Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen or Shih Cheng Yen (; born Chin-Yun Wong; the 24th of the third Lunar month, 4 May 1937) is a Taiwanese Buddhist nun (bhikkhuni), teacher, and philanthropist. She is the founder of the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, ordinarily referred to as Tzu Chi, a Buddhist humanitarian organization based in Taiwan. In the West, she is sometimes referred to as the "Mother Teresa of Asia".

Cheng Yen was born in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation. She developed an interest in Buddhism as a young adult, ordaining as a Buddhist nun in 1963 under the well known proponent of humanistic Buddhism, master Yin Shun. After an encounter with a poor woman who had a miscarriage, and a conversation with Catholic nuns who talked about the various charity work of the Catholic Church, Cheng Yen founded the Tzu Chi Foundation in 1966 as a Buddhist humanitarian organization. The organization began as a group of thirty housewives who saved money for needy families. Tzu Chi gradually grew in popularity and expanded its services over time to include medical, environmental, and disaster relief work, eventually becoming one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world, and the largest Buddhist organization in Taiwan.

Cheng Yen is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the development of modern Taiwanese Buddhism. In Taiwan, she is popularly referred to and is the last surviving of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Taiwanese Buddhism, along with her contemporaries Sheng-yen of Dharma Drum Mountain, Hsing Yun of Fo Guang Shan and Wei Chueh of Chung Tai Shan.

Early life

Cheng Yen was born "Chin-Yun Wong" () in 1937 in Kiyomizu Town, Taikō District, Taichū Prefecture, Japanese Taiwan (modern-day Qingshui, Taichung City, Taiwan).

Miscarriage of Taiwanese aborigine

There were two watershed events that occurred in 1966 that are credited with having inspired Cheng Yen to found Tzu Chi. The first event occurred while Cheng Yen was visiting a hospital in Fenglin. After seeing blood on the hospital floor, she learned that a Taiwanese aborigine woman had a miscarriage. They were forced to carry the pregnant woman back up the mountain after they could not afford the 8,000 New Taiwan dollar deposit. The aborigine woman later died. This story actually became the source of a legal case in the early 2000s. While Cheng Yen never mentioned the name of the doctor when telling the story, one of her followers did, resulting in a defamation suit against Cheng Yen by the doctor's family.

Encounter with Roman Catholic nuns

The second event was a now-famous discussion Cheng Yen had with three Roman Catholic nuns at Pu Ming temple in 1966. While the nuns admitted the profundity of Buddhist teachings, they noted that the Catholic Church had helped people around the world by building schools and hospitals and inquired, "But what has Buddhism done for society?". The discussion is credited with having made Cheng Yen realize that Buddhism had to do more than simply encourage the private cultivation of people's souls.

Founding the Tzu Chi Foundation

thumb|Main hall at Tzu Chi Foundation

Influenced by the Lotus Sutra, and the encounters with the Taiwanese aborigine woman and the Roman Catholic nuns, Cheng Yen established the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation on 14 May 1966 in an endeavor to help the poor of east Taiwan. Tzu Chi has since built hospitals in Yuli, Hualien County; Dalin, Jiayi County; Guanshan, Taitung County; and Xindian, New Taipei City.

Tzu Chi experienced modest growth in the first two decades of its establishment, it grew to 293 members in 1968 and by 1986 had just 8,000 members. However, with the surge in popularity of Humanistic Buddhism in Taiwan in the late 1980s and 1990s, Tzu Chi enjoyed a rapid expansion in membership alongside several other major Taiwanese Buddhist organizations. From 1987 to 1991, Tzu Chi membership doubled in size each year, by 1994 Tzu Chi membership was estimated at 4 million members.

left|thumb|Interior of main hall of Tzu Chi Foundation

Tzu Chi is most well known for its work in disaster relief, Cheng Yen's philosophy includes the notion that not only are those receiving assistance benefiting materially by receiving the aid, but those delivering the aid are also spiritually rewarded when they see the gratitude in the eyes and smiles of the recipients. Tzu Chi's first major disaster relief effort was in 1991, when it undertook relief operations after severe floods hit central and eastern China. One of the most iconic attributes of Tzu Chi disaster relief efforts is that volunteers not only provide short term aid but also partake in long-term projects to rebuild the communities affected. Tzu Chi often builds new homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship (including churches and mosques for non-Buddhists) for victims following a disaster. As of 2015, Tzu Chi has provided disaster relief aid to over 85 countries worldwide.

A significant fraction of funds raised by Tzu Chi revolves around environmentally friendly goals such as the encouragement of recycling and using reusable items to reduce waste. As of 2014, the foundation operates over 5,600 recycling stations.

Tzu Chi has grown to become a significant actor in civil society, Tzu Chi is not only the largest Buddhist organization in Taiwan, As of 2013, the organization was estimated to have approximately 10 million members worldwide, and chapters in 47 countries.

Da Ai Television

In January 1998, Cheng Yen launched Da Ai (literally "Great Love") Satellite Television (慈濟大愛電視台; Chû-chè Tāi-ài Tiān-sī-tâi), a satellite television station. Da Ai is commercial free and operates twenty-four hours a day. It is funded by donations as well as partially by Tzu Chi's recycling programs. Da Ai features non-political news, lectures from Cheng Yen, and serial programs focused on the virtues, often profiling people who made major changes in their life for the better.

Daily schedule

Cheng Yen makes a broadcast every morning in an address known as "Wisdom at Dawn" and makes another address in the evening. She wakes up around 3:45 am to start her activities, such as receiving visitors, and overseeing Tzu Chi's projects throughout Taiwan. She often makes monthly trips around the country to check in on Tzu Chi's projects and activities.

Awards and recognition

1986: "Huashia Medal of the First Order" in Taiwan
1986: Good People and Good Deeds representative, Taiwan
1989: Social Service and Social Science Achievement Award from the Taiwanese-American Foundation, Taiwan & United States
1989: Social Service Award from the Wu San-Lian Foundation, Taiwan
1991: Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in the Philippines
1991: Outstanding Leadership in Social Movement Award from the Social Movement Association, Taiwan
1991: Honorary Citizen & Honorary Mayor of St. Antonio & St. Antonio Honorary Territory Award, Texas, United States
1992: International Communication Award from the Government Information Office, Taiwan
1993: Honorary Doctorate Degree by the Chinese University of Hong Kong
1994: Eisenhower Medallion from the People to People International (PTPI Founded by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower).
1995: Executive Yuan (Cabinet) Cultural Award, Taiwan
1995: 20 Outstanding Women in Asia from Asia Weekly magazine, Hong Kong
1996: Interior Ministry's First Class Honorary Award, Taiwan
1996: Foreign Affairs Medal of the First Order, Taiwan
1996: Huaguang Award of the First Order, Taiwan
1998: International Human Rights Award from the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)
1998: Taiwan's 200 most influential people in 400 years, Common Wealth Magazine, Taiwan
1998: Outstanding Alumni Award on 100th anniversary of Chingshuei Elementary School, Taiwan
2000: Noel Foundation Life Award, United States
2000: Heros from Around the World, National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, United States
2000: 50 Stars of Asia, Business Week magazine, United States
2001: Presidential Culture Award, Taiwan
2001: Selected as one of 26 "Heroes from Around the World" and featured on the "Wall of Honor" in Philadelphia's National Liberty Museum
2001: National Medal of the Second Order from the President of El Salvador
2001: Honorary Doctorate in Social Science from Hong Kong University
2002: Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award from World Buddhist University in Thailand
2002: Honorary Doctorate Degree in Socio-Cultural Studies from National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan
2003: Presidential Second Order of the Brilliant Star Award, Taiwan
2003: 3rd annual Top Ten Outstanding Educators Award from the Private School Culture and Education Association, Taiwan
2004: 2004 Asian American Heritage Award for Humanitarian Service by the Asian American Federation of California (AAFC).
2004: First annual special Lifetime Achievement Award in Volunteerism from the Daily Volunteer Association, Taiwan
2007: 24th Niwano Peace Prize for Humanitarian Service by The Niwano Peace Foundation in Japan. Recipient Page
2007: World Peace Prize from the American Los Angeles Chinese-American Elected Officials Organization, United States
2008: WFB Merit Medal from World Fellowship of Buddhists
2011: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities from the University of the East, Manila, Philippines
2011: TIME 100 from TIME magazine, United States
2011: Franklin D. Roosevelt Distinguished Public Service Award from the Roosevelt Institute, United States
2011: “Master Cheng Yen Day” on October 11, 2011, City of Vancouver, Canada
2012: frameless|50x50px Commander of the Order of the Defender of State of Penang, Malaysia
2012: Honorary doctorate in social welfare from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand
2014: Award of Honor from Rotary International
2014: A certificate of honor and appreciation presented by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, Haiti
2015: Honorary Doctorate in Social Development from Naresuan University, Thailand
2015: Honorary citizenship of Finale Emilia, Italy
2015: Contribution to Public Affairs award, You Bring Charm to the World Award Ceremony, China
2015: Personality of the Year Award, The Better Malaysia Foundation, Malaysia
2016: Invention Educational Medal, the 44th Geneva International Invention Exhibition, Switzerland
2016: Global Bhikkhuni Award from the Chinese Buddhist Bhikkhuni Association (CBBA) of Taiwan
2016: Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence in the category of Health from the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, India
2016: Honorary Member, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Ukraine
2016: Hall of Fame from Chinese Innovation and Invention Society, Taiwan
2018: Manhae Prize for Peace from the Society for the Promotion and Practice of Manhae's Thoughts, South Korea
2019: Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan
2020: Certificate of appreciation and medal from Commissariat for Refugee and Migration, Serbia
2021: Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize, United Kingdom
2021: Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, United States
2022: BBC 100 Women

Early life

Miscarriage of Taiwanese aborigine

Encounter with Roman Catholic nuns

Founding the Tzu Chi Foundation

Da Ai Television

Daily schedule

Awards and recognition

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links