Jie Qi about Da Chan Qi of Shaolin Temple in Xinchou Year was completed successfully on December 27, 2021. More than 110 monastics wholeheartedly practices Chan even more diligent, and much stronger on the path of taking off of the life and death and finding his or her true self.

Then how did these monastics practice Chan in 49 days? The rules of Shaolin Temple’ s Da Chan Qi are impartial and strict. The monastics got up at 3: 20 am and went to bed at 11: 45 pm every day, having to sit in meditation and run incense during the time. 

During the period of Da Chan Qi, the monastics had to sit in the time of burning 12 incenses and then running 12 incenses again, on the equivalent of sitting in meditation for dozens of hours and walking about 30 kilometers every day. The monastics spent tens of days like this to make their mind peaceful through the method. 

The ceremony of Jie Qi included running incense, passing the board of Jie Qi, hitting the bell, Kungfu contest, Jie Qi, applying for permission to take time off from life and death and so on.

All monastics started sitting in meditation during the time of the first incense burning as usual when incense boards were hit at 3: 15 in the morning. Abbot Shi Yongxin of Shaolin Temple had breakfast together with all monastics at 6:30 in the morning. Then he entered the Meditation Hall for walking incense. After the second incense-board and bell hit, all monastics stood still and the attendant passed on the Jie Qi board. Master Yongxin held the incense board hitting.

Then master Yongxin conducted the contest for monastics and gave a dharma teaching. All monastics sit in meditation for the time of one incense burning after the contest. Master Shi Yongxin hit hit the incense board, gave a brief dharma teaching and then called Karmadana to terminate the state of sitting in meditation.

Then masters of the east and west disciples lined up on both sides of the figure of patriarch Bodhidharma. Master Yuezhong rang the bowl bell upwards the Skanda Pavilion to invite the monk for Jie Qi. Hereto, Jie Qi was completed successfully.

At 8 o’ clock on the morning, Karmadana guided all monastics to the Lixue Pavilion and the Abbot Hall, and applied for permission to take off from life and death with patriarch and master Shi Yongxin. Then master Yongxin gave a dharma teaching.

Master Shi Yongxin took group photos together with all monastics before the Abbot Hall after that. So far, Da Chan Qi of Shaolin Temple in Xinchou Year has been completed. (Pictures and report by the editorial office of Shaolin Temple’ s official website)