Journey to Fuzhou

This collection of essays explore the beautiful city of Fuzhou and its history and literature. Based on several journeys to the southern Chinese city, the authors discuss literature and culture, religion and nature. Issues that are touched upon in these essays include the literature of its most famous son, Tang Xianzu and compare his work with that of William Shakespeare. Tang and Shakespeare both died in the same year, 1616, and the two playwrights serve as representatives of East and West, as well as the possibilities of bridging the gaps across the continents. Elsewhere, these essays describe visits to the Caoshan Temple, the cradle of the Caodong school of Zen Buddhism. Our travellers meet Master Yangli, the first female master of the temple, and hear her profound ideas about integrating with nature and the status of Buddhism in the modern world. These essays offer stimulating impressions on cultural exchange, tradition in the 21st century, and humanities place in a changing landscape, all with the backdrop of the historic city of Fuzhou.