Gao Mountain Temple

After a long break, I finally set off again in the warm winter sun. I chose a place with a low intensity, Gao Mountain Temple in Chongzhou. I read online that the vegetarian meal there is very ceremonial, so I packed my bags and set off. I arrived just in time. The vegetarian meal at Gao Mountain Temple needs to be reserved. You need to make a reservation with the monk at the incense place at the entrance before 10:30 am every day. They prepare meals according to the number of reservations, and you can line up at the entrance of the dining hall at 11:50. After making a reservation, I was ready to take a walk. I didn't study the route carefully. I thought the hiking loop was outside the temple, but I walked all the way to a health hotel on the mountain and there was no road, so I returned the same way. But I have to say, the road from the temple to the mountain is quite interesting. The road is paved and only one car can pass. But in winter, the road is covered with fallen leaves. You can pick up a stick and push it while walking to collect a huge ball of fallen leaves. The trees in the mountains are tall, and the winter sun is occasionally blocked, but the fresh air is the best gift for hiking. The whole hike was very short, and I returned to the temple after a while. I saw that the time was almost up, so I hurried to line up at the entrance of the dining hall. There were monks, laymen, volunteers, and pilgrims. The dining hall is a separate building. Looking around, the sloping roof is very high, and the tables and chairs inside are horizontal and vertical, which makes people feel respectful. There is a sign at the door that says: Silence. A monk came out to maintain order and told everyone that eating is also a practice. Following the monks into the dining hall, there was a long chant first. After the food was distributed, a chant of the lunch verse was sung, and then the meal began. No one spoke or played with their mobile phones during the whole process. Except for the sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding, even the children remained quiet. After the meal, the post-meal verse was chanted, and everyone left the dining hall in an orderly manner. It was my first time experiencing such a solemn vegetarian meal. In the whole environment, I focused all my attention on eating. I was there to understand how the monks in the temple stick to the simple words "eating is also a practice" every day. After the vegetarian meal, I worshiped in Gao Mountain Temple, basked in the sun for a while, and saw that it was still early, so I went to the nearby Yuantong Ancient Town. The winter sun, the gurgling Xihe River, the surging crowd, drinking tea, and basking in the sun are the luxurious enjoyment of Chengdu people in winter.