This year marks the 30th anniversary of the British Daoist Association.
In May, Shì Jìng 世靜 and Róng Yī 榮醫 , with the generous support of Shi Jing’s shixiong (senior Daoist brother), Huáng Shìzhēn 黃世真, organised a special trip to Xi’an and Ziyang in China, with a small group of his long-term students, who each had 20-30 years of cultivation experience.
This was an important personal journey for Shi Jing, as he was returning to the place where he had been initiated into the Leigutai lineage and received its teachings. It was the first time post-Covid that it had become possible for Shi Jing to return to China and pay his respects to his shifu Féng Xīngzhāo 馮興釗 and where it was made possible for us to take part in a very special ceremony held in his honour.
We visited several temples of great historical and personal significance to the BDA and the Dragon Gate lineage, including Léigǔtái 擂鼓台 , as well as temples towards whose rebuilding the BDA had previously contributed, such as Qīnghuá Gōng 青华宫 and Zhēnrén Gōng 真人宮 . We spent time learning about the history of the temples and the lineage and participated in the morning and evening chanting. Throughout our stay, we were supported with great care and kindness by the abbots and daoshi living and practising there, alongside many volunteers from the local area.
In addition to the important journey to the tomb of Shi Jing’s shifu, Féng Xīngzhāo 馮興釗, we also had the honour of visiting the tomb of Shi Jing’s Daoist elder, Yáng Fǎxiáng 楊法祥 .
During our time there, four members — Sarah Hill, Angela Liu, Lee Moden and Robert Taciak — were initiated by Shi Jing into the Longmen (Dragon Gate) branch of the Quanzhen (Complete Reality) School. The ceremony was performed by Huáng Jǐngyì 黃景义 at Qīnghuá Gōng 青华宫 , and the disciples received their Daoist names: Jǐnghéng 景恆, Jǐngyǒng 景永, Jǐngdì 景地 and Jǐngtiān 景天, respectively. We also enjoyed performances by a taiji group and a classical Chinese orchestra and, of course, spent time relaxing among the tea plantations and drinking tea!
In the coming months, we will be sharing personal accounts of the trip, as well as photos and videos, to celebrate the special relationship that the BDA and its members have with our Daoist family in China.
