The Buddhist Academy of Putuo Mountain remains an unknown realm for most outsiders. Hidden in the mountain of the Zhoushan Archipelago in East China's Zhejiang Province, it has remained a guarded secret for years.

Late last month, though, the mysterious mask of the school was peeled back as local and foreign journalists were welcomed for a half-hour visit.

The school is just a great temple on one of China's four holy Buddhist mountains. Its largest attraction may be a bronze hall weighing 180 tons, the largest in the nation.

Set up in March of 1988, the academy provides standard Buddhist education to monks and nuns.

President Master Miaoshan said the academy is mainly aimed at training research scholars in the field of Buddhism.

About 200 students study here, Miaoshan said. The school offers preliminary, undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Monks and nuns are expected to complete the Buddhist courses, which account for 70 percent of the curriculum and focuses mainly on doctrine. The rest of their studies are broad-based and basic, including mathematics, English, Chinese and philosophy.

Graduates go on to take up various posts at temples across the land, taking on roles ranging from abbots to ordinary monks. A select few are offered prestigious posts at Putuo Mountain.

(China Daily 10/12/2001)