日本高清色视频在线视频在,国产香蕉97碰碰视频碰碰看,丰满少妇av无码区,精品无码专区在线,久久无码专区免费看,四虎欧美精品永久地址99,亚洲色无码一区二区三区

English 中文網(wǎng) 漫畫網(wǎng) 愛新聞iNews 翻譯論壇
中國(guó)網(wǎng)站品牌欄目(頻道)
當(dāng)前位置: Language Tips> 譯通四海> Columnist 專欄作家> Raymond Zhou

Saintly sinner of Shaolin temple

[ 2009-11-30 15:20]     字號(hào) [] [] []  
免費(fèi)訂閱30天China Daily雙語(yǔ)新聞手機(jī)報(bào):移動(dòng)用戶編輯短信CD至106580009009

Saintly sinner of Shaolin temple

Shaolin Temple's website recently took on a new look.

First, hackers splashed the slogan: "Die, Shi Yongxin, you evil rebel of Shaolin Temple!" on the website. Then it was replaced with a "letter of contrition", supposedly from Abbot Shi, complete with a photo. In it, Shi "apologizes" for commercializing the temple and its kungfu traditions.

I liked the second approach better because it was ironical and reminded me of something that happened in the 1980s. A bunch of local officials had taken all the slots for housing, back when they were dispensed as employee benefits. Regular employees, out of frustration, complained to the press. But nobody listened.

Saintly sinner of Shaolin temple

Then, one of them came up with an alternative idea. He wrote to another newspaper, praising his bosses for "giving all the housing units to those in need and not taking one for themselves". The paper published the letter, without verifying it, adding a comment that extolled the noble stance of the cadres.

The "positive" story essentially undid the officials, who were hurled into the public domain by the unintentionally satirical article. Eventually, they had to return what they did not deserve in the first place.

If the cyber-attackers who hacked into the Shaolin site harbored similar intentions, they may comfort themselves by the fact that Shi claims to have been "spurred on" by the incident.

This was a brilliant choice of word. "Biance" refers in Chinese to a form of encouragement if you do something right, or punishment if it is something wrong. It did not infer that Shi would change his ways and he showed his contempt by calling the attack a "joke".

I must admit, Shi was steadfast in the face of such cyber-age adversity. Had he flown into a rage he would have vindicated his enemies by proving himself un-Buddhist. Yet his composure was not a sign of detachment from worldly troubles, but rather a diplomatic coup in defending the practices for which he had been vociferously criticized.

Shi added his salary is between 100 and 200 yuan a month ($14.60-$30), while some monks, supported by secular donations, may earn up to 1,000 a month.

This is a typical case of partial truth. It's like the recently revealed salary list for some of China's biggest stars, which range from 1,000 to 3,000 yuan a month. It defies logic. I know of some junior monks in my hometown who make 10 times as much as the abbot. What he referred to might be the base salary, but it accounts for a negligible fraction of his real income.

On the other hand, I must add that cyber-attacks are wrong. Rumor-mongering is worse. The Internet story that Shi wines and dines and keeps mistresses has not been independently corroborated. His lavish new robe (the gold thread alone costs 50,000 yuan, or $7,300) could be seen as a work-related expense. And the government award three years ago of a Volkswagon worth over 1 million yuan seems fair enough, in view of what he has achieved for the county.

Shi, arguably China's best-known Buddhist, is loved and hated in equal measure. As a business executive, he is among the best in the country, and probably wildly underpaid. But as a religious leader, he has an image problem because of his secular activities.

Before Shi, Shaolin Temple existed mostly as a legend in Hong Kong kungfu flicks. He is largely responsible for turning it from a myth into an institution. Tourists, Buddhist or not, can buy a ticket for 100 yuan to visit the temple. They can enroll in one of its many martial arts schools even if they have never been to Henan province, by dropping in on one of its branches around the world, operated as a kind of franchise, or catch one of its touring performances. There is even a movie on the way, starring Jackie Chan and Andy Lau, produced by a company set up by the abbot.

No wonder the local government in Henan has been showering the master monk with accolades and prizes. Shaolin has become a big brand and an important business.

But at what cost?

If you care to ask anyone who has recently visited the temple, you'll learn that they tend to find distress rather than peace in the supposed halls of harmony and tranquility. Everything comes at a price. It's just like another money-grabbing venture. There is little room for spirituality.

Nobody criticizes a business for being profit-oriented, on condition it abides by laws and ethics. But religion, like education, usually falls into the non-profit category. You don't want practitioners to starve, but you don't expect them to roll in cash. It simply does not seem right.

Shi's fame and fortune are not unique. Many temples function as tourist attractions. In the United States, televangelists build up their brand names and channel immense wealth into their deep pockets.

Shaolin is synonymous with martial arts and its history is punctuated with occasional forays into secular dealings. Its warrior monks helped a Tang (618-907) emperor quell a rebellion and, in return, got his majesty's license to kill and eat non-vegetarian food.

In a sense, the temple under CEO Shi's management thrust itself onto the battlefield of wheeling and dealing. It became commercial just as large numbers of people wanted to flee from the rat race of job seeking, stock-price speculation and bottom lines.

Buddhists engage in long spells of meditation; Shaolin monks excel in ass kicking; its commander-in-chief becomes a globetrotting guru determined to turn the temple into a multinational conglomerate. Tranquillity? Yes, it's available - for a price.

Is this sacrilegious? I don't know. I'm not in a position to judge because I'm not a Buddhist.

It appears, Shi has to have two faces: As an abbot he must act serene and dignified, giving only cryptic answers to mundane concerns; but as a manager he has to deal with cost-benefit analysis and expansion plans. He should have hidden the second face behind the first. His sin, if it can be so called, is his inability to switch gears seamlessly.

What can he do in such a dilemma - except resorting to hypocrisy?

I once interviewed a Tibetan entrepreneur who had a hard time convincing his sales people that what they did agreed with their religious beliefs. "When you sell $1 of goods, you're committing 10 cents to the happiness of your afterlife because you earned it ethically. If you make money by evil means, you'll add 10 cents to your record of evil," said Dawa Dunlop. "Doing good and doing well can overlap."

Shi Yongxin's true calling is make money. Just don't see him as anything but a business leader.

raymondzhou@chinadaily.com.cn

我要看更多專欄文章

相關(guān)閱讀:

Saintly Sinner

Obama Drama

At different times, China and US both buoyant and refined

Barefaced cheek

(作者周黎明 中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 編輯陳丹妮)

 

 
中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津版權(quán)說(shuō)明:凡注明來(lái)源為“中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津:XXX(署名)”的原創(chuàng)作品,除與中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)簽署英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津內(nèi)容授權(quán)協(xié)議的網(wǎng)站外,其他任何網(wǎng)站或單位未經(jīng)允許不得非法盜鏈、轉(zhuǎn)載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請(qǐng)與010-84883631聯(lián)系;凡本網(wǎng)注明“來(lái)源:XXX(非英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津)”的作品,均轉(zhuǎn)載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉(zhuǎn)載,請(qǐng)與稿件來(lái)源方聯(lián)系,如產(chǎn)生任何問題與本網(wǎng)無(wú)關(guān);本網(wǎng)所發(fā)布的歌曲、電影片段,版權(quán)歸原作者所有,僅供學(xué)習(xí)與研究,如果侵權(quán),請(qǐng)?zhí)峁┌鏅?quán)證明,以便盡快刪除。
 

關(guān)注和訂閱

人氣排行

翻譯服務(wù)

中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)翻譯工作室

我們提供:媒體、文化、財(cái)經(jīng)法律等專業(yè)領(lǐng)域的中英互譯服務(wù)
電話:010-84883468
郵件:translate@chinadaily.com.cn
 
 
<strong id="xdwva"><div id="xdwva"></div></strong>
<label id="xdwva"></label>

<thead id="xdwva"></thead>
    <label id="xdwva"></label>

  1. 日本高清色视频在线视频在,国产香蕉97碰碰视频碰碰看,丰满少妇av无码区,精品无码专区在线,久久无码专区免费看,四虎欧美精品永久地址99,亚洲色无码一区二区三区