Chan Practice Takes Root in the Ardennes: Venerable Guo Yuan Leads a Five-Day Retreat at a French Hermitage

Venerable Guo Yuan (果元法師), Abbot of Dharma Drum Retreat Center (DDRC), accompanied by Venerable Yan Xi (演禧法師), was invited by Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association Luxembourg (DDMBA-LUX) and the Chinese Cultural Association of Luxembourg (Association Culturelle Chinoise de Luxembourg) to lead a five-day Chan retreat from May 1 to May 5, 2026, at the Hermitage of Saint Walfroy in the Ardennes region of France. This marked the first time the DDMBA-LUX had organized a Chan retreat at this venue.

A total of sixteen practitioners attended the retreat, three of whom had joined the first three days of the five-day Chan retreat. Participants came from four countries—including Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, and the United States—reflecting both the growing presence of Chinese Chan Buddhism in Europe and North America as well as the increasing interest and enthusiasm among practitioners to engage in Chan practice. During the retreat, Venerable Guo Yuan served as Retreat Master, delivering Dharma talks and conducting individual interviews to address practitioners' questions and guide their practice. Venerable Yan Xi served as Retreat Coordinator, helping oversee and facilitate the overall operation of the retreat.

Each morning, Venerable Guo Yuan lectured on the Six Paramitas—generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom—providing participants with a solid foundation in Buddhist practice. In the evenings, he taught the Song of Enlightenment by the Tang-dynasty Chan master Yongjia Xuanjue (永嘉玄覺), guiding participants to appreciate the profound teachings of Chan Buddhism that point directly to the nature of mind.

The DDMBA-LUX has long been dedicated to promoting Chan practice in Europe and has devoted considerable effort to finding suitable retreat venues. This collaboration with the Hermitage of Saint Walfroy opens a new chapter in the promotion of Chinese Chan Buddhism within an interfaith retreat setting in Europe. Given the success of this year's retreat, organizers expressed hope that future retreats may also be held at the same location.
 

Following the completion of the retreat in France, Venerable Yan Xi continued to Turku, Finland, for the second stop of this European Dharma tour. The conditions leading to this collaboration were particularly auspicious. During his visit to DDRC, Venerable Thích Thông Kiên of Viên Lạc Monastery in Germany learned of Venerable Guo Yuan and Venerable Yan Xi's Chan teaching activities throughout Europe. He then recommended and introduced the two venerables and their experience in Dharma propagation to Venerable Thích Hạnh Bảo, the abbot of Liên Tâm Monastery. Through extensive exchanges and facilitation, this collaboration was ultimately realized, allowing local devotees to benefit from the Dharma teachings.

From May 8 to May 10, Venerable Yan Xi led a weekend three-day Chan retreat at Liên Tâm Monastery. Liên Tâm Monastery is the first Vietnamese Buddhist temple established in Finland and is affiliated with the Finnish Vietnamese Buddhist Association. The monastery practices both Pure Land and Chan traditions and shares deep Dharma affinities with Chinese Chan Buddhism. This retreat marked the first time DDRC had offered a Chan retreat in Finland, making it a particularly auspicious occasion. On May 13, a local secondary school visited Liên Tâm Monastery as part of its religious studies curriculum. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Venerable Yan Xi introduced the students and teachers to Chan practice through a guided meditation session, planting seeds of mindfulness and Chan teachings among the younger generation in Northern Europe.


After the retreat, Venerable Thích Thông Tuệ, a resident monastic at Liên Tâm Monastery, accompanied Venerable Yan Xi on visits to Stockholm and Helsinki. These visits provided valuable opportunities to learn more about Nordic culture and society, helping to cultivate favorable conditions for the future development of Chinese Chan Buddhism in Northern Europe. For information about Chan meditation activities and registration in DDMBA-LUX, please visit: https://chan.lu/






*About the Hermitage of Saint Walfroy

The Hermitage of Saint Walfroy is situated on a hill overlooking the village of Margut in France's Ardennes region, at an elevation of approximately 350 meters and near the borders of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Since the sixth century, the site has served as a Catholic center for contemplative practice. It was founded by the ascetic monk, Saint Walfroy the Stylite, and possesses a spiritual heritage spanning more than 1,500 years. Today, the hermitage functions as a retreat and hospitality center under the Diocese of Reims. Surrounded by tranquil forests and offering panoramic views of the Meuse Valley and the Ardennes landscape, it provides a peaceful environment for practitioners from various religious traditions. Within this setting, rich in centuries of Christian contemplative tradition, the encounter between Buddhist Chan meditation and Catholic monastic spirituality offered a meaningful opportunity for interreligious dialogue and mutual inspiration.

Original text in Chinese and photos: Dharma Drum Retreat Center (DDRC)
Translation: Patricia Yang 
Editing: Keith Brown