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Back in June I wrote about Daeung Sunim, a Korean Buddhist monk who set out to ride his bike across Canada, the US and down across South America.  He’s made it across Canada, and met lots of people and had great hosts, and had what looks like they could have been very odd “you must like this cause you’re Asian” moments, but it all seemed to come from a really good place of being open, gracious and friendly to a stranger with a good heart. He blogs when he can, sharing pictures of his trip. His first Canadian friend, Dave Pope, who has devoted himself to helping Sunim make his journey safely, has found some help in translating some of his blog posts.  All in all, it’s been a really interesting story to follow, as more and more people came together to help Sunim, and as the people speaking for him became more educated about his sect of Buddhism, his voice, and how much being a part of the journey would mean to other people. I like the “Host’s Blog” section of his website where people who put Sunim up for a day or two, share their experiences. So now Sunim is on US soil. My hope is that the US bike/Buddhist/travelers community can do as good a job as its Northern neighbors in keeping Sunim safe along the way. He’s biking from Perry, Maine to San Diego, CA and will need support along the way. I can’t wait to hear about his impressions of the parts of the US he’ll be pedaling across. He’s avoiding most big cities, so I can imagine it’ll feel a lot like being in Canada – white people, trees, and truck stops. There are lots of ways to get involved in Sunim’s ride, even if you aren’t located near his route, or able to provide financial support. Spread the word, and follow along on his journey and maybe some magic will happen!
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I don’t know what Eddie Murphy has been up to lately, but he totally should have been on this case and figuring out what the deal was with these babies before they got roasted and covered in gold leaf. This guy is the one who got caught. He’s a British citizen born in Taiwan who is  involved in a cooked magic fetus corpse smuggling ring.  Police got a tip about some bizarro online shopping and they raided his room to find the fetuses packed in his luggage. Reports say the fetuses ranged in age from 2 to 7 months and were purchased for about $6,400 US. Chow was trying to get them into Taiwan where he could flip them for 6 times what he paid. (Click the link to see photos of the confiscated merchandise. Too grody for me to share in this post, but I was also completely compelled to find a photo.) This kooky guy thinks that fetuses like these get eaten by a group of world business leaders who have been meeting since the 1950s and talk about current affairs and rule over our very existence.  Our zombie overlords have arrived, and they wear Italian shoes and bespoke suits. Don’t worry, they don’t actually eat Thai babies. The fetuses, all male, were Kuman Thong. It’s part of an ancient Thai Buddhist tradition that preserves the remains of children to help them find better odds in the next life, and good fortune for the person who possesses the remains, and cares for them like a living child. You can enlist the services of monks like this guy to provide you with the properly prepared, preserved and blessed remains. They get honored places in home altars. There are lots of beliefs in different Buddhist sects about the power of human remains. Kuman Thong isn’t evil black magic. In general practice it’s meant to help people through the pain of losing a child. Daily rituals include offering food at least once a day, identifying yourself as the child’s mother or father, and making sure it doesn’t get jealous of other living children by showering it with gifts and adoration.  I’m not sure that the smuggled Kuman Thong that Chow got busted trying to take out of Thailand would have enjoyed such consideration in Taiwan, but maybe. I wonder what happens to them now?        
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Shi Daoxin is not your average Chinese Buddhist monk, and we’re not just talking about the hipster glasses. He uses an iPhone, takes copious pictures of himself, has a blog and a music career, and is very popular with the ladies. And he may be the new face of Chinese Buddhism. And, oh yeah, everything he does pretty much flies in the face of the traditional, almost clichéd, image of the Buddhist monk as a quiet, thoughtful, humble man of piety, poverty and peace. And as you might expect, Shi has created some controversy within China over his very public, almost flamboyant, approach to being a monk. Shi is 29 and has been a Buddhist monk since he was 17. His position is that as the world grows more modern and technological, so must Buddhism embrace technology and modernity. Who knows? Perhaps the man is right. Or perhaps this is another example of personality-cult building, a craving for celebrity from an unlikely source. It is pleasing to note that Shi donates all the proceeds from the sales of his music to charity. But as for what this unusual monk truly represents, go to the link, have a look around, and judge for yourself. (21CB – Modern Hipster Buddhist Monk)
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