Guangzhou Temple Alert: Don't Let Your Piety Pay for Their Profits!
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Perhaps Xihua Temple is the least commercialized one.
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Are you here to advertise? I bet you don't even know the 'big boss' who calls the shots there.
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In today's society, temples genuinely dedicated to spiritual practice usually don't struggle too much, unless they're not open to the public. People are generally very willing to support such places. If you find one that's open but still very run-down, I'd advise you to steer clear – there's bound to be a reason.
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There's really no easy answer to your question. Famous temples are inevitably profit-driven and heavily commercialized. As for the truly serene, lesser-known temples, they're often not open to the public, so hardly anyone knows about them.
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True devotion and spiritual practice aren't defined by whether a place is dilapidated or luxurious, nor even by whether it's a temple. If you have Buddha in your heart, you can practice anywhere. Even in the most worldly places, if one maintains a compassionate and enlightened mind, then divinity can be found everywhere.
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There's a small temple in Xiguan Alley that's still quite tranquil for now. You'll see a few local folks sitting on the stone benches out front, just chatting. Please don't post about it on Xiaohongshu (XHS); once these places get popular there, they slowly become commercialized.
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Where is it?
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Can you even name a temple in downtown Guangzhou that isn't profit-oriented?
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They're all run like businesses.
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Go on then, which temple are you talking about?
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Just offer three sincere bows, and that's what truly matters.