From 1977 to 1979 American Buddhist monks Heng Sure and Heng Chau undertook the ancient ascetic practice of bowing once every three steps on a two and a half year pilgrimage up the coast of California. They took with them only their faith and a wish for world peace as the inched their way from Los Angeles to the newly established City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Mendicino County. Traveling about a mile a day, they bowed, studied, and wrote letters chronicling their experiences to their teacher, Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua.