Protecting Purity

Ye Tan (National Business Daily): This generation will set a new record in Chinese history when the country's four most prestigious Buddhist mountains get listed in the stock market.

Once the holy mountains go public, opportunities for both local governments and certain individuals to make money will arise. Religious sites, like secular scenic spots, are seen as lucrative moneymaking machines in some people's eyes. Religion has come to be treated as just another tourism resource, with its holiness giving way to commercial profits.

In June, China's State Administration for Religious Affairs clearly expressed its opposition to religious places' involvement in tourism agencies and going public. However, once the local governments define a wide area as a local tourism asset, is it still possible for the religious places within those sites to stay pure? Meanwhile, without their element of religious significance, is it possible for travel agencies to attract tourists?

According to regulations, ticket incomes should not be used as part of the resources to go public, so as to prevent listed companies from raising admission ticket prices. However, in China, ticket incomes are the most important moneymaking outlet for every tourist destination, particularly in scenic spots where traditional culture and religious resources are used as highlights to attract tourists.

In other countries, when traditional cultural resources like museums and churches are listed as public welfare programs, they are only allowed to ask for symbolic payment for entrance. For example, the recommended ticket price of Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is $25, and the less advantaged group of people can pay less if they choose to. In Paris, the museum pass is set at 39 euros ($47) for two days and 54 euros ($66) for four days. The basic ticket for the Louvre is only 11 euros ($13). Most religious and cultural institutions depend on social welfare funds for survival and operation, encouraging charity and public welfare.

In China, it's still impossible to support all cultural and religious places through charity donations, although some religious institutions manage to do it. In the latter case, it's necessary to separate religious, historical and cultural resources from tourism programs and make sure that tourism companies' assets do not cover religious places.

Yan Yang (www.people.com.cn): There is no precedent anywhere in the world of religious institutions' getting listed on the stock market. Some travel agencies claim that what they send to the stock market is not the religious institutions, but their surrounding tourism resources. Without these religious sources, however, will the places still be able to attract tourists? And how can you then ensure the religious purity of these holy sites?

Involving Buddhist mountains in the stock market is really an upgraded version of regular scenic spots' going public. When it gets listed on the stock market, a scenic spot naturally becomes a company. In China, admission tickets are the major means used by tourist sites to make profits. Almost every three years, the ticket price is raised. High prices tend to deter potential tourists and keep ordinary people away from these valuable places of interest and also hinder further development of China's tourism industry. Once the profit motive is added to a tourist destination's operating mode, rising ticket prices is inevitable.

Not only should religious places be prevented from going public, but also the same should apply to ordinary scenic spots. Otherwise, China's tourism will suffer in the process of meddling with the market.

Ma Zhenguo (www.163.com): Buddhism is widely recognized for being aloof to the pursuit of money, and so should be Buddhist mountains. Some people think it's good for the mountains to go public, because it will add revenue to the site's operations. More money could allow them to polish their old temples and buy enough tributes to put in front of figures of Buddha. But if these sites all focus on making money and forget about the cultural and religious connotation of Buddhism, then the market involvement may be harmful. Historical precedence suggests that today's Buddhist temples are no longer holy places for studying Buddhist sutras and meditation, as many have instead become huge commercial organizations hidden under cassocks.

When so many prestigious Buddhism-related mountains are rushing to be listed on the stock market, the religion's purity is distorted, and the public's belief in Buddhism is also compromised. For centuries, Buddhist mountains have been regarded as holy places, so imagine the disappointment people will feel when they are bombarded with an aggressive commercial atmosphere and distorted Buddhist culture.

Today's Chinese society is lacking in belief, and the involvement of prestigious Buddhist mountains in the stock market will inevitably throw the public into a deeper sense of spiritual loss. Therefore, relevant departments should balance culture and profits when considering this issue. It's not easy to make money, but it's even more difficult to rebuild cultural and religious beliefs once they have been damaged.

Dear Readers,

"Forum" is a column that provides a space for varying perspectives on contemporary Chinese society. We invite you to submit personal viewpoints on past and current topics (in either English or Chinese).

E-mail us at: zanjifan@bjreview.com

Please provide your name and address along with your comments.