Buddhist reaches Guernsey in 22-year global prayer mission
Guernsey was the 568th location on one man's journey around the world, praying for happiness.
Rudolph Xiaodong Nie, known as the Global Kowtow Prayer, was seen walking along the sea front yesterday, taking three steps before kneeling, bowing his head to the floor in prayer, and repeating it 999 times.
It was part of a much larger challenge he has set himself which will take more than two decades, and he has named Huanyu Wish.
‘In each city I pray 999 times, it’s about 3km long and it takes four hours. My plan is to pray in every country in the world. It will take me more than 21 years,’ said Mr Nie.
‘I pray for people’s happiness and self-improvement because I think human beings are going in the wrong direction. We are improving the outside world but we have to improve ourselves as well.’
Mr Nie is a Buddhist, originally from Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China, who now lives in Toronto, Canada.
He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in law, and further studied Canadian immigration law.
He is also the published author of ‘Chinese Culture and Intellectual Civilisation’, which analyses the fundamental issues of human society.
In April 2018, Mr Nie began to pray around the world for the happiness and perfection of people and for human society to embark on healthy development.
He will visit every country and 2,124 cities and villages around the world to pray, wearing just a single layer of clothing each time.
The cumulative mileage of kneeling is the average radius of the earth, which is approximately 6,372km.
Every 100km is counted as one season, making a total of 64 seasons.
He often walks and prays until his hands are swollen and blistered, and the skin is broken on his knees and his head.
‘Buddhists kneel down, Christians kneel down, and Muslims kneel down.
‘We even kneel down to celebrate the birthdays of our elders, kneeling down is actually an instinctive behaviour,’ said Mr Nie.
‘I will stay in the island for two days and then go to Jersey to do the same.
‘I have already prayed in the UK and Ireland for more than three months from the beginning of July.’
He visited 34 places across the UK and Ireland to pray.
Mr Nie expects that it will take him 22 years to complete his goal. He is in his sixth year of travelling and praying.
