Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in China on Sharad Purnima 2010

BANGALORE: The first Art of Living (AoL) ashram in Beijing will be inaugurated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Several Art of Living teachers from Bangalore have visited and trained over two dozen Chinese teachers in Shanghai and Beijing in the past two years. AoL courses are taught in 15 cities across the mainland.

This will perhaps be an Indian spiritual leader's first-ever visit to mainland China.

On the two-day tour, beginning October 24, Sri Sri will attend a public satsang at the AoL ashram, which has been co-organized by the state-run Chinese Peoples' Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). On October 25, Sri Sri will be received by Chen Hao Su, President of CPAFFC, and will lead a Health and Happiness yoga camp in Beijing in the afternoon.

He will also be chief guest at a programme entitled, `Conversations of the Masters'. It will be an interactive session between him and other prominent religious leaders such as Chang Da Lin, executive director of the Buddhist Association of China and president of the World Buddhist Peace Foundation; Pundit Ren Fa Rong, president of China Taoist Association and member of National CPPCC standing committee; Cui Zhong San, vice-president of China Tai Chi Chuan Association; Professor Lei Yuan, director of Cultural Institute of Historical Resources in Beijing University.