 15 yuan for one lamp, and spent a total of 105 yuan.
There is also a row of shelves with red line signs. After buying a lamp outside, you will be given a bookmark, write the blessing, and hang the sign. Since I am now a student, I write that I hope that graduate students will graduate successfully and if they have the opportunity to continue their doctoral studies.
At that time, we wanted to follow the trend and buy the very popular eighteen-seed hand skewers, but when we asked that day, we had already sold out, so we had to give up and leave first.
▲Wenshu Monastery|Source: Little Red Book @ Me in the Sun
Although I don't have a firm faith in petitioning God, I always have a heart of awe. To be honest, if you think about it, you can understand the truth that Buddha is unreliable after all, just take this opportunity to ask for psychological comfort.
Ten days ago, my friend and I traveled to Xiamen. I heard a local friend mention the Wenshu Monastery in Nanputuo Temple, where I prayed for a very spiritual study, I myself do not believe in Buddhism, and it happened that my niece wanted to pray for her in the college entrance examination this year.
That afternoon, we went to Nanputuo Temple. After entering, I followed the flow of people to receive incense, light incense, worship Buddha, and petition, because I didn't know what rituals were, and I followed when I saw what others did.
I stopped by the temple and bought two wooden pendants at the Legal Affairs and Distribution Department, namely "Golden List Inscription" and "Every Exam Must Be Passed". When I walked into the Manjushri Pavilion that day, there happened to be a master inside, and I put the object I had just bought on the table, and he helped to chant, which means mana blessing.
On the same day in the temple, I saw a purple bracelet at a glance, the price of which was close to 1,000 yuan. But at that time, it can be said that it was love at first sight, and it was bought immediately without hesitation.
Coincidentally, after leaving the temple that day, I randomly walked into a shop to buy scratch music, and I won the lottery immediately. This is the first time in my life that I have won a lottery ticket.
For the next three days, as long as I passed by similar stores in Xiamen, I couldn't help but go in and buy two, and to my surprise, I almost bought it, but the amount of each time was not large, usually buying 10 yuan, and the bonus was 20 yuan.
▲Xiamen Nanputuo Temple|Taken on 2023.3.11
Maybe it is more compatible with this place in Xiamen, but I dare not say that the good luck of those days is related to Buddha worship. Buying strings and pendants, just like buying lottery tickets, is buying hope and faith, provided that you first have a lottery ticket, maybe it will win on which day.
The habit of visiting temples was slowly developed a year after graduating from university.
Usually e-commerce work is busy, and overtime is the norm when encountering activities such as new and big promotions. But whenever I have time on weekends and the weather is good, I go to the temple mainly to relax - to break away from the busy rhythm, take a break, put aside the stress and anxiety of reality, wait until I come back and rest for the night, and then try the next day.
The first time I visited the temple, I was about four years ago. At that time, I participated in a youth walking activity with friends, starting from Lingyin Temple, hiking all the way to Faxi Temple, and praying inside. It was the first time I felt the atmosphere of the temple, and I saw the crowd surrounded by incense, a wonderful feeling that was both quiet and lively.
Until now, when I go to Lingyin Temple and Faxi Temple, I am used to riding on mountain paths, full of green life, and ride all the way to the West Lake and stop.
▲Hangzhou Faxi Temple|Taken in 2022
The last time I went was three weeks ago. Compared with the Lingyin Temple, which has recently exploded, there are not many people who come to Xiangji Temple.
When I arrived that day, it was 10:30 in the morning, my friend and I first walked slowly around the temple, and went to the nearby vegetarian restaurant to eat near the meal, the self-service vegetarian food was 20 yuan per person, and then I went to take the water bus in the afternoon, and the day was so relaxed.
▲Hangzhou Xiangji Temple|Taken on February 26, 2023
Jingci Temple near West Lake is also a temple with relatively few people.
Although its scale is not large, standing in the highest hall and looking to the west to see the West Lake, I suddenly feel that my heart is much broader, and even the resentment that has accumulated in my chest for several days has dissipated.
▲Hangzhou Jingci Temple|Taken in 2021
Every time I visit the temple to pray, my wish remains the same: to hope that I and my family are in good health. I have asked for peace charm pendants for my family, and I have also bought myself a bracelet of the White Lotus Bodhi, which is simply to ask for peace of mind. The price of a bracelet bought a year ago was only 58 yuan, and now it has risen to hundreds of yuan.
However, there are also things that please go home with. For example, hand skewers should not be brought into the bathroom and kitchen, and it is taboo to sleep at night under the pillow. I'm afraid of forgetting all kinds of precautions, so I usually put it away after buying it.
In my opinion, praying to God and worshipping Buddha is more like positive self-encouragement. Every time I go to the temple and walk around, it is like adding a layer of buff to myself, and I have more confidence and confidence in work and life. If you can get a good result, of course, it is very good.
Young people who used to hand over koi now go to the temple to burn incense and worship Buddha. No wonder some people say that the incense burner burns the stress and anxiety of contemporary youth.
It's not hard to understand why. Worship the God of Wealth, seek education, invite marriage... It reflects the pressures faced by young people, such as finding a good job, entering graduate school, and getting rid of singleness. And for them, when the efforts in reality are delayed, praying to God and worshiping Buddha is also an effective psychological comfort.
Or, when people are in great uncertainty and realize that hard work is not as good as good luck to affect the outcome, they will naturally rely on the seemingly empty spiritual support. It is not difficult to see why many young people are fascinated by "metaphysical" objects such as bracelets, pendants, and blind boxes.
Han Byung-chul mentioned in his book "The Burnout Society" that in the past, religion could calm human fears and bring a sense of perpetuity, but now due to the lack of modern faith, which has caused people to be nervous and restless, life has never been so fleeting.
The purpose of praying to God and worshiping Buddha is not to "lie down on the Buddha's lineage", but to regain the courage to face reality after touching faith religiously. Walking into a temple full of incense is just to be able to better participate in life later.