It started with a Buddhist temple and ended 8 hours later with me hobbling into my apartment on crutches. If I’ve learned anything, it is: don’t mess with the Buddha.
I had arranged to visit a rather famous and old temple with a few of my students today. Jiming Temple (鸡鸣寺 – jīmíng sì – cock/rooster temple) is a beautiful compound originally built in 557 (Liang Dynasty). Living on the outskirts of Nanjing, it takes us a while to travel into the city, but my students are lively and we pass the lengthy travel time easily. We had a few adventures along the way (to be posted separately), and finally got to the temple. Admission is 7 RMB (a little over a dollar US/CA). With the ticket, you get 3 joss sticks, which can be burnt if you choose to kneel and give prayer in the temple proper.
Upon arrival, I got out my camera and began shooting. The buildings are truly gorgeous, painted in bright orange-yellow, and a far, historic cry from the nastiness that is most modern Chinese architecture. You are not allowed to bring cameras into the temple, so I stole a shot of the interior from outside. And therein was the problem. I angered the Buddha, and once I entered, passed through, and exited the temple to resume photo taking of other things, revenge was taken. I didn’t see a small step down in front of me, and I twisted my ankle and fell.
Sigh. Unfortunately, it is a weak ankle that I have injured in falls a few times in the past. It has never healed properly. Despite being Canadian, I haven’t had health insurance in about 10 years, and so that has meant no doctor or treatment for me… There is seldom an option to pay out of pocket, and if you manage to find a willing practitioner, it is very expensive.
Anyhow, realizing I couldn’t walk, my students and I headed off to the hospital. After an X-ray, I was lucky to find out nothing was broken. I have ended up with a brace and crutches.
Strangely, despite knowing I’ll be laid up for a while, I was in good spirits during the whole ordeal. And I think we all got an interesting learning experience out of the whole thing despite not having the full temple immersion that had been the original plan. For my students, they had a chance to practise English in a new context. There was vocabulary that was new to them. They also got a behind-the-scenes tour of the bowels of the subway station – the subway workers rustled up a wheel chair (see photo below) to my great relief and embarrassment, and we entered the employee only zones to navigate an especially large transfer station.
For me, I am getting to understand the relationships that can form between friends and teachers-students. Charity and volunteer work are extremely uncommon things in China. Helping strangers is not at the top of the priority list here. What is strong here – probably a lot stronger than in Western countries – is helping those you choose to have in your network. People go to great lengths to assist close friends, family, and teachers. It is built into the culture in a way that is difficult to explain. You don’t question this form of responsibility. If you know someone needs help, you just do everything that needs to be done. My students not only got me through the day, getting me home safely, but they have offered to be on-call for me for anything that I need. Having taught university students in both Canada and the US, it is hard to imagine that same situation happening. It is humbling and amazing.
I hope your ankle heals quickly. I have sprained/twisted mine too many times in my life. It’s frustrating.
I live in Canada and you’re right – that sense of doing everything to help is not prevalent in North America. Sounds like you’re in fantastic hands!
Thanks! And thanks for stopping by
It is incredible to me how strong you can feel one minute and how weak/helpless the next, or even, how strong part of you can be and at the same time, how weak another part. Bodies, eh? And maybe an analogy for cultures/countries too.
Ah you rebel photographer you. My daughter and I were almost kicked out of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for taking a flash photograph of the bed Claudia and Jamie slept in from the book The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Well worth it, but messing with docents isn’t nearly as risky as messing with Buddha!
I have been thinking about what you said about the societal differences in charity and assisting others. Very interesting. One day l would love to hear more as I think, based on just this one post, I am liking the Chinese way. Take care and heal quickly!
I’ve always thought rules were meant to be broken…
I’m impressed that you have yourself a partner in crime
Thank you – I appreciate a push to articulate my thinking on cultural differences in sense of obligation or responsibility with regard to helping behaviour. There are things I definitely like about Western approaches to things, but I have a growing appreciation for Asian approaches. My travels result in a growing patchwork quilt of thinking.
I passed by that temple on the bus a few times but never managed to stop in. I’ve also learned to be careful with the Buddha. When I was a mere 11 or so , my friend’s Dad had a Buddha statue in his garage ( I don’t know why). My friend hit it with a riochet from his BB-Gun. 10 minutes later a gigantic tree branch fell and smashed right in front of the door! DANG! Haha.
Oh man, all I ever ran across in friends’ basements and garages were porn mags…
I’m envious that you learned your lesson so early in life. Have I learned now? Hmm. I am not so sure I like the idea of giving up irreverence…
Haha go ahead keep on snapping photos and see what happens!
I don’t know if I dare… I like the idea of testing limits, but I value my body parts more and more as time goes by…
As wise as the Buddha!
hahaha – if that were the case, I wouldn’t be on crutches now, eh?
Haha, good point. Recover fast!
Cheers! My next thought, of course, is: how does one make amends…?
Probably something about good karma or maybe you’ll have to wait until the next life!
What a fascinating insight into another culture. You write in a really engaging way.
Thanks, Suzanne! I really appreciate your kind words.
China is a truly fascinating place, and a complex culture. Honestly, I doubt I’m doing it justice, but I can try
OK I found the post that explained the crutches. Ouch what a nasty accident. It’s so easy to miss a step in those dark temples.
Are the students still being helpful?
I like both the post and your photos (nice to see one of you being wheeled through the subway station) – but I can’t click the like button when you injured yourself.
Embarrassingly, I was outside in broad daylight and looking up like a wonderstruck idiot at the beautiful buildings when I took a step forward and failed to see a step down of about 2 inches. So tiny, but I must have landed in a really bad way. It amazes me how the brain makes these automatic calculations based on assumptions of where the body is in relation to things. The slightest miscalculation can be a very serious matter…
My students are pretty busy, so the help is hit and miss, but when they are available, they are awesome. It has pushed me to try to do as much for myself as possible, and I choose to see it as strength- and confidence-building, rather than as a pain in the butt (or foot). The only real problem has been a) rainy days – I can’t negotiate slippery stairs outdoors, and b) finding myself in the cafeteria being mopped into a corner by cleaners who aren’t aware enough to realize that a slippery floor can do me in.
But in general, I’m in pretty good spirits and looking forward to being whole again