(Ecns.cn)--Tongci, a Buddhist from Henan Province, has spent nearly eight years on his pilgrimage to sacred mountains in China starting from Mount Wutai (or "Five Terraces Mountain) of Shanxi Province in February 2004.
During the 4,000-kilometer trip, Tongci used a three-step-one-kowtow ritual to express his heart to the Buddha. As he walks, Tongci puts his palms together first, and then prostrates on the ground. With his head, arms, and knees down on the ground, he moves forward slowly, following every third step with a kowtow.
"I want to pray for world peace, good human nature, and a prosperous China in this way," said Tongci.
By now, Tongci has visited many mountains, including Mount Jiuhua (or "Nine Glorious Mountains") in Anhui Province and Mount Putuo in Zhejiang Province, two of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism. On October 15 this year, the birthday of the bodhimanda of Avalokitesvara (Guan Yin)，he arrived at Nanhua Buddhist Temple in Guangdong Province.
He was also joined by about 30 pious followers on the way. Li Weiming, a follower who has known Tongci for about seven years, compared Tongci to a modern Xuanzan, a famous Chinese Buddhist monk in the early Tang Dynasty who made a 17-year overland journey to India.
Influenced by Tongci, Li said his soul had been purified. "I will not obtain benefits at the expense of others. Before, I paid too much attention to gains and losses. But now I have become more tolerant."
According to Tongci, he will travel to Mount Jizu in Yunnan and Mount Emei in Sichuan Province later.
