In addition, his deep, sonorous voice conveys his authority and wisdom. Apart from furthering his research on the history of Wutaishan in the Ming dynasty, he has created the Qingliang Buddhist Centre at a former church in Peckham, south London.
In both old and new societies, entering the clergy was often ascriptive, rather than a spiritual choice; poor families would routinely give a young son to a local temple as relief from adversity. However, in the case of Miao Jiang, his parents surnamed Liu were devout lay believers the following account is based on this online biography ; in English, see here.
Liu Jiang his original name was born in in a village in Yanggao county home of the Li family Daoists! At a time when villagers were desperately foraging for food, when the meager crop from the autumn potato harvest was being divvied out among the brigade team, he would only take home his share after the others had chosen the best ones. The Shanhua temple during the fieldtrip of the architectural scholar Liang Sicheng. Lin Huiyin , architect wife of Liang Sicheng, Wutaishan c Source: Sixth Tone.
As the Cultural Revolution broke out in , while religious sites and clerics all over China were being assaulted, some of the major Datong temples were safeguarded under the aegis of a Bureau Chief, a Buddhist believer from Wutaishan. So amidst all the chaos, the Upper Huayan temple became a clandestine meeting place where youngsters like young Liu Jiang and his fellow believers could seek instruction in the dharma. The Huayan temples, left, Lower temple; right, grounds of Upper temple.
Source colourized. It was at the highly unlikely time of that he had his head shaved to become a monk, at the behest of his master in the Shanhua temple. With a group of senior monks officiating, they locked the gate early, and around midnight held his formal ceremony.
