Some tourists allowed their competitive natures to get the best of them. They cheered when the coins sailed inside the bronze, and uttered loud exclamations of disgust when the coins bounced off and landed in the dirt. It was somewhat like watching a pickup basketball game in a cathedral. I know I sound rather contemptuous of the scene at the Jade Buddha Temple. It's more that I have a problem with crowds, especially crowds of tourists.
Tourism also generates the funds to keep the temple going.
But maybe we should let them worship in peace every now and then. Bruce Kennedy was a Chinese history major at Bowdoin College in Maine. He worked for Visnews, the international television news agency, for five years before joining CNN in 1988. After a stint at CNN International, he began work at CNN Interactive. Kennedy has extensive experience in East Asian affairs, having studied and worked in the region.