The Purple Bamboo Forest, a Buddhist ashram on Lantau Island, has a history of more than 82 years and was once lively, but now it is deserted, leaving only the 3-year-old abbot, Gen-la Dingman, to take care of it alone. The dojo is far from the hustle and bustle and inaccessible, but it has been infested twice by thieves in recent years, most recently at the end of March this year, when 10,01 yuan in cash reserved by Master Dingman for repairing power lines and treating termites was stolen, which caused public concern. "Hong Kong 30" then visited the purple bamboo forest, Dingman Master told the rise and fall of the Zen forest, in the past Lantau Island in its heyday, there were many monks and nuns, the purple bamboo forest alone had about <> mothers and sisters living here after retirement, the dojo also adopted children of poor families as apprentices, at most more than ten apprentices practiced, originally thought that someone could inherit the mantle, but all the apprentices could not see through the red dust, could not get rid of greed and delusion, and went down the mountain to enter the world. With the development of society, there are many material desires at this time, and even fewer people are willing to become monks, and Master Dingman laments that the incense of the century-old dojo of the Purple Bamboo Forest may not be sustainable.

In March this year, the Purple Bamboo Forest, where Master Dingman was alone, was stolen for the second time, and 3,10 yuan in cash was stolen. (Photo by Cai Zhengbang/Profile photo)

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Most of the Lantau Dojo monasteries were built in the late Qing Dynasty and early People's Dynasty

On the day of the reporter's interview, Master Dingman cleaned in front of the door as usual, and the nearby residents nicknamed her Dingman Master, and she was alert when she saw strangers coming to the iron gate, and it seemed that she still had palpitations. She explained that Zizhulin is not the first time she has been burglarized, in 2018 she was injured by thieves, for security reasons, Zizhulin is no longer open to the public, the entrance and exit are more equipped with iron gates, and only familiar good believers can enter the dojo.

There are many Buddhist ashrams and monasteries on Lantau Island, most of which were built by monks who took refuge in Hong Kong in the late Qing Dynasty, and the famous Po Lin Monastery (then known as Tai Mao Peng) is one of them. These monasteries are located in the areas of Ngong Ping, Lu Wu, Yongshan, Ditangzai and Linghui Mountain, collectively known as the "Five Great Zen Forests". A scholar from the University of Hong Kong once did the Luhu Oral History Project, and counted that there are at least 38 dojos in Luhu alone.

Many ashrams and monasteries on Lantau Island were built by monks who came to Hong Kong to take refuge in the late Qing Dynasty, and Po Lin Monastery is one of them. (Photo by Cai Zhengbang)

Monks and nuns live a clean life, exchange information and help each other

Master Dingman, commonly known as Su Dingman, was taken up the mountain at the age of 2, became a monk at the age of 10, and was ordained at the age of 18 at the Baolian Monastery. Over the past 80 years, she has witnessed the purple bamboo forest and even the Zen forest turn from prosperity to decline. She recalled that in those days, there were many monks and nuns on Lantau Island, retreating in the mountains, ploughing the fields and chopping firewood on weekdays, and selling vegetables for harvest, and living a hard life, but the various Zen forests exchanged news, and when there was something to do, they would run to tell each other, "If one of the monks (monks) was sick, they would chant Guanyin Bodhisattva and Buddha, and when there was no electricity, they would always add gas lamps, and everyone would take turns, and one night they would read until the light of day, and when they read that he had passed, they would use the incarnation furnace (cremation)."

In the last century, some poor families in the countryside would write sending posts to send their children to monasteries to raise because of their hardships; Some grassroots villagers are busy with work and give their children to the dojo for temporary care. Master Dingman said that Zizhulin also took in these children as apprentices, plus nearly 30 retired mothers and sisters who were familiar with Master Shi lived here, and the dojo was also quite lively.

In the last century, some poor families in the countryside would write a post to send their children to the monastery to raise because of their hardship, and the picture shows the style of the 1936 female post.

In the past, the Buddhist ashram had the function of childcare and pension

Lantau resident Tse Sze-kit, who assisted HKU students in completing the Deer Lake oral history project, came into contact with Lu Wu monks and nuns and their dependent children, pointed out that in the past, Buddhist ashrams mostly shouldered the function of childcare and elderly care, "Master is so kind, (the child) lives in Lu Lake and wants to go to Tai O to return to school, Master will live in his pocket, walk in Tai O for an hour, and bring them back after school."

In terms of old-age care, most of the mothers and sisters at that time believed in Buddhism, and some of them went to the dojo to retire after retirement, and they were most concerned about the issue of life, nourishment, death and burial. Xie Shijie pointed out that at that time, there was a so-called share system, and my sister put down a sum of money in the dojo and retired here, and after her death, the dojo would be responsible for dealing with her aftermath.

Xie Shijie has assisted scholars in completing the Luhu Oral History Project, and has come into contact with Luhu monks and nuns and their raised children. (Photo by Cai Zhengbang)

The apprentice's heart fell into the mountain dojo, and no one could inherit it

And there were more than ten apprentices in the heyday of the purple bamboo forest, and Master Dingman originally thought that there would always be one or two apprentices who could inherit the mantle, but everyone went out to develop when they grew up, and the only apprentice who had shaved his hair (but did not receive ordination) finally moved his heart, and one day he knelt down to thank Master and Master Dingman and married, and the hope of inheritance in the dojo was dashed. Master Dingman also understood the reason for the apprentice's departure, explaining: "It seems that you (the reporter) know the jelly when you are big, and you (the apprentice) will go to the Buddhist hall at the age of two or three, and you will leave when you are twenty or thirty years old."

Life on the mountain is difficult, and with the changes of the times, fewer and fewer people are willing to become monks, and most of the small ashrams similar to the purple bamboo forest are not inherited, or abandoned or sold, and the Buddhist cultivation land is gradually dilapidated. In 2010, when the columbarium appeared in Luhu, someone lobbied Master Dingman to sell the purple bamboo forest and enjoy his old age as soon as possible.

The parents wanted to take them home, but they refused because of the kindness of the master

Looking back, Master Dingman mentioned that he also had the opportunity to go down the mountain. She pointed out that when she was young, her parents used to go to the purple bamboo forest to pick her up, "At that time, Master Shi grabbed me and fell (the mountain)... Master is good to me", because of the unforgettable master's grace, she could only refuse her parents' kindness, stay in the purple bamboo forest to practice, and become the heir of the purple bamboo forest.

The century-old incense of the purple bamboo forest has been passed down to the generation of Master Dingman, and it seems that there is no successor, and she frankly said that it is a pity, "I am so heartbroken, I am so desolate, how can I blew me?" She had no children, and she had even thought of asking the sisters of the Su family to inherit the mantle, but no one agreed. She emphasized, "If you become a monk, you must not be a monk, and you must have a family member in the Buddhist hall." The master also left a will that year, if the purple bamboo forest was not inherited, it must be handed over to the Baolian Monastery for disposal, so he had to abide by his last wish.

Most ashrams or monasteries are the private property of monks

Dr. Tang Ka Chu, author of "A History of Buddhism in Hong Kong", pointed out that the will of Master Zizhulin and Master Dingman's attempt to find a lay sister to inherit as a monk are typical practices for handling private property. He explained that in ancient times, Buddhist temples were mostly built at the expense of the state, and the property did not belong to individual monks, but the monks who took refuge in the south did not understand Hong Kong and British laws, did not understand the registration of charitable organizations or trusts, and mostly held property in their personal names. According to this reason, the donations and sesame oil money of believers are also the private property of monks, but the general public rarely examines the issue of property rights.

Tang emphasised that in order to retain the property for the purpose of propagating the Dharma, abbots usually appointed apprentices to inherit the temple property, so it gradually evolved into a "temple for descendants" model, which was passed down from generation to generation. If the abbot does not have apprentices, it is also common practice to transfer the property to other monasteries or monks, and some monks are also abbots of multiple ashrams. If the abbot does not make a will, it often leads to disputes between his lay family and friends for property rights. Deng admits that in the past ten years, disputes over the ownership of dojos have been common, and some descendants have no intention of propagating the law, and once they obtain the title, they will sell it for profit.

Dr. Tang's books include A History of Buddhism in Hong Kong. (Photo by Lu Jiayu)

In order to avoid no inheritance in the ashram or monastery, the monks will look for an heir in advance, "Wu Yu people will naturally want to become monks, if they have special experience in bleating" Tang Jiazhu said frankly, Dingman mentioned that children who write "sending posts" to send to the mountain from grassroots families are potential heirs.

Deng said that in the late Qing Dynasty and even after the war, it was not uncommon for poor families to give their children to others to raise, "at least the master raised them, there were tiles to cover their heads, there were books to read, and there was a guarantee of life", monks and nuns realized that finding an heir was not easy, and they were willing to adopt children to teach and choose heirs.

Tang Jiazhu pointed out that if the abbot does not have apprentices, it is also customary to transfer the property to other monasteries or monks. (Photo by Cai Zhengbang)

Retired mother-in-law's house as a dojo

As for the mother-in-law mentioned by Master Dingman, most of them are women in Shunde and other places who do not marry, leave their hometowns and live in households, mostly believe in Buddhism, and after retirement, they buy their aunt's houses together, take care of each other for life, death, and burial, choose sites near monasteries, and even use their aunt's houses as a dojo. Many mothers and nuns have a good relationship with monks and nuns, and go to monasteries to practice in their spare time, and some mothers and sisters are old and become nuns, Deng explained: "Sister Mom doesn't marry anyway, there is only one difference, hair and no hair."

Mother sister, like monks and nuns, will also adopt orphan chicks, "They will each accept apprentices, both will force children to become monks or mothers, and at the age of 18, they decided by themselves, monks can inherit (dojo), want to go out of the city to work, and mother sister has her own network to introduce." Deng Jiazhu continued to point out that the dojo and the aunt's house can be regarded as grassroots relief organizations in the old days.

With the take-off of Hong Kong's economy, social welfare has improved, free education has been introduced in the 70s, the situation of grassroots families has improved significantly, the number of abandoned babies or writing posts has been greatly reduced, and even the group of mothers and sisters has gradually disappeared. Tang pointed out that the potential heir has almost disappeared, coupled with the increasing prosperity of the society, few people are willing to become monks, and the various avenues on Lantau Island have gradually declined.

The purple bamboo forest, which has a history of more than 82 years, is now only managed by the <>-year-old abbot Dingman. (Photo by Cai Zhengbang)

Guarding the Buddhist ashram alone|A human field is not an isolated case The monastery introduces monks from the mainland Scholars analyze the reason: the purple bamboo forest of the century-old temple on Lantau Island was stolen and more than 10,<> yuan was lost The octogenarian abbot lamented that he had no money to cure termites