Adventures in Luoyang

Our travelers about to journey from Xian to Luoyang

Tea at White Horse Temple with Abbot Yin Le

Abbot Yin Le graciously received us and we drank tea and spoke for nearly two hours. When Bill said, "We are sorry to be troubling you," the Abbot answered, "When friends come from afar what greater joy can there be?"

White Horse Temple (circa 70 CE) was the first Buddhist temple to be founded in China. Two monks from Afghanistan brought Buddhist sutras on a white horse.

Peonies

Doorway

White Horse of the First Monk at White Horse Temple

Song Dynasty Burial Place for Emperors called "Spirit Way"








Storyteller in Luoyang Province

Zhang Huisheng told us that there are 500 storytellers in his province. He began to learn from his father when he was nine and started to perform at age 11. His father, who is 80, is still performing. Zhang improvises and makes up stories to fit the occasion. Mostly, he tells in the villages for ritual occasions.

He said he tells stories to make people happy. He tells amusing stories in the cities to make people laugh and bitter stories in the countryside where the life of the people is difficult. When they hear these bitter stories, they cry and then they are happy.