What was it like
2006-06-19 04:40:42 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ China
Yes!
I was born and brought up in Hong Kong. Nearly every summer in my childhood, I used to stay in Po Lin Temple (Monastery) for 2 nights in Lantau Island (Hong Kong) with my cousin or my mother or my grandpa, we only donated the amount we could afford to the temple and no charge was fixed for the bed. Males / females stays in different 2 stories buildings, total around 60 some beds (around 8 -10 beds in each small room) and we went to bed at around 8:00 p.m. Certainly, there wasn't any TV nor radio but you could hear the dogs barking sometimes in the night.
The monks start their routines (praying) at around 4:30 a.m., we (the kids) used to get up at 5:30 a.m. and had breakfast at around 6:00 a.m. and joined the praying or ceremony at around 7:00 a.m., then went hiking in the mountain (at the temple's back), running around till 11:30 /12:30 or so (lunch time started at 11:30). We (the kids) also had to work along with the adults liked folding the paper in shapes like gold/silver nuggets (currency for the ghost), put into big paper bags with our ancestors' names written on then burned these bags ... (like sending mail to another world... where they also need money too) ...
Now, the temple operates a hotel (kind of like youth hostel) there.
Please remember only vegetarian food can be consumed within the area of the temple.
Some of my friends experienced a 7 days camp in the temples here in Hong Kong or in Thailand, to meditate, pray, ... etc. to clean their souls ... refresh their minds / thoughts about lives ... etc.
2006-06-22 08:52:51 · answer #1 · answered by Aileen HK 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes and I can confirm with everyone's notions that it was indeed a very peaceful and rewarding experience. I can't really say it was relaxing physically cos I did partake in doing daily chores, but it was certainly relaxing for the mind. As cheesy as it sounds, I learned a lot about myself.
2006-06-19 12:01:46 · answer #2 · answered by dezina 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Though it sounds like others enjoyed their experience, I had some friends that stayed a night in a temple in Tibet and the majority of them described it as one of the worst experiences in their lives.
Do your research.
2006-06-24 03:08:31 · answer #3 · answered by pandagirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but believe that would be just an exciting and relaxing thing to do..
2006-06-19 11:45:03 · answer #4 · answered by S - T - A - R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but I would love to. I am sure it will be peaceful and rejuvenating.
2006-06-19 11:44:03 · answer #5 · answered by viv 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No...but that would be cool
2006-06-19 11:43:40 · answer #6 · answered by empresscalls 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋