Introductory pamphlet to Tzu Chi

TZ

U C

HI

Inspiring Great Love A

round the World TZU CHI

Inspiring Great Love Around the WorldDharma Master Cheng Yen and Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

佛教慈濟基金會Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Buddhist Tzu C

hi Foundation

To better the world, we must begin by transforming the hearts and minds of humanity. When the goodness in every human being is awakened, world peace shall

be possible.

- Dharma Master Cheng Yen

Introduction • 1

Inspiring Great LoveAround the World

Dharma Master Cheng Yenand Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

TZU CHI

Contents

Honorary PublisherDharma Master Cheng Yen

EditorsShih De Lin, Shih De Shu, Joseph Chan

Reviewed byDepartment of Religious Culture and Humanitarian Aids,Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Layout design byRobin Hsiu Feng Wang

Published by Foreign Languages DepartmentTzu Chi Culture and Communication FoundationNo. 2, Lide Road, Taipei 11259, Taiwan

T +886-2-2898-9000 F www.tzuchi.org.tw

Printed in Taiwan

First Printing: April 2010

12 Bringing hope to people in need

17 Transforming suffering by inspiring love

21 Aid work in China

23 International relief

+886-2-2898-9977

05 Introduction

05 Introduction to Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

06 The Founding of Tzu Chi

12 Charitable Mission

30 Medical Mission

30 Relieving the suffering of the ill

37 Free medical care for the needy

40 Bone marrow donation

42 Educational Mission

42 Comprehensive education system

51 Instilling wholesome values in youths

52 Educational efforts overseas

56 Cultural Mission

56 Pursuing goodness, truth, and beauty62 Community volunteerism64 Environmental protection

69 Inspiring Great Love Within

70 Directory of Tzu Chi Offices Worldwide

Introduction • 3

Contents

Honorary PublisherDharma Master Cheng Yen

EditorsShih De Lin, Shih De Shu, Joseph Chan

Reviewed byDepartment of Religious Culture and Humanitarian Aids,Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Layout design byRobin Hsiu Feng Wang

Published by Foreign Languages DepartmentTzu Chi Culture and Communication FoundationNo. 2, Lide Road, Taipei 11259, Taiwan

T +886-2-2898-9000 F www.tzuchi.org.tw

Printed in Taiwan

First Printing: April 2010

12 Bringing hope to people in need

17 Transforming suffering by inspiring love

21 Aid work in China

23 International relief

+886-2-2898-9977

05 Introduction

05 Introduction to Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

06 The Founding of Tzu Chi

12 Charitable Mission

30 Medical Mission

30 Relieving the suffering of the ill

37 Free medical care for the needy

40 Bone marrow donation

42 Educational Mission

42 Comprehensive education system

51 Instilling wholesome values in youths

52 Educational efforts overseas

56 Cultural Mission

56 Pursuing goodness, truth, and beauty62 Community volunteerism64 Environmental protection

69 Inspiring Great Love Within

70 Directory of Tzu Chi Offices Worldwide

Introduction

Introduction to Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Introduction 1

I

Dharma Master Cheng YenFounder of Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

n the world today, one sees many ills. War, poverty, disease, natural disasters, and environmental problems have created considerable human suffering. The suffer-ing exists on many levels — physical, psychological and spiritual. Reflecting on this, Dharma Master Cheng Yen concluded that to better the world, one has to begin by transforming human hearts and minds. The root of many problems lies in human beings’ selfishness. If people can expand the love they have for themselves and their families to the entire human family, many problems will cease to exist. When Great Love — unselfish love that embraces all humanity — is awak-ened in all, people will live differently, and the world will naturally become a better place.

Introduction • 5

Introduction


Introduction 1

I

Dharma Master Cheng YenFounder of Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

n the world today, one sees many ills. War, poverty, disease, natural disasters, and environmental problems have created considerable human suffering. The suffer-ing exists on many levels — physical, psychological and spiritual. Reflecting on this, Dharma Master Cheng Yen concluded that to better the world, one has to begin by transforming human hearts and minds. The root of many problems lies in human beings’ selfishness. If people can expand the love they have for themselves and their families to the entire human family, many problems will cease to exist. When Great Love — unselfish love that embraces all humanity — is awak-ened in all, people will live differently, and the world will naturally become a better place.

Introduction


In the world today, one sees many ills. War, pov-erty, disease, natural disasters, and environmental

problems have created considerable human suffer-ing. The suffering exists on many levels —physical, psychological and spiritual.

Reflecting on this, Dharma Master Cheng Yen concluded that to better the world, one has to begin by transforming human hearts and minds. The root of many problems lies in human beings’ selfishness. If people can expand the love they have for them-selves and their families to the entire human fami-ly, many problems will cease to exist. When Great Love—unselfish love that embraces all humanity—is awakened in all, people will live differently, and the world will naturally become a better place.

6 • Introduction

Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, founded by the Master, is an international non-profit organization devoted to spreading Great Love through its work in the fields of charity, medicine, education, and cul-ture. These comprise Tzu Chi’s Four Missions, and they have subsequently extended to include Bone Marrow Donation, International Relief, Environ-mental Protection, and Community Volunteerism.

Tzu Chi is a volunteer-based organization head-quartered in Hualien, Taiwan, funded by donations from the public. Today, more than 40 years since its founding, Tzu Chi has branches in over 45 coun-tries, with millions of supporters and tens of thou-sands of certified volunteers carrying out Tzu Chi’s missions around the world.

Tzu Chi’s mission is more than just charity, how-ever. More broadly, Tzu Chi’s goal is to spread the spirit of selfless Great Love. Like a seed that pro-duces more seeds, compassionate actions can in-spire more love, leading to a more peaceful and har-monious society.

The Founding of Tzu ChiTzu Chi was founded in 1966 by Dharma Mas-

ter Cheng Yen, who was then but a young Buddhist monastic of age 29. At the time, the east coast of Taiwan, where the Master first settled, was undevel-oped and impoverished. The Master and her monas-

Introduction • 7

tic disciples supported themselves by sewing baby shoes, making concrete sacks into smaller animal feed bags, knitting sweaters, and raising their own vegetables.

One day in 1966, while the Master was visit-ing a patient at a small local clinic, she saw a pool of blood on the floor. The Master was told that the blood was from an aboriginal woman suffering from labor complications. Her family had carried her from their mountain village. They had been walking for eight hours, but when they arrived at the hospital, they did not have the NT$8,000 (then US$200) re-quired fee. They could only carry her back untreat-ed. Hearing this, the Master was overwhelmed with

Compassion in action is the underlying spirit of Tzu Chi Foundation.

8 • Introduction

sorrow. She thought to herself: As an impoverished monastic barely supporting herself, what could she do to help these poor people?

A short time later, three Catholic nuns visited the Master, and they had a discussion on the teach-ings of their respective religions. When the Master explained that Buddhism teaches love and compas-sion for all living beings, the nuns commented: Why have we not seen Buddhists doing good works for

Introduction • 9

society, such as setting up nursing homes, orphan-ages, and hospitals?

The nuns’ message struck a deep chord with the Master. Buddhism, she responded, teaches people to do good deeds without seeking recognition. Howev-er, she knew in her heart that without organization, what could be accomplished was very limited. The

Jing Si Abode, the Buddhist monastery founded by Master Cheng Yen, is the spiritual home of all Tzu Chi members.

10 • Introduction

Master considered: What if her disciples sold one extra pair of baby shoes per day? What if the thir-ty housewives that listened to her teachings could donate NT 50 cents (approximately US 1 cent) per day? In one year’s time, she calculated, they would have enough money to have saved that aboriginal woman. A small concerted effort, she realized, over time could make an enormous difference!

Thus, the Master founded Tzu Chi. Fashioning coin banks out of bamboo, she asked her lay fol-lowers to drop a NT 50 cent coin into the bamboo bank every day before going to the market. “Why not simply donate NT$15 each month?” one follow-er asked. The amount was the same in dollars, the Master replied, but very different in spirit. The Mas-ter wanted each person to think of helping others ev-ery day, not just one day each month.

As word spread and more people participated, there came to be Tzu Chi commissioners who were responsible for collecting donations. Commission-ers traveled to villages to collect the savings in each of the bamboo banks. On one occasion, a commis-sioner complained that a particular donor lived so far away that the cost of the trip was more than the amount donated. The Master, however, replied that giving people an opportunity to participate was as important as the donation itself. By collecting do-nations from people, the commissioners were in

Introduction • 11

fact nurturing seeds of kindness in each donor. This kindness, not the donation, was the Master’s true mission.

Dharma Master Cheng Yen deeply believes that all people are capable of the same great compassion as the Buddha. True compassion, however, is not just having sympathy for another’s suffering—it is to reach out to relieve that suffering with concrete actions. In founding Tzu Chi, the Master wished to give ordinary citizens the chance to actualize this compassion, which will bring inner peace and hap-piness to the individual, and pave the way for world peace and harmony.

Residents of the Jing Si Abode support their own livelihood by doing various works. Here beans were put out to dry in preparation for making instant mix bean drink powders.

12 • Charitable Mission

Charitable Mission

Bringing hope to people in need

Tzu Chi began with charitable work. In the be-ginning years, the Master would personally

visit the poor to learn firsthand of the conditions in which they lived. From this, she would determine the family’s greatest need or the root problems un-derlying their difficulties. Today, many Tzu Chi vol-unteers conduct Tzu Chi’s charitable work in the same spirit as the Master on her first visits to the needy. Tzu Chi strives to provide personalized aid, based on each case’s individual needs, but underly-ing each unique act is the giving of love. The Mas-ter believes that every life is equally precious. When the poor are shown genuine love and respect, they can heal their hearts and be empowered.

Charitable Mission • 13

Fundamental to Tzu Chi’s charitable work is the mission to inspire love and goodness within each person—both the receiver and the giver. When peo-ple’s hearts are filled with love for others, they will become spiritually rich. Tzu Chi’s mission is to en-able everyone to become spiritually rich and enjoy peace and happiness.

Categories of charitable workLong-term assistance: Regular financial assis-

tance for the poor and ill, after assessment of need. Tzu Chi volunteers regularly visit poor and ill peo-ple and their families. Besides financial assistance, volunteers offer personal care, and help with ev-

Tzu Chi’s first winter aid distribution in 1969 benefitted over 40 families, more than 200 people in total.


eryday tasks, like spring cleaning for the elderly with restricted mobility. As of December 2009, Tzu Chi has provided long-term assistance to a total of 37,249 households in Taiwan.

Regular support and care: Care to those who do not need financial assistance but require encour-agement, support, or guidance. These cases include elderly people living alone who have no surviving family, families with a disabled or ill family mem-ber, and people mourning the death of a close rel-ative or friend. Tzu Chi volunteers make period-ic visits to offer emotional support. If professional counseling is needed, Tzu Chi will help the family find a trained professional. In 2009 alone, Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan made a total of 113,598 such home visits.

Care for people living in institutions: Periodic vis-its to institutions serving people with special needs (e.g., nursing homes and schools for the disabled) as well as prisons and juvenile correctional centers. Vol-unteers offer love and friendship, and organize activi-ties and programs on inspirational topics.

Short-term crisis aid: Short-term assistance to people temporarily in hardship due to a natural di-saster, accident, or sudden misfortune. Volunteers help these people overcome their immediate dif-ficulties. Depending on the nature of the need, aid may include money for basic needs, tuition assis-


tance for children, medical care, home repairs, or help with funeral arrangements. Sometimes these cases become candidates for long-term aid, and are transferred to Tzu Chi’s long-term assistance pro-gram. As of December 2009, Tzu Chi has handled a total of 175,961 cases of short-term crisis aid in Tai-wan, with 13,851 cases in 2009 alone.

Large-scale disaster relief: Disaster preven-tion and relief efforts in times of disaster. Example: When a typhoon warning is issued during Taiwan’s typhoon season, Tzu Chi volunteers go around the community to promote disaster preparedness and visit underprivileged families to help them with preparations including roof repairs. When the ty-

Tzu Chi volunteers helped clean up the disaster area of Typhoon Morakot in 2009.


phoon creates a disaster, volunteers go into the af-fected areas to provide comfort and offer hot meals, emergency cash, material supplies, and medical treatments. In the aftermath of a flood or mudslide, volunteers help with the cleanup efforts. Volunteers also survey those affected by the disaster to deter-mine if there is any need for further mid- or long-term assistance.

Local charitable efforts outside TaiwanAlthough Tzu Chi was founded in Taiwan, local

volunteers carry out its charitable mission in other countries. Some volunteers emigrated from Taiwan;

Tzu Chi volunteers conducted a winter aid distribution in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, in 2008.


others are locals who learned of Tzu Chi and were inspired to spread its mission. Funds for projects are generally raised locally. Depending on the resourc-es and local needs, volunteers in each country car-ry out different works, though with the same under-lying principle of Great Love for all, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. There are currently Tzu Chi volunteers in over 47 countries across the conti-nents of Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Australia.

Transforming suffering by inspiring love

Suffering takes many forms. It is not only the poor who suffer; the rich also have suffering. The

South African Tzu Chi volunteers caring for an AIDS patient.


Master believes that to truly relieve people’s suffer-ing, one must begin by transforming their hearts.

Inspiring the rich to help the poor: Tzu Chi en-courages and guides the more fortunate to do good not only through donations, but also by directly help-ing people in need. Personally visiting the poor can be a transformative experience. It can awaken peo-ple’s compassion, allowing them to discover their ability to make a difference in another’s life. Feeling for the suffering of those in need, they will cherish and care for them with a genuine heart. Seeing them

Tzu Chi volunteers on a global fundraising campaign to deliver love to survivors of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti.


relieved of their hardships, a sense of peace and joy will naturally arise.

Guiding the poor while offering assistance: While giving aid to people in need, Tzu Chi vol-unteers not only provide material aid, but also offer their love, care, and guidance. Poverty often leads people to develop a low sense of self-worth. Poor people may even isolate themselves, out of shame. The volunteers’ goal is to gradually help people to open their hearts and change their perspective about life. With love and empathy, volunteers guide the poor to realize that they are not helpless. The Mas-ter believes that even the less fortunate can help oth-ers and that, by helping others—through even a very small donation or as a volunteer—they too can expe-rience the benefits of seeing others relieved of their hardships. Volunteers also help able-bodied lacking gainful employment to regain their self-confidence, by arranging for them to acquire new skills they can use to support themselves.

In summary, Tzu Chi’s charitable mission is about inspiring love and compassion in both the giv-er and receiver. Through reaching out to others, the spirit of love gets passed on, as every act of giving inspires love in more people. When everyone in so-ciety, rich and poor alike, is willing to help and care for others, society will become very peaceful, har-monious, and stable.


Though impoverished, residents of the Dreamland Muzon village in the Philippines nevertheless donate three months of savings to help others in need.


Aid work in ChinaThe impetus for Tzu Chi’s aid work in Chi-

na was a series of devastating floods in 1991 that caused massive destruction in the eastern part of the country. Feeling the suffering of the disaster survi-vors deeply, the Master made the decision to initiate a major relief effort. While the political tension be-tween Taiwan and China brought many challenges to the relief work, by adhering to political neutrality, Tzu Chi was eventually able to distribute aid to sur-vivors and build houses and schools.

Since then, Tzu Chi has continued to carry out aid work in China, constructing new villages and re-locating people living in the mountains of Guizhou

Tzu Chi’s winter aid distribution in Guizhou Province.


Province where land and climate conditions have confined generations to poverty. Tzu Chi volunteers have built water cisterns in drought-stricken Gansu Province, provided tuition aid to poor children, and conducted yearly winter aid distributions to help the rural poor survive harsh winter conditions. Tzu Chi has continued to provide disaster relief in Chi-na, including major relief efforts following the Si-chuan Earthquake of May 2008, where Tzu Chi en-gaged in short-, mid-, and long-term relief work. As of December 2009, Tzu Chi has provided aid in 27 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China.

Tzu Chi volunteers providing hot meals to survivors of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.


International reliefThe Master believes that as part of the human

family, we should feel others’ suffering as our own. This spirit has led Tzu Chi to conduct disaster relief in over 68 countries, including Mongolia, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, North Korea, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kos-ovo, Turkey, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Peru, the Domin-ican Republic, Honduras, and El Salvador.

On relief missions, Tzu Chi volunteers pay for all expenses for the trip personally, and they go there not only to provide aid but to bring their love to the people. It is Tzu Chi’s hope that the survivors can feel the genuine love, warmth, and care from their fellow human beings. Such care can go a long way in helping people heal and find the strength to begin their lives anew. Tzu Chi volunteers hope that these sincere interactions will inspire disaster sur-vivors’ love and goodness so that one day, they too will help others in need.

In 2003, Tzu Chi became a non-governmental organization associated with the United Nation’s Department of Public Information.

Tzu Chi’s disaster relief principlesTimeliness: to deliver relief supplies in the short-

est time possible in order to meet urgent needs.


Directness: to personally deliver supplies into the hands of those affected by disaster. Tzu Chi’s aid team first visits a disaster site to determine sur-vivors’ specific needs and establish a roster for dis-tribution. Distributing aid according to the roster is an important method to ensure that people in need of aid do receive it.

Priority: to focus aid on the hardest-hit areas and on those in greatest need. Given limited resources, concentrating aid enables Tzu Chi to provide more substantial and effective support.

Respect: to respect the local customs, lifestyle, religions, and cultural traditions. Tzu Chi mem-bers regard disaster survivors as a family member in need and are mindful of distributing aid in a way that respects their dignity.

Practicality: to offer aid that is truly useful to disaster survivors. Tzu Chi’s aid team assesses and determines the most dire needs of a disaster area, so that every cent of public donation is put into good use by providing aid that is truly helpful.

From short-term to long-term aidFollowing a disaster, Tzu Chi considers the need

for short-, mid-, and long-term aid. In the immediate aftermath, Tzu Chi volunteers assess the survivors’ situations and depending on the needs and feasibil-ity, help them settle into temporary homes, such as


tents or prefabricated houses, and construct perma-nent housing and schools to fulfill long-term needs. Throughout these phases of aid, Tzu Chi volunteers strive to enable survivors to start life anew with a stable livelihood.

This type of relief work was employed follow-ing the 2004 Asian Tsunami. This disaster brought devastation of unprecedented magnitude to the re-gion. Tzu Chi promptly was prepared to provide di-saster relief in the hardest hit areas of Aceh, Indo-nesia, and Hambantota, Sri Lanka. In the aftermath, Tzu Chi’s medical and aid teams inspected the dam-age, carried out relief aid distributions, and provid-ed free medical treatments. For mid-term needs, Tzu Chi constructed a tent community. As part of the long-term relief, Tzu Chi built Great Love Villag-es in Indonesia (2,700 housing units) and Sri Lanka (649 housing units), including a school and commu-nity activity center.

When Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar in 2008, Tzu Chi volunteers from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Thailand went there to provide medical treat-ment and distribute material aid to disaster survi-vors. They also delivered rice seeds and fertilizers to rice farmers. Tzu Chi is currently building schools for local children. Inspired by Tzu Chi’s humble or-igins and the selfless spirit of Tzu Chi volunteers, the locals have started a tradition of setting aside a



When Sri Lanka was devastated by the 2004 Asian Tsuna-mi, Tzu Chi built a Great Love Village in Sri Lanka.


handful of rice daily to help the poorer families in their communities.

TIHAATo facilitate and effectively carry out disaster re-

lief work, in 2003, Tzu Chi formed the Tzu Chi In-ternational Humanitarian Aid Association (TIHAA), composed of entrepreneurs from various industries. TIHAA’s role is to provide logistical support in times of disaster and to research and develop goods specifically designed for use in disaster situations. For example, as disaster areas often lack electricity, TIHAA has developed instant rice and noodles that

Following the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake, Tzu Chi sent medical teams to Pakistan to provide medical care to quake survivors.


can be prepared just by adding water. It has also de-veloped ways to convert recycled PET bottles into blankets and clothing which can be distributed to di-saster survivors.

Blankets made out of recycled PET bottles, and bowls for use in disaster areas are some of the goods developed by TIHAA.

30 • Medical Mission

Medical Mission

Relieving the suffering of the ill

In the early years of Tzu Chi’s charitable work, as the Master personally visited families in need,

she discovered a link between poverty and illness. Illness often causes families to fall into poverty. At the same time, the poor tend to develop serious ill-nesses because they cannot afford regular medi-cal treatment for common diseases. Seeing this, the Master set up a free clinic in Hualien City in 1972. Twice a week, doctors and nurses came and offered free medical services to the poor.

Through the free clinic services, the Master discovered the need for a modern, well-equipped hospital in the remote eastern Taiwan. Local hos-pitals were unable to treat the more serious condi-tions, and patients often suffered from delayed treat-

Medical Mission • 31

ment as they had to be transferred to other areas. Although building a hospital was an enormous en-deavor, the Master was resolved upon doing this, for she believed that every life should be safeguarded, no matter rich or poor.

Establishing a medical networkToday, Tzu Chi has built a total of six hospitals

in different parts of Taiwan: Hualien, Yuli, Guan-shan, Dalin, Xindian, and Tanzi. Hualien Tzu Chi General Hospital is now a tertiary medical center serving as a referral hospital for eastern Taiwan and a teaching center in partnership with Tzu Chi Uni-versity. To better relieve patients’ suffering and save more lives, the hospitals maintain state-of-the-art facilities while the medical personnel provide cut-ting edge treatments with the latest medical research and technology.

The hospitals are run on a “not-for-profit” mod-el. With love as their underlying principle, Tzu Chi’s hospitals provide medical treatments to all people in need of medical care, but especially to the poor who cannot pay for treatment. Moreover, Tzu Chi hospi-tals emphasize humane, patient-centered care.

In addition to building and running hospitals, Tzu Chi strives to make medical care widely acces-sible through medical outreach programs conduct-ed by the staff of Tzu Chi’s hospitals as well as oth-



Tzu Chi opened its fifth hospital in Xindian, Taipei County, in 2005, a milestone in Tzu Chi’s medical mission.


er medical volunteers in the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA).

Creating a medical culture of love and humanity

It is the Master’s belief that to truly relieve the suffering of the ill, what is needed is not only physi-cal treatment, but also healing on the emotional and spiritual level. That is why Tzu Chi’s hospitals em-phasize both quality medical services and warm care and love toward patients.

To create a medical culture that emphasizes hu-manity and reverence for life, Tzu Chi’s hospitals

Tzu Chi volunteers’ care helps create a warm atmosphere of love and humanity within the hospital.


give their employees opportunities to do charitable work with Tzu Chi volunteers or participate in in-ternational disaster relief missions. New staff mem-bers attend training camps where they learn about Tzu Chi’s origins, the humanitarian work of Tzu Chi around the world, and its founding principles. Staff members are encouraged to view patients also as their teachers and to care for patients as they would their family.

In addition, there are Tzu Chi volunteers serv-ing in the hospital all year round. Besides assisting the staff with various tasks, volunteers visit with pa-tients and their families and serve as a bridge be-tween the doctors and patients. Their goal is to en-

Medical staff and volunteers work together to offer holistic care to patients and family.


able patients and their families to feel at home in the hospital and to provide them someone they can turn to for care and support. Volunteers are an inte-gral part of Tzu Chi’s hospitals, and together with the medical staff, they form a united team providing comprehensive whole-person care to patients.

A hospital for the communityBesides providing direct medical care, Tzu Chi

hospitals also serve their surrounding communities by holding preventative health classes. Tzu Chi hos-pitals strive to accommodate the needs of the com-munity. In rural Yuli where most of the residents are farmers, Yuli Tzu Chi Hospital’s outpatient clin-

Tzu Chi Hospital in Tanzi, Taichung County, holding health talks for local community residents.


ic opens its doors at 6 a.m. This way, early-rising farmers can come see a doctor and still get home in time to carry out their day’s work. In Guanshan, the staff at Guanshan Tzu Chi Hospital regularly make house calls to the aboriginal tribes living in the near-by mountains.

Another unique feature of Tzu Chi hospitals is the follow-up care provided to impoverished pa-tients. When low-income or special-case patients are discharged from the hospital, Tzu Chi volunteers continue to visit them at home, to offer encourage-ment and even financial assistance as needed.

Free medical care for the needy

TIMATzu Chi has also organized a medical associa-

tion, the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA), comprised of volunteering doctors, nurs-es, medical technicians, and pharmacists from oth-er hospitals, clinics, and in private practice. TIMA members conduct medical outreaches with Tzu Chi volunteers, providing free medical services in re-mote areas, off-islands, and villages in the moun-tains, while paying for all transportation expenses themselves. As the medical care provided is free, it gives the poor a chance for treatment they otherwise


could not afford—treatment that often changes their lives, from the removal of tumors that have plagued them for years to cataract surgeries that give them back their eyesight.

Besides serving in a medical capacity, these doc-tors and nurses are also involved in the non-medical activities of Tzu Chi, such as helping senior citizens clean up their houses, renovating rundown houses of the underprivileged, and distributing aid to disas-ter survivors. Through these activities, the medical professionals experience the genuine joy of helping people in need. Some have remarked that the volun-teering returns them to their original motivation for going into the medical profession. Volunteers have

TIMA doctors provided dental care at a learning center in the Philippines in 2009.


said that seeing firsthand how other, less fortunate people struggle in life expands their horizons and opens their hearts.

Today, there are TIMA members in over a dozen countries around the world. As of 2009, more than 7,000 medical professionals worldwide have joined TIMA, with chapters in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, the United States, Brazil and Paraguay. The servic-es TIMA members provide vary by country and lo-cal needs.

Medical facilities around the worldOverseas Tzu Chi chapters have also set up med-

ical facilities to serve the underprivileged. Free clin-

TIMA members from Singapore and Malaysia held a free clinic for the poor in Sri Lanka in 2009.


ic centers have been established in the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In Malaysia, three dialysis centers have been estab-lished to provide free treatment to the poor.

Bone marrow donation

Tzu Chi Bone Marrow RegistryIn 1992, the case of a Taiwanese student with

leukemia highlighted the need for a marrow donor registry in Taiwan. Because bone marrow donation does not harm the donor and can turn around an en-tire family’s fate by saving the patient’s life, the Master resolved to establish a marrow donor reg-istry.

As the Taiwanese public had many misconcep-tions about marrow donation, Tzu Chi volunteers first had to make a tremendous effort to educate the public and promote this cause. Volunteers went to marketplaces, stood on street corners, and even rode on public buses to spread the word.

Today, Tzu Chi’s bone marrow registry has over 319,000 potential donors registered with its marrow donor registry. It also participates in the internation-al database BMDW (Bone Marrow Donor World-wide).

Since its establishment in 1993, Tzu Chi’s bone marrow registry has helped patients in 27 countries


receive life-saving bone marrow or stem cell trans-plants. In 2002, Tzu Chi’s registry developed into the Tzu Chi Stem Cell Center which operates a mar-row donor registry, an umbilical cord blood bank, a recruitment group, and an immunogenetic research laboratory.

Care for the donorsFor Tzu Chi’s marrow registry, there is a care

team of volunteers in Taiwan who offer the donor support from the time of the match to the comple-tion of the donation process. Once a match has been found, the care team begins assisting the potential donor. Should the potential donor have concerns about donating or face family opposition, the care team is there to provide information, support, or as-sistance with communicating to family members.

The care team also accompanies the donor throughout the process, giving whatever help is needed, such as bringing one donor’s children to and from school and helping him move boxes at his bookstore after the marrow extraction procedure so he would not need to overexert himself.

To Tzu Chi, both the lives of the donor and re-cipient are equally precious.

42 • Educational Mission

Educational Mission

Comprehensive education system

As the Master believes a society without sound moral values is one in danger of disorder and

instability, she began efforts to emphasize morality in education. While the first school Tzu Chi estab-lished was the Tzu Chi Junior College of Nursing (later upgraded to the Tzu Chi College of Technol-ogy), which opened in 1989, the Master’s goal was to establish a comprehensive education system that would provide sound education from kindergarten to graduate studies. Nurturing good values and char-acter must begin when children are still young, the Master believed.

In 2000, the Master’s goal was realized. Today, Tzu Chi’s comprehensive education system in Tai-wan includes several preschools and kindergartens,

Educational Mission • 43

two primary and secondary schools, the Tzu Chi College of Technology, and Tzu Chi University of-fering undergraduate and graduate studies with four colleges of medicine, life science, humanities and social sciences, and education and communication. The mission of these schools is to nurture the next generation into compassionate and responsible peo-ple who will contribute their talents and skills for the greater good of society.

Nurturing people of character and compassion

The Master believes that every person has basic goodness, but as children’s minds are easily influ-

At Tzu Chi’s elementary schools, students learn to respect their teachers.


enced, they need to be carefully nurtured and guid-ed. When still young, children need to learn funda-mental values; when they reach secondary school, they need guidance to develop their sense of con-science and be steered toward the right direction in life. Then, when they acquire professional knowl-


edge and skills at vocational school or university, they can use their talents to benefit people instead of being motivated by personal gain, self-interest, or profit.

The Tzu Chi College of Technology in a spectacular set-ting, between the mountains and the sea.


Daily life and experiential learningCorrect values begin with right conduct in daily

life. Students at Tzu Chi’s schools are taught good habits from a young age, such as eating etiquette, proper attire and respectful behavior. In addition, they also learn life skills by taking part in serving food, washing dishes, tidying the classroom, taking out the garbage, and weeding the campus. These ac-tivities instill in students the sense of being respon-sible for and taking good care of their living envi-ronment. Students also participate in recycling work through which they learn the need to cherish re-sources and not be wasteful.

Students at Tzu Chi’s elementary school learn to develop good living habits.



At Tzu Chi’s schools, students learn about life through experiential learning. For example, starting from the kindergarten level, students visit orphanag-es, hospitals, and homes of the less fortunate. Dur-ing these visits, students are guided to understand the hardships and difficulties of others, learn empa-thy and respect for others, appreciate the precious-ness of life, and develop a sense of gratitude. Such activities are a part of the education at every level.

The spirit of service is also an important compo-nent of Tzu Chi’s education. Students regularly par-ticipate in volunteer work in the community, such as street or beach cleanups. Students also volunteer at Tzu Chi’s hospitals. Besides expanding the students’ horizons, these opportunities nurture in the students a sense of contributing for the good of others.

A physical environment for learningThe learning at Tzu Chi’s schools is not only

in the classroom or through activities, but through the impact of the physical environment as well. The campus is designed with open space and greenery, and classrooms are built in a way that allows chil-dren to see outside the building and feel integrated with their surroundings. The color of the buildings was specially chosen to produce a tranquil atmo-sphere that helps settle children’s minds, allowing them to learn more effectively.


Tzu Chi moms and dadsAs role models are important in children’s

growth and development, Tzu Chi’s secondary schools, college of technology, and university have a special mentorship program where Tzu Chi volun-teers “adopt” students and care for them as if they were their own children. From them, the students learn important life values, from how to take care of themselves in daily life to how to get along with others and conduct themselves in various situations. Serving as counselors and friends, these Tzu Chi moms and dads help students develop good charac-ter and grow as a person.

Tzu Chi moms and dads provide care and guidance to stu-dents of Tzu Chi’s schools, playing the roles of mentor, counselor, and friend.


Silent Mentor programTzu Chi’s emphasis on instilling humanity is

highlighted by Tzu Chi University’s Silent Mentor program. “Silent mentors” are body donors—peo-ple who have donated their bodies to Tzu Chi Uni-versity’s medical college for use in medical training, such as anatomy class or advanced surgical simula-tion training. The program arranges for students to meet the donors’ families and learn about the do-nors’ lives. Because of this, the bodies the students study on are no longer just bodies. They become real people to the students, and these donors’ spirit of selfless love inspires the students to become bet-ter, more humane doctors.

At Tzu Chi University, medical students have the opportu-nity to hone their medical skills through hands-on simula-tion surgery.


Nurturing good teachersTzu Chi’s education is founded upon the prin-

ciple of love. The Master therefore guides teach-ers to regard students as their own children, lov-ing them while exercising wisdom and firmness in steering them to develop good character. Teachers also lead students by setting good examples in their daily life.

Instilling wholesome values in youths

Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth AssociationRecognizing the importance of instilling good

values and strong character in youths, Tzu Chi has established a Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association. Through learning to help others and interacting with people from different backgrounds, these youths, known as “Tzu Chings,” learn about life’s value and meaning.

As of 2009, Tzu Ching chapters have been es-tablished in 81 colleges and universities in Taiwan. There are also Tzu Chings in the United States, Can-ada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Sin-gapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.


Tzu Chi Teachers’ AssociationTzu Chi Teachers’ Association is comprised of

teachers and others in the field of education who wish to learn Tzu Chi’s values and incorporate them into their teaching. Through the association’s activi-ties, members learn to teach in a compassionate and patient way, never giving up on any student. The goal is not only to help students learn but also to nurture their good character.

Educational efforts overseasFormal schools based on Tzu Chi’s education-

al values have also been established abroad. As of December 2009, there are nine Tzu Chi preschools

Caring for elderly people in a home visit, Tzu Chings not only provide warmth to others, but also nurture compas-sion in themselves.


and kindergartens (in the United States, Malaysia, and Indonesia), two Tzu Chi primary and secondary schools (in Indonesia and Thailand), and one Tzu Chi vocational school (in Indonesia).

Tzu Chi chapters in the United States, Cana-da, Australia, and Malaysia also conduct weekend schools, called Tzu Chi Academy in some countries. These schools teach the Chinese language and in-still the spirit of humanity through programs on Jing Si Aphorisms (aphorisms by the Master), flower ar-rangement, tea ceremony, recycling, and communi-ty service activities.

In the U.S., children from Tzu Chi Great Love Preschool and Kindergarten visit a senior home to give care to senior citizens.


Projects of hopeGiven the important role of education,

Tzu Chi dedicates considerable resourc-es to building and rebuilding schools. Af-ter the September 21, 1999 earthquake in Taiwan, Tzu Chi launched Project Hope and rebuilt 51 schools so students would not be deprived of a good education after the disaster. In the Iranian city of Bam, Tzu Chi rebuilt five schools for local children after they were destroyed by an earthquake in 2003.

Tzu Chi has also built schools in im-poverished areas in South Africa and Chi-na. As of December 2009, Tzu Chi has constructed 173 schools in 14 countries.

Tzu Chi volunteers with students of Fatemieh Girls High School, one of the five schools that Tzu Chi helped build in Iran following the 2003 Bam Earthquake.


56 • Cultural Mission

Pursuing goodness, truth and beauty

The Master founded Tzu Chi upon the deep con-viction that every human being has inherent

goodness and purity—and that this is human beings’ true nature. The noble and good qualities of this true nature are represented by the Chinese term, renwen人文, which the Master describes as the core value of Tzu Chi’s culture.

The aim of Tzu Chi’s cultural mission is to pro-mote these wholesome values in society through cultural activities. When such wholesome values prevail in a society, there will be peace, harmony, and stability.

Tzu Chi’s cultural mission encompasses differ-ent forms of media and mass communication, all dedicated to spreading the ideals of goodness, truth,

Cultural Mission

Cultural Mission • 57

and beauty. In addition, the cultural mission includes local activities which strive to foster a healthy, cohe-sive community.

Working in the field of mass communi-cation

Tzu Chi’s first venture in the field of culture was a biweekly newsletter in 1967 that reported Tzu Chi’s charitable works so donors could know how their donations were being used. The biweek-ly newsletter later evolved into the Tzu Chi Monthly magazine, providing in-depth coverage of Tzu Chi’s works along with inspiring real-life stories. In addi-tion, Tzu Chi publishes Rhythms Monthly magazine and periodicals in English and Japanese. Branching out into the field of broadcasting, Tzu Chi began pro-ducing its own radio program in 1985. In 1998, Tzu

At Jing Si Books and Café, one can find a variety of prod-ucts from Jing Si Publications.


Tzu Chi Humanitarian Center is the hub for Tzu Chi’s cul-tural mission.


Chi launched its own cable television station, Da Ai TV (Da Ai means “Great Love” in Chinese), which can be accessed in most countries worldwide.

Given the power of the media to reach a large audience, Tzu Chi is using this vehicle to inspire change for the good of the world. While there are many problems in the world, Tzu Chi strives to of-fer a different perspective and solution by delivering stories that highlight the good that can and are be-ing done in society. In its news programs, Tzu Chi’s Da Ai TV educates the public and guides them to a more informed perspective on important issues.

Tzu Chi also publishes books and produces CDs, DVDs, and other multimedia materials through its affiliated publishing divisions, as well as through the Jing Si Abode’s publication company, Jing Si Publications. Jing Si Books and Café have also been established in Taiwan and around the world.

In 2005, Tzu Chi Humanitarian Center was opened in Taipei, bringing all of Tzu Chi’s media di-visions together in one building—Da Ai TV, Da Ai Radio, Chinese and foreign language publications, Rhythms Monthly, and Jing Si Publications.

Outside of Taiwan, Tzu Chi branches worldwide publish their own local Tzu Chi periodicals. In 2007, Tzu Chi Indonesia established DAAI TV Indonesia, which now airs in Jakarta, Medan, and Surabaya.


Jing Si HallsThe Jing Si Hall is a place where the gener-

al public can come and learn about Tzu Chi’s spirit and ideals. The first Jing Si Hall was built in Hual-ien, Taiwan, to serve as a spiritual base for Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide. The hall consists of exhi-bition rooms displaying works carried out by Tzu Chi’s Four Missions, an international conference hall, sutra lecture hall and other facilities.


Since then, Jing Si Halls have also been built in other parts of Taiwan and in other countries. Like a contemporary temple, Jing Si Halls are spiritual centers where Tzu Chi volunteers gather for spiritu-al cultivation and hold activities for the local com-munity. As such, Jing Si Halls are important anchors for Tzu Chi volunteers to promote Tzu Chi ideals at the community level.

Jing Si Hall symbolizes Tzu Chi’s spirit and values.


Community volunteerism

Building healthy communitiesWorking at the community level is core to Tzu

Chi’s efforts to build a peaceful and harmonious so-ciety. The Master believes that the family and local community are the building blocks of society. When they are healthy, society will be peaceful and sta-ble. To this end, Tzu Chi volunteers coordinate ac-tivities in the community that promote family val-ues and wholesome principles. Activities include inspirational talks, parent-child activities, book clubs, neighborhood or beach cleanups, recycling programs, health checkups for the elderly, and bone marrow drives. These activities provide a chance for family members and neighbors to bond and offer

Community volunteers organize prayer sessions to bring local communities closer together.


them means to contribute to their communities. In so doing, it fosters a greater sense of community.

Ordinary citizens with a sense of missionIt is through Tzu Chi’s community works that

many people have been motivated to serve as volun-teers. With Tzu Chi members themselves organized by neighborhood, the network of Tzu Chi members in each community makes it possible for Tzu Chi to mobilize quickly when disaster strikes. For exam-ple, when a major earthquake struck Taiwan on Sep-tember 21, 1999, at 1:47 a.m., local Tzu Chi volun-teers were on the scene within an hour to support the rescue workers and care for the disaster survi-vors. Within two hours, Tzu Chi had established a disaster relief center for coordinating Tzu Chi’s re-lief efforts, and by 5:30 a.m., Tzu Chi volunteers

Tzu Chi’s parent-child camps help foster family bonding.


were already mobilized to provide breakfast for res-cue workers and survivors.

Very often, Tzu Chi volunteers are disaster vic-tims themselves. Nevertheless, having built up a sense of mission toward helping the community, these volunteers readily set aside their own personal affairs to plunge into disaster relief efforts. Feeling the pain of others as their own, Tzu Chi volunteers are essentially on 24-hour standby, always ready to serve. Serving others has become a part of their life mission.

It is these Tzu Chi volunteers who are the main force behind all of Tzu Chi’s missions. While pro-fessionals run the institutions, such as the hospitals or schools, the volunteers provide the foundation. In disaster sites, they are seen distributing aid to the needy. In the hospitals, they dedicate themselves to providing comfort for the patients. In schools, they serve as mentors to students. In their neighbor-hoods, they design and implement community ac-tivities to promote spirituality. They highlight the unique grassroots, volunteer-based nature of Tzu Chi—seeking to transform society from its base.

Environmental protectionToday, our planet faces climate change which is

threatening the welfare of all living on Earth. Sci-entists have confirmed that human activities are the


root cause of global warming. What is required, the Master emphasizes, is a major shift in thinking and change in the modern consumerist lifestyle.

In an effort to address this problem, Tzu Chi has initiated community-based recycling programs. The aim, however, is not only to reduce garbage and re-cover resources, but to enable people to develop environmental consciousness. In doing recycling work, people see with their own eyes the conse-

Kids from Tzu Chi Kindergarten have a share in protecting the Earth too!


quences of a consumerist lifestyle. The experience makes them reflect, and they start living differently. Conserving resources and cherishing Mother Earth gradually become a way of life. Tzu Chi also orga-nizes other community activities to engage people in environmental protection work and promote en-vironmental awareness.

One person can make a differenceTzu Chi’s recycling efforts started in 1990, when

in a public speech, the Master encouraged the audi-ence to sort out recyclables with the hands they were applauding her with. Hearing this, a young woman

Community residents joyfully sort out recyclables at a Tzu Chi recycling station.


began asking her neighbors to sort out recyclables from their garbage, which she would collect from them. Her example inspired others to follow suit. In-dividuals across Taiwan started to collect and sort out recyclables, and encourage their neighbors to do the same.

Today, there are over 79,000 Tzu Chi recycling volunteers worldwide, with over 4,500 Tzu Chi re-cycling stations in Taiwan alone. Getting the entire community involved in recycling and aware of envi-ronmental issues is the goal of these volunteers.

In 16 countries, local Tzu Chi volunteers are spearheading similar efforts.

Meanwhile, earnings from recycling go toward good causes. In Taiwan, recycling earnings fund Tzu Chi’s Da Ai TV. In Malaysia, they provide free dialysis treatment for the poor at Tzu Chi’s dialysis centers. In China, they enable poor students to re-ceive an education through tuition aid.

Green livingTo promote environmental consciousness, Tzu

Chi organizes beach cleanups, tree-planting, and talks on simple living, recycling, and other environ-mental issues. Because a meat diet has negative im-pact on the environment, Tzu Chi volunteers also promote vegetarianism and hold vegetarian culinary classes.


Besides promoting environmentalism, Tzu Chi volunteers practice it themselves. For group events, Tzu Chi volunteers strive to reduce carbon emis-sions by arranging for public transportation, rent-ing coach buses, carpooling, and group cycling or walking when the venue is close by. In addition, dis-posables are not used at activities. Tzu Chi volun-teers instead use reusable bowls, chopsticks, and cups which they always carry with them when eat-ing out.

Tzu Chi also incorporates green concepts into its construction projects, such as rainwater catchment systems and solar panels. Buildings are designed to

Using reusable bowls, chopsticks and cups is one way to promote environmentalism.


maximize natural air ventilation and lighting to re-duce electricity use. Instead of nonpermeable con-crete pavements, the ground is paved with inter-locking bricks laid on gravel so rainwater can be returned to the earth.

Inspiring Great Love WithinTzu Chi is an organization that strives to trans-

form society through its Four Missions by trans-forming people and inspiring Great Love. What Tzu Chi has accomplished in a little over four de-cades highlights the human capacity for Great Love. Tzu Chi has shown that remarkable things can be accomplished when people’s inner Great Love is awakened and put into action.

It all begins with a seed—one person with Great Love. The Master reminds us that each of us can be that seed.

70 • Directory64 Directory Directory 65

Directory of Tzu Chi Offices Worldwide

TAIWANMain OfficeTel: 886-3-8266779/80Fax: 886-3-8267776

Tzu Chi Humanitarian CenterTel: 886-2-28989000Fax: 886-2-28989977

ARGENTINATel/Fax: 54-11-48661440

AUSTRALIABrisbaneTel: 61-7-32727938Fax: 61-7-32727283

Gold CoastTel: 61-7-55717706Fax: 61-7-55717703

MelbourneTel: 61-3-98971667Fax: 61-3-98974288

PerthTel/Fax: 61-8-92278228

SydneyTel: 61-2-98747666Fax: 61-2-98747611

GERMANYTel: 49-40-56195828Fax: 49-40-4112673

GREAT BRITAINTel: 44-208-5568111Fax: 44-208-5569333

GUATEMALATel: 502-22327648Fax: 502-23675872

HONG KONGTel: 852-28937166Fax: 852-28937478

INDONESIATel: 62-21-6016332Fax: 62-21-6016334

JAPANTel: 81-3-32035651Fax: 81-3-32035674

JORDANTel/Fax: 962-6-5817305

LESOTHOTel: 266-22327025Fax: 266-22321877

MALAYSIAIpohTel: 60-5-2551013Fax: 60-5-2421013

Kuala LumpurTel: 60-3-78809048Fax: 60-3-78808158

MelakaTel: 60-6-2810818Fax: 60-2-2812796

PenangTel: 60-4-2281013Fax: 60-4-2261013

KedahTel/Fax: 60-4-7339620

MEXICOTijuanaTel/Fax: 1-619-4263228

MexicaliTel: 1-760-7688998Fax: 1-760-7686631

NETHERLANDSTel: 31-629-577511

NEW ZEALANDTel: 64-9-2716976Fax: 64-9-2724639

PARAGUAYTel: 595-21-221621Fax: 595-21-310588

PHILIPPINESTel: 63-2-7142288Fax: 63-2-7141188

SINGAPORETel: 65-65829958Fax: 65-65829952

BRAZILTel: 55-11-55394091Fax: 55-11-55391683

BRUNEITel/Fax: 673-3340850

CANADAEdmontonTel/Fax: 1-780-4639788

MontrealFax: 1-514-8442079

TorontoTel: 1-905-9471182Fax: 1-905-9474655

VancouverTel: 1-604-2667699Fax: 1-604-2667659

DOMINICAN REP.Tel: 1-809-5300972

EL SALVADORTel: 1-503-22757616Fax: 1-503-22757615

FRANCETel: 33-1-64663356Fax: 33-1-64772690

Intro

ducti

onD

irec

tory

Cultu

reEd

ucati

onMe

dicine

Char

ity

Directory • 7164 Directory Directory 65

Directory of Tzu Chi Offices Worldwide

TAIWANMain OfficeTel: 886-3-8266779/80Fax: 886-3-8267776

Tzu Chi Humanitarian CenterTel: 886-2-28989000Fax: 886-2-28989977

ARGENTINATel/Fax: 54-11-48661440

AUSTRALIABrisbaneTel: 61-7-32727938Fax: 61-7-32727283

Gold CoastTel: 61-7-55717706Fax: 61-7-55717703

MelbourneTel: 61-3-98971667Fax: 61-3-98974288

PerthTel/Fax: 61-8-92278228

SydneyTel: 61-2-98747666Fax: 61-2-98747611

GERMANYTel: 49-40-56195828Fax: 49-40-4112673

GREAT BRITAINTel: 44-208-5568111Fax: 44-208-5569333

GUATEMALATel: 502-22327648Fax: 502-23675872

HONG KONGTel: 852-28937166Fax: 852-28937478

INDONESIATel: 62-21-6016332Fax: 62-21-6016334

JAPANTel: 81-3-32035651Fax: 81-3-32035674

JORDANTel/Fax: 962-6-5817305

LESOTHOTel: 266-22327025Fax: 266-22321877

MALAYSIAIpohTel: 60-5-2551013Fax: 60-5-2421013

Kuala LumpurTel: 60-3-78809048Fax: 60-3-78808158

MelakaTel: 60-6-2810818Fax: 60-2-2812796

PenangTel: 60-4-2281013Fax: 60-4-2261013

KedahTel/Fax: 60-4-7339620

MEXICOTijuanaTel/Fax: 1-619-4263228

MexicaliTel: 1-760-7688998Fax: 1-760-7686631

NETHERLANDSTel: 31-629-577511

NEW ZEALANDTel: 64-9-2716976Fax: 64-9-2724639

PARAGUAYTel: 595-21-221621Fax: 595-21-310588

PHILIPPINESTel: 63-2-7142288Fax: 63-2-7141188

SINGAPORETel: 65-65829958Fax: 65-65829952

BRAZILTel: 55-11-55394091Fax: 55-11-55391683

BRUNEITel/Fax: 673-3340850

CANADAEdmontonTel/Fax: 1-780-4639788

MontrealFax: 1-514-8442079

TorontoTel: 1-905-9471182Fax: 1-905-9474655

VancouverTel: 1-604-2667699Fax: 1-604-2667659

DOMINICAN REP.Tel: 1-809-5300972

EL SALVADORTel: 1-503-22757616Fax: 1-503-22757615

FRANCETel: 33-1-64663356Fax: 33-1-64772690

Intro

ducti

onD

irec

tory

Cultu

reEd

ucati

onMe

dicine

Char

ity

72 • Directory66 Directory Directory 67

Kansas Tel: 1-913-6311069Fax: 1-913-7584225

Long IslandTel: 1-516-8736888Fax: 1-516-7460626

MadisonTel: 1-608-2687692

MiamiTel: 1-954-8304370Fax: 1-317-6459907

New JerseyTel: 1-973-8578666Fax: 1-973-8579555

New YorkTel: 1-718-4604590Fax: 1-718-4602068

San JoseTel: 1-408-4576969Fax: 1-408-9438420

Northwest L.A.Tel: 1-818-7277689Fax: 1-818-7279272

OrlandoTel/Fax: 1-407-2921146

PhoenixTel: 1-480-8386556Fax: 1-480-7777665

PittsburghTel: 1-412-5318343Fax: 1-412-5318341

San DiegoTel: 1-858-5460578Fax: 1-858-5460573

San FranciscoTel: 1-415-6820566Fax: 1-415-6820567

Savannah, GeorgiaTel: 1-912-5988006Fax: 1-912-5988002

West L.A.Tel: 1-310-4735188Fax: 1-310-4779518

SeattleTel: 1-425-8227678Fax: 1-425-8226169

St. LouisTel: 1-636-2965522Fax: 1-314-5763669

HoustonTel: 1-713-9818966Fax: 1-713-9819008

Washington DCTel: 1-703-7078606Fax: 1-703-7078607

VIETNAMTel: 84-8-8475061Fax: 84-8-8452585

AustinTel: 1-512-4910358Fax: 1-512-9261373

BostonTel: 1-617-7620569Fax: 1-617-7620568

CerritosTel: 1-562-9266609Fax: 1-562-9267669

ChicagoTel: 1-630-9636601Fax: 1-630-9609360

ClevelandTel/Fax: 1-216-4311212

ColumbusTel: 1-614-457-9215Fax: 1-614-457-9217

DallasTel: 1-972-6808869Fax: 1-972-6807732

DetroitTel/Fax: 1-248-6892019

HawaiiTel: 1-808-7378885Fax: 1-808-7378889

IndianapolisTel: 1-317-6633244Fax: 1-317-6633261

SOUTH AFRICACape TownTel: 27-21-9137082Fax: 27-21-9137507

DurbanTel: 27-31-7009476Fax: 27-31-7009477

JohannesburgTel: 27-11-7826830Fax: 27-11-7821261

LadysmithTel: 27-36-6310750Fax: 27-36-6312831

THAILANDTel: 66-2-6421888Fax: 66-2-6421890

TURKEYTel: 90-212-6609825Fax: 90-212-6609683

UNITED STATESHeadquarters: San DimasTel: 1-909-4477799Fax: 1-909-4477948

ArlingtonTel: 1-817-2612029Fax: 1-817-2771592

AtlantaTel: 1-770-9868669Fax: 1-770-9867466

Intro

ducti

onD

irec

tory

Cultu

reEd

ucati

onMe

dicine

Char

ity

Directory • 7366 Directory Directory 67

Kansas Tel: 1-913-6311069Fax: 1-913-7584225

Long IslandTel: 1-516-8736888Fax: 1-516-7460626

MadisonTel: 1-608-2687692

MiamiTel: 1-954-8304370Fax: 1-317-6459907

New JerseyTel: 1-973-8578666Fax: 1-973-8579555

New YorkTel: 1-718-4604590Fax: 1-718-4602068

San JoseTel: 1-408-4576969Fax: 1-408-9438420

Northwest L.A.Tel: 1-818-7277689Fax: 1-818-7279272

OrlandoTel/Fax: 1-407-2921146

PhoenixTel: 1-480-8386556Fax: 1-480-7777665

PittsburghTel: 1-412-5318343Fax: 1-412-5318341

San DiegoTel: 1-858-5460578Fax: 1-858-5460573

San FranciscoTel: 1-415-6820566Fax: 1-415-6820567

Savannah, GeorgiaTel: 1-912-5988006Fax: 1-912-5988002

West L.A.Tel: 1-310-4735188Fax: 1-310-4779518

SeattleTel: 1-425-8227678Fax: 1-425-8226169

St. LouisTel: 1-636-2965522Fax: 1-314-5763669

HoustonTel: 1-713-9818966Fax: 1-713-9819008

Washington DCTel: 1-703-7078606Fax: 1-703-7078607

VIETNAMTel: 84-8-8475061Fax: 84-8-8452585

AustinTel: 1-512-4910358Fax: 1-512-9261373

BostonTel: 1-617-7620569Fax: 1-617-7620568

CerritosTel: 1-562-9266609Fax: 1-562-9267669

ChicagoTel: 1-630-9636601Fax: 1-630-9609360

ClevelandTel/Fax: 1-216-4311212

ColumbusTel: 1-614-457-9215Fax: 1-614-457-9217

DallasTel: 1-972-6808869Fax: 1-972-6807732

DetroitTel/Fax: 1-248-6892019

HawaiiTel: 1-808-7378885Fax: 1-808-7378889

IndianapolisTel: 1-317-6633244Fax: 1-317-6633261

SOUTH AFRICACape TownTel: 27-21-9137082Fax: 27-21-9137507

DurbanTel: 27-31-7009476Fax: 27-31-7009477

JohannesburgTel: 27-11-7826830Fax: 27-11-7821261

LadysmithTel: 27-36-6310750Fax: 27-36-6312831

THAILANDTel: 66-2-6421888Fax: 66-2-6421890

TURKEYTel: 90-212-6609825Fax: 90-212-6609683

UNITED STATESHeadquarters: San DimasTel: 1-909-4477799Fax: 1-909-4477948

ArlingtonTel: 1-817-2612029Fax: 1-817-2771592

AtlantaTel: 1-770-9868669Fax: 1-770-9867466

Intro

ducti

onD

irec

tory

Cultu

reEd

ucati

onMe

dicine

Char

ity

TZ

U C

HI

Inspiring Great Love A

round the World TZU CHI

Inspiring Great Love Around the WorldDharma Master Cheng Yen and Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

佛教慈濟基金會Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Buddhist Tzu C

hi Foundation

To better the world, we must begin by transforming the hearts and minds of humanity. When the goodness in every human being is awakened, world peace shall

be possible.

- Dharma Master Cheng Yen

Documents

Introductory pamphlet to Tzu Chi