Controversial wildlife release ritual

The Buddhist ritual of fangsheng, which involves devotees saving captive animals and releasing them into the wild, is meant to highlight mercy and compassion as well as increase blessings upon those who do the releasing. But the practice has also raised intense debate about how it upsets the ecological balance and damages biodiversity. China’s Wildlife Protection Law currently does not prohibit the release of animals into the wild. Some environmentalists are calling for the establishment of special regulated areas for animal-release activities by the Buddhist faithful.