Quote Originally Posted by rett View Post
If it's anything like the Buddhist hermits shown in the film Amongst White Clouds, then a three-year period of solitary "wall gazing" (壁观? ≈ retreat?) could involve some daily chanting, sutra reading, meditation, preparing meals, gardening, getting water, cleaning up, making minor repairs on the hut, making major repairs on the hut, perhaps meeting other monks on a fortnightly basis to chant the precepts, perhaps occasionally receiving visitors. But the meditation part could very well involve literally facing a wall. I'm not even sure if all sects focus that much on sitting meditation. Some could do more chanting, for example, or integrate the cultivation into daily activities.

Just some impressions, ideas... happy to be corrected by anyone with more insight into this culture.
Keep in mind that these monks most likely faced a wall because it was said that Bodhidharma did the same thing, however, the phrase is literally "wall gazing" which may not be the same thing as "facing a wall", especially if the original phrase was meant to be metaphorical and not to be taken literally.