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Video game-loving China monk defends hobby, says gaming, religion serve similar life purposes

Buddhist brother says engaging with others in ‘violent’ and ‘bloody’ online game is like playing chess; only worries he may become addicted

Venerable Huayan, from Mingjiao Temple in Hefei in central Anhui province, has been a Buddhist monk for 20 years.

He began to play e-games when he was a primary school pupil in the early 2000s, Counter-Strike (CS) is his favourite, according to the news portal Sina.com.

Huayan once achieved the Legendary Eagle Master position, a very high ranking in CS.

He said the most expensive items he bought were computer devices which cost him 40,000 yuan (US$6,000).

The temple he belongs to neither advocates nor forbids him from playing e-games. Huayan said his bottom line is not to become addicted.

Many people say playing CS, which is a violent and bloody game, will lead him to hell because it is not something a religious man should do.

Read original at South China Morning Post

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