March 12 marks China’ s national Planting Tree Day. Buddhist disciples and lay Buddhists from Shaolin Temple’ s sub-temple-- Xingfu Temple in Taihuang Mountain, Rui’ an, Zhejiang province, planted trees with delight under under the leadership of abbot Yanxin on Mar. 12, 2022. Over one-day’ s hard work, Buddhists and lay Buddhists  planted several hundred trees including loquat tree, cherry tree, grapefruit tree, persimmon tree and others, which can also change the environment around the temple.

Afforestation is a program for public good of preserving the ecological environment and benefiting future generations, and also a fine tradition inherited by all generations in Buddhism. Tree planting makes people get shade and blessings, which is also one of seven blessing fields.

Afforestation can not only plant the blessing field widely, but also achieve boundless merits. As it is said in sutra that people in the current world can get shade while it also benefits later generations. Pains for the moment, gains for the millennia. (Edited by Zou Xiang and pictures from Xingfu Temple in Taihuang Mountain)