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Buddhist master gains ground in fight for teacher
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter
Chinese Buddhist master Shi Guoshi (釋果實) has expressed her gratitude to Taiwanese Buddhist leaders, rights activists and media for their support, as the Chinese government finally agreed to inform her of the whereabouts and conditions of her Dharma teacher Shi Shengguan (釋聖觀) after he was arrested more than two months ago for “inciting subversion of state power.”
“Following [his arrest] on May 17, the government finally contacted me on Aug. 3 to deliver medications for my much-respected Dharma teacher Shi Shengguan,” Shi Guoshi, who is currently in China, said in a statement. “This is a turning point, as the [Chinese] government is no longer overlooking the threat to my teacher’s life — his life can be saved now, and I am very grateful for the help from Taiwan.”
Having been pro-democracy and opposed to the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, Shi Shengguan was arrested on May 17 under the charge of inciting subversion of state power, following a Dharma teaching session in Wuhan, China.
Since then, Shi Guoshi and other followers of Shi Shengguan have been pushing for his release. However, government authorities refused to disclose his whereabouts and turned down their requests to see him.
Shi Guoshi traveled to Taiwan last month, pleading for help from Buddhist figures, rights activists and Taiwanese media, and met with Buddhist leaders including Shih Chow-hwei (釋昭慧) and Shih Hsing-yun (釋星雲), who gave her help and advice. Several human rights groups, including the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and the Taiwan Association for China Human Rights, called for Shi Shengguan’s release.
“I’m very grateful to Master Shih Chow-hwei, who showed much care and concern for me and kindly reminded me of many details,” she said. “I am also thankful for Master Shih Hsing-yun, who met with me, despite his illness, to show his support and sympathy. It was also because of his advice that I eventually took the risk to return to China, to find out the real reason behind the arrest and seek legal assistance.”
Shi Guoshi said that, while the man who contacted her to deliver medicines to Shi Shengguan was friendly, making her feel initially hopeful, the people at the detention center were disappointingly not, but she would continue to fight for Shi Shengguan’s release.
“I would also like to urge Taiwanese to continue to pressure the Chinese government,” she added.
source: Taipei Times
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