13_Green and Beautiful Monasteries: Exploring the Sustainable Path of Ecological Construction of Buddhist Monasteries in Guangzhou

Green and Beautiful Monasteries: Exploring the Sustainable Path of Ecological Construction of Buddhist Monasteries in Guangzhou

                                Venerable Yao Zhi

    Guangzhou, the glittering pearl of Lingnan culture, plays a pivotal role in the realms of ecological conservation and sustainable development with its profound Buddhist tradition and numerous ancient monasteries. This article starts from these monasteries to show how the wisdom of Chinese Buddhism is being integrated with modern environmental protection. In the face of global environmental issues, particularly the impact of carbon emissions on ecosystems, Chinese Buddhism offers a unique perspective to observe and provide spiritual and moral support for environmental protection through the teachings of compassion, equality, the Middle Way and dependent origination. The Buddhist thinking of the Middle Way and insight into impermanence guide us to better understand and adapt to environmental changes. Upholding President Xi Jinping’s thoughts on ecological civilization, the Guangzhou Buddhist Association is committed to the ecological and cultural protection of monasteries, fully demonstrating the feasibility of achieving high-quality development of Buddhism in the process of modernization. Through a series of targeted suggestions and practices, Buddhist monasteries in Guangzhou have played a positive role in ecological protection and cultural inheritance, providing valuable practical experience and approaches for recognizing and responding to global environmental issues.

The Environmental Ethics of Chinese Buddhism: the Ecological Wisdom of “Interdependence”

     In Chinese Buddhism, the concept of “interdependence” advocated by the theory of dependent origination constitutes the core of its environmental ethics, which is not only of great significance at the religious level, but also has far-reaching impact on society and culture. The perspective of the sociologist of religion, Émile Durkheim (1995), reveals how religion plays a key role in promoting social solidarity and shaping collective consciousness. [1]He suggests that religion not only holds a unique position in explaining the meaning of the universe but also plays an important role in consolidating collective consciousness. This theoretical perspective is particularly crucial in understanding the role of Buddhism in environmental ethics and practice. Buddhism’s respect and compassion for all life resonate with the core concepts of sustainable development in modern environmental policies. [2]The Buddhism’s Middle Way philosophy and understanding of impermanence have motivated its followers to gain insights into environmental changes and to actively engage in environmental action. The principle of dependent origination allows us to deeply understand the interdependence and co-prosperity of all things. This aligns with the Chinese adage “pulling one hair affects the whole body” and “butterfly effect” in ecology, emphasizing the importance of a holistic view.[3] Moreover, inspired by the theory of “Dharma realm without obstruction” in the Avatamsaka Sutra, the worldview of Chinese Buddhism highlights the profound cosmology of the interrelation and integration of things. In the field of environmental protection, the pursuit of harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature has been established as a core strategic goal. This concept is highly compatible with Buddhist teachings and is also in line with the key decisions of China’s environmental protection policy. Such concepts prompt Buddhist followers to have a deeper understanding of the close connection between life and nature, and inspire them to play a more proactive role in the cause of environmental protection.

Ecological Construction practices of Buddhist Monasteries in Guangzhou: Adapting to Local Conditions and Creating Green Ecological Monasteries

    President Xi Jinping’s discussions on carbon peak and carbon neutrality demonstrates China’s firm determination to combat climate change. These goals are closely linked to the environmental ethics of Chinese Buddhism, providing spiritual and moral guidance for achieving them. [4]The environmental ethics of Chinese Buddhism can offer insights for promoting green low-carbon development and harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature. The government, Buddhist groups and all sectors of society should work together to integrate Buddhist concepts of environmental protection into modern practices, jointly building a beautiful China and contributing to the construction of a global ecological civilization.

     Over the years, the Guangzhou Buddhist Association has persisted in carrying out the construction of green and ecological temples. The first is to create “one temple, one landscape”. The Buddhist community in Guangzhou advances the concept of “one temple, one landscape” by combining it with the actual conditions of each location according to the scales of the temples. For large temples, this is exemplified by the landscaped grandeur of the North Square at the Grand Buddha Monastery, the garden-like setting of Liurong Temple, and the park-inspired design of Haichuang Temple. These prominent sites set the standard for green beauty, enhancing their surroundings with distinct features that elevate the overall greenery and aesthetic appeal. Several medium-sized temples, including Wuzhou Temple adorned with greenery, Huayan Temple boasting a lush garden, Nengren Temple showcasing revitalized landscaping, Zhengguo Temple adorned with vibrant flowers and fruits, and Changshou Temple featuring an innovative rooftop garden, are leading the way in inspiring other religious sites within the city to create environmentally conscious and picturesque monastery spaces. Small temples, such as Ningyin Chapel, Fusheng Chapel, Buddhist Association Chapel, and Yuantong Temple, have transformed into symbols of green beautification through the micro-renovation, bonsai art, and the cultivation of flowers and trees, among others methods. The second is the implementation of “civilized incense worship”. The Buddhist community in Guangzhou actively advocates the concept of “three sticks of clean incense for blessings” and “offering incense without lighting it”, standardizing the use of incense and strengthening the guidance of Buddhist devotees. They promote the idea of offering fresh flowers or pure water to Buddha in place of the traditional plethora of burning incense sticks, especially during the hectic Spring Festival and other significant Buddhist festivals, thereby effectively improving the ecological environment of temples. The third initiative is the “toilet revolution”, focusing on enhancing the cleanness of public restrooms by following the “three haves, one have-not” standard—having someone in charge, providing paper towels, ensuring a softly scented atmosphere, and eliminating bad odors. This initiative actively promotes the renovation and upgrade of public toilets in Buddhist temples and nunneries. The fourth is the diligent implementation of waste sorting. The Guangzhou Buddhist Association guides each Buddhist venue to implement waste sorting earnestly, set up classified trash bins appropriately, and strengthen publicity and guidance. The Grand Buddha Monastery has set up the “Guangzhou Buddhist Community Waste Sorting Volunteer Team”, advocating the practice of “four concepts”. [5]

    In addition, Shimen Zen Temple’s collaboration with Hong Kong’s Chi Lin Nunnery in building the “Guangdong-Hong Kong Buddhist Heart-to Heart Forest” showcases the close ties between the Buddhist communities of the two places. Such projects reflect the integration of Buddhist heritage with modern ecological awareness. In 2022, in response to the “Guangzhou Urban Tree Protection Management Regulations (Trial)”, the Guangzhou Buddhist Association actively engaged in the sustainable protection of monastery trees,[6] aiding the ecological construction of a green and beautiful Guangzhou. With the expertise of its dedicated team, the Association actively participates in the ecological and cultural relics protection of monasteries, and promotes the upgrading of the ecological environment of monasteries. Their efforts have yielded remarkable achievements in this regard, making a positive contribution to the creation of a beautiful China, green Guangzhou and the promotion of green ecological development.

Constructing Ecological Garden Monasteries with Examples from the Grand Buddha Monastery and Baihua Ancient Temple in Guangzhou

     Nature, as a site, is regarded as a guide for monks’ spiritual introspection.[7] The construction of monastic gardens and ecological environment offers Buddhist followers a medium to cultivate their practice and commune with nature. In the ecological garden construction of Buddhist temples in Guangzhou, the Grand Buddha Monastery and Baihua Ancient Temple have their own distinctive features.

     In 2021, the North Square of the Grand Buddha Monastery in Guangzhou, China underwent a landscaping transformation, creating a “Zen healing garden” with the theme “mindfulness garden”. Utilizing picturesque landscaping techniques, the design reconstructs the landscape pattern of the Southern Han Dynasty, retracing the thousand-year history and scenic beauty of the surrounding area of the Grand Buddha Monastery and reshaping the classical relationship between human and land. Devotees can learn about the four seasons of the herbal garden through the guided tours and realize the concept of the unity of man and heaven through the correspondence between Lingnan herbs and plants and the five organs of the human body. Through mindful healing activities in the garden, they become aware of the present, reflect on their inner nature, and experience the harmony of body, mind and spirit. The design of the North Square of the Grand Buddha Monastery is centered on the theme of meditation, combining the traditional Chinese wisdom of health with garden landscaping to signify that gardening itself is a form of meditation.

     Baihua Ancient Temple in Guangzhou delves deeper into the integration of Buddhist cosmology with traditional Chinese health cultivation wisdom. The landscape of the central courtyard is designed to resemble the Buddhist world of Mount Sumeru. Through an axial garden sequence, the courtyard symbolizes Mount Sumeru, allowing individuals to immerse themselves in it and perceive heaven and earth. The surrounding landscape of the temple adopts the theme of the twenty-four solar terms, following the pattern of the four seasons of heaven and earth, exploring the landscaping with respect for all lives that unifies heaven, earth and man, and guiding devotees to live in harmony with the seasons in the garden and practice the release of self-attachment through Zen enlightenment. This not only allows devotees to sense nature in everyday life, but also to comprehend the harmonious coexistence between human being and nature during their spiritual practices.

Conclusion

     In the construction of China’s socialist ecological civilization in the new era, Chinese Buddhism plays a significant role in contributing to the building of a beautiful China and the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. This idea is in line with President Xi Jinping’s thought on ecological civilization and was emphasized in the reports of the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China. Notably, the 19^th National Congress report incorporated “a beautiful China” into the overall goal of building a modern socialist country with Chinese characteristics in the new era. The 20^th National Congress report further clarified that in the next five years, the construction of a beautiful China would achieve significant results, emphasizing the central role of ecological and environmental quality in the nation’s development. [8]The province of Guangdong leads with the concept of “a green and beautiful Guangdong”, promoting high-quality development of ecological civilization. The ecological construction practices of Buddhist monasteries in Guangzhou energetically implement the principles of environmental protection and sustainable development inherent in Chinese Buddhism, showcasing the united efforts of the government, Buddhist groups, scholars, and all sectors of society. In the future, the role of Chinese Buddhism in ecological civilization construction will become even more prominent, providing intellectual resources and practical momentum for promoting sustainable development and harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature. Let us work together to contribute to building a beautiful, harmonious, and sustainable future.