In Chinese culture, especially after the Tang Dynasty, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism continuously influenced and absorbed elements from one another. That is why it is common to see Taoist practitioners attending Buddhist meditation retreats, or Buddhist masters visiting Taoist sacred mountains such as Wudang Mountain to study traditional practices.
This Taoist master entered religious life at a very young age — she became a Taoist nun when she was 19.
Her sense of smell and overall sensory awareness are much more sensitive than those of ordinary people. For example, when it comes to food, she can distinguish between vegetables grown with hormones and naturally grown vegetables at a glance. The difference in taste after cooking can be significant, and she believes naturally grown foods carry much stronger vitality.
She does eat meat occasionally, but usually only after her menstrual period because she tends to have mild anemia.
She says that much of the meat consumed today may contain traces of hormones and antibiotics from modern farming practices, and she can sense the stress and impurities associated with industrially raised livestock.
It is not only food. Many of our daily-use products have also become filled with synthetic ingredients and chemical additives.
Taoist practitioners traditionally keep long hair.
She says that most shampoos sold in supermarkets — nearly 99% of them, in her view — are mainly made with artificial fragrances and petroleum-derived ingredients. She believes these ingredients can be harsh on the scalp and may contribute to clogged pores.
Identifying herbs and learning how to collect them are essential practices in Taoist traditions. Their Taoist temple also maintains its own medicinal herb garden.
Since beginning her cultivation practice at the temple, they have prepared their own herbal hair-washing decoctions using traditional methods.
