Ani Lin: The Journey of A Chinese Buddhist Nun (2010)

It’s been a long while since I last read a book in verse, and I’m glad that my re-discovery of verse happened with Ani Lin: The Journey of A Chinese Buddhist Nun. Beautifully written and simply presented, Ani Lin is a delightful read that calms the soul and fills the heart with warmth.

Written by Pip Griffin, Ani Lin: The Journey of A Chinese Buddhist Nun captures the courageous narrative of a 19th century Buddhist nun, intent on bringing knowledge and wisdom to women, and furthering their cause within the Buddhist monastic order. A passionate teacher, she finds her inner-self responding to a call from far away Tibet for teaching, where she encounters her brightest pupil and her biggest challenge.

From China’s Yunnan Province, through the Horse Tea Road to Tibet, the trail is fraught with danger and temptation. Loyal companion Lama Lobsang is entrusted with Lin’s safety and wellbeing on a journey that tests their every resolve. He proves to be a most practical and gentle man, and their friendship sustains them through the good and the bad times.

Lin’s aim is ambitious: to bring equality for women within the Buddhist monastic order, to “ride high on knowledge.” She sees the potential and the yearning of young girls and women to learn, to discover and respond, and to gain new experiences. She sees the monastic life, which opened up a wealth of knowledge to her, as an alternative to the domesticated structures of women’s lives. Yet she is aware that even within the monastic order, gendered roles rule the day. She knows the difficulties of changing centuries old systems and perceptions about women’s education, but Lin is determined to try.

A chance for her to "ride high on knowledge"

Of course, this is not to suggest that these women are helpless victims, and it is to the author’s credit that this is so. The Minkia women are equal to their men in physical work. The Naxi women who “shoulder stars and wear the moon” are engaged in various trades and are full of skills. There are references to Empress Wu who “gave women education,” and Xue Tao who wrote verses on bamboo. Lin’s admiration of these women is a sign of her own mission. She believes women should be made aware of alternatives, the men need to be shown that women are capable of fulfilling roles beyond the gender divide, and the old monks must undergo a change in perception about women’s capacity to learn.

Zhondiang (Gyalthang)

We see Lin traverse the path of religion as a novice and a shamini, culminating in ordination and a vocation in teaching. She has a deep sense of spirituality that helps her stay true to her chosen path. There are many temptations, such as a connection to a past life, and the Moso women that leave a strong impression on Lin about love, passion and freedom. Danger, too, abound at every turn. Lin and Lobsang are attacked by bandits, suffer in “bone-snapping cold,” cling to rafts in “water white and treacherous,” watch out for red pandas, and walk with “calloused bleeding feet.” These natural and man-made challenges heighten the sense of drama and suspense.

Each of these encounters is a test, and the physical challenges mirror Lin’s spiritual trials. Her journey is a metaphor for the journey in attaining Nirvana. It is a journey you must make for yourself, and the path is strewn with all manner of distractions. Strength in prayer, belief in the self, a life of generosity, and conduct pure in thought and action ensures Lin’s safe arrival.

Black Dragon pool and Satseto mountain in Lijiang

Tibetan girl Pema Choki, “Lotus of the happy faith,” is the personification of all Lin’s battles. Convincing her father and the Tibetan monks of Pema’s chosen path, while dealing with the effects of fast spreading colonial powers, will be her most trying test, yet. The changes in one girl’s life will make a difference in the lives of generations of young women to come.

All this is captured in Griffin’s beautifully flowing verse. The language is used sparingly, in keeping with the way of life. It slows down to capture “the lightness of the hessian bags” and “the perfumes of oranges and roses,” but quickens to catch the terror at the howling of wolves. There is a visual smorgasbord of idyllic natural beauty, vibrant village settings and peaceful ritual, as well as an array of characters that grow with each new encounter.

On the way to Zhongdian (Gyalthang)

Hidden in the lyrical stanzas is also a social and political commentary, as witnessed by Lin. She has to pass through a checkpoint to enter Tibet, a reminder of the laws and demarcations of the nation-state. The sky burial, the dance of the Dongba (Naxi shamanic religion), and the stay with the Nomads reveal respect for other beliefs and cultures. Their meeting with the 13th Dalai Lama uncovers the political tensions and uncertainties surrounding Tibet’s future.

It is said that the journey is as important as the destination, and Ani Lin: The Journey of A Chinese Buddhist Nun stands testament to it. It is a novel that will transport you to another world and a place in time, all the while inspiring you with its strong-willed and ambitious protagonist, who refuses to take no for an answer.

Griffin, P. (2010). Ani Lin: The Journey of A Chinese Buddhist Nun. Leichhardt, Australia: Pohutukawa Press.

Images © Pip Griffin