As China began lifting the travel ban during the eighties, Bill Porter an expat living in Taiwan, hatched a plan to explore the spiritually significant Chungnan Mountains in search of the purported Buddhist and Daoist hermits practicing in deep isolation. Although he was informed that the monks we part of a long standing tradition no longer in existence, he followed his hunch and discovered the tradition was indeed alive and well. Porter describes in vivid detail an account of his quest into the verdant setting of the majestic mountains. The text is engaging and Porter does a wonderful job balancing esoteric spirituality with factual information regarding the impact of the Cultural Revolution. In addition, his descriptive power guides the reader over the peaks and valleys tracing the geographic uniqueness of the region.
Although many of the religious concepts are complex and obscure, the book can stand on its own as a snapshot of Chinese cultural history. Students interested in the ascetic lifestyle will find the title engaging in addition to those looking to enhance knowledge gained from the curriculum. Road to Heaven is an investigation into the isolated existence of traditional Chinese Hermits and will leave readers in quite contemplation.
Patrick Hickey
1 March 2011
Review
