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Thich Nhat Hanh’s censored legacy

Thich Nhat Hanh is known as the father of mindfulness. But a year on from his death, he remains a controversial figure in his home country of Vietnam.

Thich Nhat Hanh is known as the father of mindfulness. The Vietnamese monk shared Buddhist teaching with the world, and launched a global spiritual movement. But a year on from his death, Thich Nhat Hanh remains a controversial figure in his home country of Vietnam.

During his lifetime, he built Plum Village monasteries and meditation centres across the globe – but he couldn’t do it in his home country. His anti-war activism angered the authorities in south Vietnam, and he spent most of his life in exile. Even today, Plum Village is still not allowed to establish a formal presence in Vietnam.

To find out about his life and the enduring appeal of his writings, Grace Tsoi goes to Thailand, where many of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Vietnamese followers have gathered to keep his teachings alive. As social media introduces a new generation to the Zen master, will the Vietnamese government finally embrace his full legacy?

Presenter: Grace Tsoi
Producers: Grace Tsoi and Tran Vo
Editors: Helen Grady and Giang Nguyen

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27 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 Jan 2023 00:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 30 Dec 2022 04:32GMT
  • Fri 30 Dec 2022 05:32GMT
  • Sat 31 Dec 2022 16:32GMT
  • New Year's Day 2023 00:32GMT
  • New Year's Day 2023 01:32GMT
  • New Year's Day 2023 09:32GMT
  • New Year's Day 2023 10:32GMT
  • Mon 2 Jan 2023 00:32GMT

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