Though Xing Xing has only one arm, she lives with a grace that surprises all who meet her. She eats, climbs, and moves about the temple grounds with ease, using her remaining limb with skill and determination.
But what strikes visitors most is not just her resilience, but her quiet presence and near-spiritual calm.
Every day, Xing Xing can be seen sitting cross-legged beside the elderly nun, her body still, her gaze gentle.
In these moments, she appears almost indistinguishable from the monastics around her-like a true practitioner of meditation, embodying the peace and stillness that the temple itself represents.
Moved by this image, many visitors affectionately call her the “Buddha Monkey.”
It’s not just her posture that earns her this name, but the tranquil energy she exudes, the softness in her eyes, and the silent wisdom she seems to carry.
Those who live at the temple-and even some frequent pilgrims-believe that Xing Xing, in her own way, believes in the Dharma.
Not through speech or ritual, but through the way she lives: quiet, present, and full of gratitude. In a world that often rushes past moments of stillness, Xing Xing reminds us what it means to simply be.
