During the T'ang and Sung dynasties, Ch'an practice flourished in the mountains, not in the cities. The Fourth Patriarch, Tao-Hsin, and the Fifth Patriarch, Hung-jen, lived in the mountains at Huang-mei. The Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng, visited Hung-jen at Tung-shan mountain, and then went south to Kwang-tung province. The Emperor of China invited Hui-neng to the capital, but he declined, preferring to live in the mountains at Ts'ao-hsi. Most practitioners of that time practiced in the mountains or in a quiet, secluded area. Even though it is said that one can practice Ch'an anywhere, even in the streets, this is only true for a person who has a deep understanding of Ch'an. Such a person can practice well in any environment. The frenetic pace of a heavily populated city would not adversely affect his practice. But such a person is rare. It would not be easy for a beginner to practice in the streets of New York City.

When we first started holding retreats in Queens, people would go outside to practice slow-walk meditation after dinner. The neighbors did not like seeing people walking in a daze past their houses. One retreat participant lay on the grass in someone's yard. People thought he was crazy. They wanted to know what went on in the Ch'an Center. They even threatened to call the police. That is what happens when you practice Ch'an in the streets. People think you are insane. Of course, if our center were in the heart of New York, say Times Square, then we would not have to worry. There, anything goes, and nobody cares.