Foreigner Familiarization Trip in Jiangsu - No Permanent Residence

Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma, Kung Fu, and My Journey - Ramdas Iyer's Global Travels

Gazing at the stunning temple at the base of the Songshan Mountain range in Henan province, southeast of Luoyang, I had finally reached a destination I had longed to see for many years. I was captivated by the legendary Shaolin temple, known as the residence of the renowned Indian monk Bodhidharma, who is credited with founding Zen Buddhism and the martial art of Kung Fu. The temple's historic architectural complex, notable for its significant aesthetic appeal and deep cultural meanings, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After completing my usual photographic exploration of the temple, I settled in front of a statue of Bodhidharma and entered into deep meditation. As a practitioner of transcendental meditation, I found it effortless to transition into dhyana, despite the distractions of occasional tourists wandering through the temple, which is predominantly recognized by the public as the birthplace of Kung Fu martial arts. My personal link to this temple, shared with many fellow individuals from my home state of Tamil Nadu, India, stems from the great Bodhidharma himself, who arrived from our city of Kanchipuram in 520 AD to introduce Mahayana Buddhism to China. He spent nine years living in the Shaolin temple, and I plan to share his story through the perspective of Tsutomu Kambe (a former physics professor at the University of Tokyo), drawing from his book 'Bodhi Dharma and Oceanic Silk Road.' I have long wished to write about the esteemed Bodhidharma for my blog readership since my visit to these regions in 2003. Ensuring safety is always a priority for me when exploring remote areas.

Mom pays a visit - No Permanent Address

Lingnan Impressions and Guangzhou Pearl River Cruise - Without a Permanent Location

29.03.2025 - 29.04.2025 18 °C

ByHealth Factory Visit - No Permanent Location

04.03.2025 - 04.03.2025 22°C

Shanghai lifestyle, Shanghai girl - Hectic weekend

Nearly every weekend was filled with an exam. There were entrance exams for international high schools, PE assessments for middle school graduates (which my daughter excelled in, scoring full marks in all), and mock exams for subjects like English, Chemistry, and Physics, among others.

Chengdu Exploration on Our Initial Full Day in China - Trip to China from June 17 to June 28, 2025

Yesterday was a lengthy day for Michael as he "sang for his supper," and I accompanied him as his wife. We were grateful to be picked up around 10 am, especially since we didn't get home the night we arrived until after 1 am! Our first stop was a new research institute linked to the university and the hospital, designed to support both basic and clinical research with dedicated buildings for cancer, neurological/mental health, and cardiovascular studies, among others. The complex is stunning and situated on the outskirts of the city. We had lunch there with prominent professors and staff before proceeding to the hospital, where Michael engaged with a group of psychiatry graduate students working with our host, Xiandong Tang. Each student presented a brief PowerPoint on their current research, and Michael offered both encouragement and constructive feedback to help them enhance their projects. By 4:30 pm, it was time for his lecture in front of a packed audience mostly composed of psychiatrists and graduate students. Interestingly, the majority were female, with only a few men present. As always, Michael was brilliant and alert, while I, on the other hand, was clearly feeling the effects of jet lag but pushed through!