Photo taken on Dec. 5, 2019 shows a view of the Louguantai Temple Taoist cultural scenic spot of Zhouzhi County in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Louguantai Temple is the place where Chinese philosopher Laozi, the founder of the Taoism, preached his thoughts. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

A recruitment notice by a Taoist temple in Southwest China's Sichuan Province sparked much debate on Chinese social media for would-be Taoist priest must be unmarried young people under the age 35. 

Nowadays there is growing trending among some young people in China to choose to visit Taoist temple to temporarily escape society when they encounter setbacks in their lives. 

The age threshold for being a Taoist priest has struck a responsive chord among young people who tend to get anxiety as they age. "Even monks discriminate against those over 35," one netizen wrote on Twitter-like Sina Weibo. Some joked, "Maybe people who are older lack that comprehension."

Taiqing Daoist Temple on Mountain Qingcheng located in the city of Dujiangyan said they only recruit unmarried aged between 18 and 35. They will be accepted as an official priest after passing three months of preliminary observation and three years of service and residence at the temple. The timing is to allow oneself to calmly think and whether the path of becoming a monk is his or her real choice. 

Would-be priests must receive approval from their parents as monasticism is not an easy life and must be a decision made with their entire family, the recruitment notice read. Priests in the temple would not receive any payment or be able to get married, the notice read.

The Paper