Chinese monk tweets enlightenment

Xuecheng's online followers often seek both practical and spiritual guidance. "That covers careers, loneliness, and family harmony," he says.

"As they gain material wealth, Chinese people have a greater desire for inner enlightenment. Buddhist wisdom can help guide them through life, cope with all kinds of relationships, and improve their quality of life."

According to him, new media makes this process easier and faster.

"The Internet is filled with negative and false information that pollutes our spiritual space," he says. "Buddhism has an obligation to spread positive and healthy information through new media to purify our minds."

Three forums focusing on new media applications for Buddhism will be held at the fourth World Buddhist Forum in October in east China's Jiangsu Province, according to Xuecheng.

Born in 1966, Xuecheng was raised by his Buddhist mother who always took him to religious events. Inspired by Xuanzang (602-664), a noted Buddhist monk of the Tang dynasty who traveled to India and stayed there for years studying Buddhism, Xuecheng became a monk at 16.

He earned a post-graduate degree from the Buddhist Academy of China in 1991 and went on to become dean of the Buddhist Academy of Fujian.

Now he is abbot of three influential temples: Famen in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Guanghua in southeast China's Fujian Province, and Longquan Monastery.

"Buddhism has never been out of date," he says. "What I have been doing is to ease misunderstanding and prejudice toward Buddhism."

At Longquan Monastery, the monks excel not only in Buddhist doctrine, but also boast advanced tech skills and education levels. Roughly 60 percent to 70 percent of the tens of thousands of monks, laypeople and volunteers serving at Longquan have education above the undergraduate level.

His illustrated book, titled "All Troubles are Self-Inflicted," took the "Golden Monkey King" Award at the 11th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival last month in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. All pictures in the book were drawn by his disciples.

Spreading Buddhism through new media requires talented monks and volunteers with higher education, he says.