What to do on a normal Beijing Thursday? Well, some work in the morning, then lunch in town with members of the Dutch Club here because it’s the third Thursday of the month (just information for the insiders), have a look in the neighbourhood of the restaurant where a big band of young children is receiving some very important person visiting their school and then of course to the Lama temple. Who did say something about diversity and contradictions?
The lunch was really nice, sitting outside and talking uncomplicated in Dutch to the ladies of working male expats in Beijing. I’m curious in which language I will dream tonight, Dutch or English. Because the last couple of nights English started to become dominating.
The young big band, fascinating to see these children play so well, sounded really good. At home I have heard bands of adults with less quality.

But the highlight of today was the Lama temple, the most important Tibetan Buddhist temple in town. Here the next reincarnation of the Panchen Lama used to be chosen. In the middle of Beijing amidst the high apartment buildings, new offices and the heavy traffic in the streets suddenly arises this centuries old complex representing a lot of history. Within the walls rules a benevolent quietness unless the many tourists, as well Chines as foreigners. I found it remarkable to see so many young Chinese offering and praying very concentrated.
Because usually one doesn’t speak to much about the recent past it was also remarkable to read on one of the official signs that due to Tsoe-En-Lai, the Prime Minister in that time, the temple had survived the Cultural Revolution and had been opened again to the public in 1981. More queer it was to read on the most important temple of the complex the other official remark that in 1990 the big 18 meter high Buddha inside, made out of one piece of sandalwood, had been mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records. How important this book can be! And how nice is it to show the ambience of the temple by a lot of pictures.