Entering Zen through flowers at Jizhao Hermitage

After climbing up in the Cangshan mountains, when you see the sign for Wutong Temple, you know that Jizhao Hermitage is not far away; I checked Baidu, and found that Cangshan Jizhao Hermitage, Gantong Temple, and Wanfo Temple can all be traced back to the three hermitages during the glorious moments of Gantong Zen Temple. There are many introductions to Jizhao Hermitage online, hailed as 'China's most artistic temple.' Inside the hermitage, there is no incense burner, and flowers are used to honor Buddha. There are no common practices or ceremonies. Nuns and volunteers do the most ordinary chores, passing by visitors with a smile, more like finding a special tea house or guesthouse. The uniqueness of Jizhao Hermitage lies in the powerful inner strength of the host, entering Zen through flowers, one can also comprehend the Tao! The hermitage is filled with colorful succulents, the likes of which I have never seen before in terms of size and variety. Perhaps the succulents also feel the joy of the Buddha's teachings and grow happily! My favorite spot is sitting in the corner of a flower bed in the hermitage, looking up at the clouds rolling by, looking down at the myriad forms of life, with the sunlight shining on the small flowers in the corner of the wall. This tranquility and detachment require your own presence to experience. The entire hermitage is free of charge, and although the adjacent tea house is open for business, no one will bother you if you want to find a place to sit for an afternoon, casual and harmonious. I had intended to wait for the most worthwhile meal at Jizhao Hermitage at five-thirty, but was informed that the mountain was closing, and could only descend in disappointment. I'll leave it for another time. Learning to be content with the present is the greatest respect for Jizhao Hermitage.