The common people seek outward, the monks seek inward

Recorded by Daojian Master

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the historical overview of Buddhism on Jinfeng Mountain, this interview was conducted with two individuals who are very familiar with Jinfeng Mountain. One is Ren Changwen, the father of Ren Qilin from Jinzhu Village, who is seventy-six years old and has been the village chief for thirty-four years, often dealing with the monks of Jinfeng Mountain. The other is Ren Faqi, from the third group of Jinzhu Village, who is in his fifties and has taken Master Xingzhong as his godfather, often working beside the monk. This article is based on the interviews with the two men.

Master Xingzhong, also known as Wang Xingzhong, was called "Master Xingzhong" by the villagers. Ren Changwen clearly remembers that this person was about one meter ninety tall, standing on the ridge like an old pine tree, with his back always straight. He spoke with an accent that was not quite Sichuanese and not entirely Mandarin, "It sounded strange, but pleasant." No one really cared where he came from; Ren Faqi said, "At that time, the production team didn't care about these things. The radishes he grew were fresh, the vegetables he cooked smelled good, and together we drank well water, just like family."