Microblog proves a godsend for monk
Source: Xinhua |
June 26, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LIKE all Buddhist monks, Yancan spends most of his day seeking enlightenment.
But unlike most monks, Yancan often stays up until midnight using a microblogging site to spread the word among more than a million followers002E
Yancan is abbot of the Shuiyue Monastery in north China's Hebei Province. For over 20 years, the Zen monk has passed his knowledge on through sermons and lectures. But now, the power of the Internet has given him a new avenue through which to spread his wisdom.
Yancan rose to online prominence last week, when a video of him being harassed by monkeys near E'Mei Mountain, a sacred Buddhist site, was uploaded to the Internet.
Yancan quickly amassed a large following on Sina Weibo, with his posts forwarded thousands of times over since the video's debut, helping him to bring his thoughts to a much larger audience.
"I only hope to shore up positive energy on the web, where people vent too much anger and frustration," Yancan said.
Yancan has written more than 11,000 posts since he opened his Weibo account two years ago. Most reflect a Buddhist interpretation of ordinary life issues, ranging from the pains of growing up to dealing with the national college entrance exams.
"Life inspires me, and then I write what comes to my mind," the monk said.
Yancan's positive approach stands out among the verbal abuse common to social messaging sites. His humorous demeanor and laid-back approach have charmed the public. "Life itself is too serious, so I try my best not to be," Yancan said.
Yancan recently conducted an online interview on Sina Weibo, inviting questions. He received about 30,000 queries, and responded to many in typically witty fashion.
Liu Xiaoying, a professor at the Communication University of China, attributed Yancan's rise in popularity to the fact that the Internet allowed more people to discuss life freely.
Yancan has not been spared criticism. Some have described him as "ignorant of his proper duties" and even accused him of lacking "Buddhist purity."
The criticism confuses the monk. "Isn't it a good thing? Everybody laughs and no one gets hurt," he said. "I am duty-bound to propagate Buddhism. The new age needs us to change."
But unlike most monks, Yancan often stays up until midnight using a microblogging site to spread the word among more than a million followers002E
Yancan is abbot of the Shuiyue Monastery in north China's Hebei Province. For over 20 years, the Zen monk has passed his knowledge on through sermons and lectures. But now, the power of the Internet has given him a new avenue through which to spread his wisdom.
Yancan rose to online prominence last week, when a video of him being harassed by monkeys near E'Mei Mountain, a sacred Buddhist site, was uploaded to the Internet.
Yancan quickly amassed a large following on Sina Weibo, with his posts forwarded thousands of times over since the video's debut, helping him to bring his thoughts to a much larger audience.
"I only hope to shore up positive energy on the web, where people vent too much anger and frustration," Yancan said.
Yancan has written more than 11,000 posts since he opened his Weibo account two years ago. Most reflect a Buddhist interpretation of ordinary life issues, ranging from the pains of growing up to dealing with the national college entrance exams.
"Life inspires me, and then I write what comes to my mind," the monk said.
Yancan's positive approach stands out among the verbal abuse common to social messaging sites. His humorous demeanor and laid-back approach have charmed the public. "Life itself is too serious, so I try my best not to be," Yancan said.
Yancan recently conducted an online interview on Sina Weibo, inviting questions. He received about 30,000 queries, and responded to many in typically witty fashion.
Liu Xiaoying, a professor at the Communication University of China, attributed Yancan's rise in popularity to the fact that the Internet allowed more people to discuss life freely.
Yancan has not been spared criticism. Some have described him as "ignorant of his proper duties" and even accused him of lacking "Buddhist purity."
The criticism confuses the monk. "Isn't it a good thing? Everybody laughs and no one gets hurt," he said. "I am duty-bound to propagate Buddhism. The new age needs us to change."
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