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今天《寒冬》网站刊登了我们的信息
戒镜草
Raided and Terrorized: China Cracks Down Again on Life Zen Temple
A member who escaped abroad reports to “Bitter Winter” the terror of the new raids against an idiosyncratic but peaceful new religious movement.
by Massimo Introvigne
An image of the raids on the Life Zen Temple.
On July 3, 2025, a sudden and sweeping crackdown shattered the lives of members of the Life Zen Temple (Lifechanyuan) in China. Coordinated by China’s Ministry of Public Security, the operation detained 82 members (and possibly more) across multiple provinces. Homes were raided, phones and computers seized, and individuals interrogated, threatened, and coerced into signing ideological documents denouncing their beliefs.
“Bitter Winter” has been the only Western media outlet to report on the story of the Life Zen Temple, an idiosyncratic but peaceful mixture of Maoism, Buddhism, and free love, and the massive crackdowns of 2021, followed by the state-sponsored deprogramming of the arrested members. Meanwhile, the leader and several members had moved to Canada, where the Life Zen Temple is now headquartered. I am also the author of the only scholarly articles on the Life Zen Temple published in languages other than Chinese. I have interviewed a member who lives in Thailand about what happened last month in China.
“The place that once gave me spiritual rebirth and helped me reclaim the meaning of life is now labeled an ‘illegal organization,’” said Jiejing, a longtime Temple devotee now living in Thailand. “Even the overseas Second Homes [the name the Temple uses for its communities] may be dragged into the storm.”
As presented by Jiejing, the organization founded by Zhang Zifan (Xuefeng), Life Zen Temple, promotes communal living, ecological harmony, and spiritual reverence. Its “Second Home” communes once flourished in China, offering an alternative to materialism and traditional family structures. But authorities branded it a xie jiao, disbanded its communities, and began hunting its members.
Between 2011 and 2014, Jiejing lived in several branches—from Yunnan to Jiangsu to Xinjiang—experiencing what she calls “the purest chapter of my life.” But by 2015, every branch she knew had been raided, and her spirit collapsed.
“Even living peacefully, farming simply, and helping one another can, in some eyes, be seen as ‘dangerous,’” she said.
Jiejing
Returning to secular life, Jiejing tried to conform. Between 2015 and 2022, she worked in e-commerce, education, and foreign trade. But the machinery of routine drained her soul. Marriage—entered under societal pressure—became a prison. Her health deteriorated. Diagnosed with plasma cell mastitis, she underwent eleven surgeries. Her husband responded with cruelty.
Her father died in 2019. Her mother succumbed to multiple myeloma in 2023. Financial strain, emotional collapse, and isolation pushed her to the brink.
“It felt as if the entire world had forgotten I existed,” she said.
In her darkest hour, Life Zen Temple’s Guide, Xuefeng, arranged for her to join a branch in Thailand. Here, amid mango orchards and lotus ponds, she found healing.
“My heart gradually found peace,” she said. “My weight dropped from 95kg to 60kg. Life began to shine with renewed light.”
Her days are filled with mowing, planting, sweeping, and sharing Life Zen Temple’s values in English. There is no supervision—only devotion. Although threatened by the usual Chinese transnational pressures against religion-based refugees abroad, the community lives openly on temple land, in full view of local villagers and a local Buddhist abbot, who have welcomed them for over six years.
“True freedom comes when I learn to live in harmony with heaven, earth, and all beings,” she said.
The Thailand branch of Life Zen Temple
One of Life Zen Temple’s most controversial values is “freedom in emotional love and sexual love.” Critics have labeled it promiscuous. But Jiejing insists it is anything but.
“Our freedom is not chaotic indulgence—it is grounded in complete consent, mutual respect, and a high level of civility and responsibility,” she said.
The July 3 operation was brutal and deeply personal. Here are the voices of those caught in its wake (note that all members call themselves “Celestials”) transmitted through Jiejing:
Dingnan Celestial: Handcuffed and interrogated all day. Asked about Life Zen Temple’s structure, sexual values, and donations. “I leave everything to the Tao’s arrangement and have nothing to worry about.”
Jianyue Celestial: Challenged the legality of the search. Refused to sign a document labeled “crime.” Asked the police, “If you are lawful and upright, why won’t you leave behind your glorious and legal image? What are you afraid of?”
Huibao Celestial: In emotional distress, she pressed a knife to her neck when police tried to evict her. Slapped and restrained, she was taken to a mountain villa for interrogation. “You cannot control my soul. My faith is even stronger.”
Ruling Celestial: Followed even to the bathroom. Interrogated about donations, publicity, and internal structure. “Even police must act according to the law.”
Zhixiu Celestial: Refused to sign documents denouncing Life Zen Temple. “I’m an honest person, and I speak the truth. I won’t do anything against my conscience.”
Youchang Celestial: Ordered to quit WeChat groups and delete posts mentioning Xuefeng (the Temple’s leader). “I was terrified. I think it’s because I posted the ‘800 Values’ [a textbook of the movement] on Douyin.”
Jiazhao Celestial: Interrogated with four others. “Our slogan is: Love nature, live in harmony with all beings, harm no life, do not oppose the government, do not engage in politics, and be lawful citizens.”
Ganquan Celestial: His son, not a member, was also detained. “Praying for the safety of all our relatives taken away by the police.”
Yuyue Celestial: Forced to copy a statement calling Life Zen Temple a xie jiao. “From their attitude, it looked like they were just carrying out orders.”
These testimonies reveal not just repression—but resistance, dignity, and a refusal to surrender the soul.
Another image of the raids targeting the Life Zen Temple
“As of this month [August], a total of sixteen members in mainland China remain missing since July 2,” Jiejing said. “Those still in China are at risk of immediate detention if they show minimal activity on our internal website or participate in any Life Zen Temple-related events.”
Life Zen Temple is a legally registered nonprofit organization in Canada. It operates two branches: a bed and breakfast and a resort.
“We are not escaping reality,” Jiejing said. “We are sincerely exploring a more peaceful, genuine, and compassionate way of life.”
“I ask for nothing more than this: that such a simple, peaceful, and loving way of life—even if not yet fully understood—can at least be gently allowed to exist,” she said.
In a world increasingly hostile to spiritual diversity, Life Zen Temple’s story is a quiet cry for recognition, not of doctrine, but of dignity. For Jiejing and others like her, Life Zen Temple is not a “cult”—it is a sanctuary.
网址：https://bitterwinter.org/raided- ... on-life-zen-temple/
ChatGPT翻译：
《突袭与恐吓：中国再次打压生命禅院》
一名逃往海外的成员向《寒冬》讲述了这场针对一个独特而和平的新兴运动的新一轮突袭所带来的恐惧。
作者：马西莫·英特罗维涅（Massimo Introvigne）
2025年7月3日，中国生命禅院（Lifechanyuan）的成员遭遇了一场突然而全面的镇压行动。此次行动由中国公安部协调，在多个省份抓捕了82名（甚至可能更多）成员。警方突袭了成员的住所，查扣手机和电脑，对他们进行审讯、威胁，并强迫他们签署否定自己信仰的思想文件。
《寒冬》（Bitter Winter）是唯一报道生命禅院故事的西方媒体，该团体是一种融合毛泽东思想、佛教和情爱性爱自由的独特而和平的信仰团体。2021年，他们曾遭遇大规模镇压，被捕成员随后接受了政府强制的“去极端化”改造。与此同时，该团体的创始人及部分成员移居加拿大，并将总部设立在那里。我也是唯一一位在中文以外语言中发表有关生命禅院学术文章的作者，并且采访了现居泰国的一位成员，了解上个月在中国发生的事件。
“那个曾让我精神重生、让我重新找回生命意义的地方，如今却被贴上了‘非法组织’的标签。”现居泰国的生命禅院长期信徒戒镜（Jiejing）说，“就连海外的‘第二家园’（该团体对其社区的称呼）也可能会被卷入风暴之中。”
据戒镜介绍，由张自繁（雪峰）创立的生命禅院提倡共同生活、生态和谐以及精神敬畏。其“第二家园”社区曾在中国蓬勃发展，为人们提供了物质主义和传统家庭结构之外的生活方式。然而，当局将其定性为“邪教”，解散了其社区，并开始追捕成员。
2011年至2014年间，戒镜曾生活在多个分院——从云南到江苏再到新疆——她称那段时光为“我生命中最纯净的篇章”。然而，到2015年，她所知道的所有分院都遭到了突袭，她的精神也随之崩溃。
“即使只是平静地生活、简单地耕作、互相帮助，在某些人眼中也会被视为‘危险’。”她说道。
回归俗世生活后，戒镜努力尝试适应。从2015年至2022年，她先后从事电商、教育和外贸工作。但日复一日的机械生活让她的灵魂被一点点抽空。在社会压力下进入的婚姻变成了一座牢笼。她的健康每况愈下，被诊断为浆细胞性乳腺炎，并接受了11次手术。她的丈夫则以冷酷回应。
2019年她的父亲去世，2023年她的母亲因多发性骨髓瘤离世。经济压力、情感崩溃与孤立无援将她逼到绝境。
“感觉整个世界都忘了我的存在。”她说。
在她最黑暗的时刻，生命禅院的雪峰导游安排她前往泰国的一个分院生活。在那里，芒果园与莲花池之间，她找到了疗愈。
“我的心渐渐平静下来，”她说，“体重从95公斤降到60公斤，生活重新闪现光亮。”
她的日子充满了割草、种植、打扫，以及用英语传播生命禅院的价值观。这里没有监督，只有虔诚。尽管面临着中国对海外宗教难民惯常的跨国压力，这个社区依然公开地生活在寺院土地上，当地村民和一位佛教方丈在过去六年里一直欢迎他们的存在。
“当我学会与天地万物和谐共处时，真正的自由才会到来。”她说道。
生命禅院最具争议的价值观之一是“情爱自由与性爱自由”。批评者给它贴上了淫乱的标签，但戒镜坚决否认这一说法。
“我们的自由并不是混乱的放纵——它建立在完全的自愿、彼此的尊重以及高度的文明和责任感之上。”她说。
7月3日的行动既残酷又充满针对性。以下是受其波及的成员（注意：所有成员都自称为“天仙”）通过戒镜转述的声音：
丁南草： 被铐着接受一整天的审讯，被问及生命禅院的组织结构、性观念以及捐款情况。“我把一切交给道的安排，没有什么可担忧的。”
简约草： 对搜查的合法性提出质疑，拒绝签署标有“犯罪”字样的文件，并问警察：“如果你们合法正直，为什么不留下你们光荣合法的形象？你们怕什么？”
慧宝草： 在情绪极度痛苦下，当警方试图驱逐她时，她将刀架在脖子上。她被扇耳光、被制伏，然后被带到山间别墅审讯。“你们不能控制我的灵魂。我的信仰反而更坚定了。”
入灵草： 即便上厕所也被跟随，被问及捐款、宣传及内部结构。“警察也应该依法办事。”
至秀草： 拒绝签署否定生命禅院的文件。“我是一个诚实的人，说实话，我不会做任何违背良心的事。”
悠长草： 被要求退出微信群并删除提及雪峰（生命禅院领导人）的帖子。“我很害怕。我想是因为我在抖音上发布了《八百理念》（该团体的教材）。”
佳兆草： 与其他四人一同接受审讯。“我们的口号是：热爱自然，与万物和谐共处，不伤害生命，不反对政府，不参与政治，做守法公民。”
甘泉草： 他的儿子并非成员，却也被拘留。“祈祷所有被警方带走的亲人平安无事。”
愉悦草： 被迫抄写一份将生命禅院称为“邪教”的声明。“从他们的态度来看，他们似乎只是执行命令。”
这些证词揭示的不仅是镇压，还有抗争、尊严以及拒绝交出灵魂。
“截至本月（8月），自7月2日以来，中国大陆仍有16名成员失踪。”戒镜说，“那些仍在中国的成员，如果在我们的内部网站上有哪怕极少的活动，或参与任何与生命禅院有关的活动，都有被立即拘押的风险。”
生命禅院是在加拿大合法注册的非营利组织，目前运营着两个分部：一家民宿和一家度假村。
“我们并不是在逃避现实。”戒镜说，“我们是真诚地在探索一种更和平、更真实、更富有爱心的生活方式。”
“我所求的不过是：这种简单、和平、充满爱的生活方式——哪怕尚未被完全理解——至少能够被温和地允许存在。”她说道。
在一个对精神多样性日益敌视的世界里，生命禅院的故事是一声安静的呼喊，寻求的不是教义上的承认，而是尊严上的认可。对于戒镜以及和她一样的人来说，生命禅院并不是“邪教”——而是心灵的圣地。
一切唯有感恩佛祖上帝爷爷的恩典，感谢道的安排，感谢亲爱的导游叔叔的同意，感谢《寒冬》网站和Massimo Introvigne编辑。undefined
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