What is it about Tzu Chi that has attracted so many fine doctors? For the past ten years, a growing passion in support of the Tzu Chi Foundation has spread among the people of Taiwan, regardless of class, profession or background. And with the support of its four-million-plus membership, this charity foundation has set new records and established new frontiers in the fields of medicine, culture and education.

Past and Future:
A History Written in Compassion

Lao-tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." This old saying exemplifies the long, difficult road which culminated in the creation of the Tzu Chi General Hospital. When people come to Hualien for the first time and see this impressive complex of new buildings, they seldom realize that this amazing achievement was in fact accomplished by ordinary people of ordinary means, whose modest savings built this hospital. But when we have the opportunity to actually meet Master Cheng Yen, the founder and mentor of Tzu Chi, we can see in her profound countenance the tireless determination and courage of Tzu Chi's supporters. Each and every day, for many years, she walked patiently on the Path of the Bodhisattvas until finally she was able to move the hearts of millions of people to work with compassion and devotion for the mission of guaranteed health care for all. Tzu Chi has helped kindle the deep compassion that lay waiting in the hearts of so many and moved them to aspire to the "bodhisattva heart," as the Master calls it.

Tzu Chi members proudly hold the belief that they are making history. And it is just such beliefs that provide the incentive to work diligently, and not without a little apprehension, toward the realization of this mission. As Taiwan has gradually developed into a land of greed and a great many people have become caught up in the pursuit of fame and fortune, Tzu Chi stands as a beacon, a fresh breeze and a source of comfort. Indeed, it may one day become one of the most precious legacies that we leave to our childre.

The Beginning:
Conscientious Doctors Are Hard to Find

When the hospital opened on August 17, 1986, it was one of the most important milestones in the history of the Tzu Chi Foundation. At that time, Hualien already had several other small hospitals, but local health care was at least ten years behind that in medical centers in other cities. This was because many hospitals could not afford the expenditures necessary for advanced medical care, and as a consequence the best doctors would not come. Even the most basic medical services were unavailable to many of the rural residents scatered over the large Hualien area.

After the new Tzu Chi General Hospital opened, it still faced one formidable obstacle * there weren't enough doctors. The large hospital had only a few full-time attending doctors and several other physicians who were invited from the National Taiwan University Hospital by way of a cooperative educational exchange agreement. In addition, many of the doctors who did come weren't ready to devote their entire careers to practice in rural East Taiwan, and they may have only meant to give it a try. Because of this noncommittal attitude, the new hospital didn't have very much influence within the medical community of East Taiwan. The doctors may have been attracted by the novelty of the new hospital or the beautiful scenery of Hualien, and they worked hard at their jobs, but they had yet to put their hearts into it.

It was just this attitude, and a tendency for associate doctors to transfer away, that made it hard for local people to place any confidence in the new hospital. Also, many of the associate doctors who had come through the educational exchange had brought with them some of the attitudes and customs of the large medical schools. In some cases, they would not deign to treat minor problems, and many patients not requiring emergency care or hospitalization were simply ignored. There were many complaints. When Master Cheng Yen saw what was happening, it pained her deeply. Although she was not trained in the medical profession, she could not help but interfere in a patient's treatment when she became seriously concerned about that patient's welfare. A few doctors were quite irritated about this.

Ideally, the Tzu Chi Hospital should be a place of love and caring and it should never refuse treatment. It also wants to uphold the highest medical standards, providing the people of the Hualien-Taitung region with first class health care. Master Cheng Yen set her mind to the problem of finding good doctors who would be devoted to the hospital and its mission. Because conscientious doctors are so hard to find, she finally decided to focus her efforts on the establishment of the Tzu Chi College of Medicine, the first of its kind in East Taiwan, which opened in 1994.

Nothing Like It Before or Since:
Creating a New World

After an important change in personnel in 1988, the hospital moved forward into a whole new phase of its development. Just when Tzu Chi was very much in need of attending doctors, there came from the National Taiwan University Hospital several excellent doctors who possessed ideals and ambitions compatible with Tzu Chi's high standards. This was an unprecedented event. Without any mutual consultation, these important doctors seemed to share a common dream - to take advantage of the opportunity proffered by this new hospital in order to create a whole new approach to medicine here in Hualien. They all hoped to use their skill and their expertise to bring this hospital to life. And they succeeded. These men included Dr. Tsai Po-wen of the Department of Chest Medicine, Dr. Chien Shou-hsin of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Chang Tsuowen of Neurology, and Dr. Kuo Tzu-yun of Radiology. Dr. Yang Chih-kuo of Chest Medicine promised that he would resign his post at the NTU Hospital and come to Tzu Chi after he finished one year of further study at New York's Columbia University. Mr. Li Jen-chih from the Taiwan Provincial Tuberculosis Control Bureau gave up a promotion to come to Tzu Chi as director of Internal Medicine. I myself gave up an opportunity for further study abroad under the auspices of the NTU Hospital, resigned from my position as attending doctor there, and brought my family to Hualien with me.

In fact, so many well-known doctors were leaving their old jobs to start all over again at Tzu Chi that it became something of a trend. Many younger doctors soon followed, such as pediatrician Dr. Lin Mei-hui, anesthesiologist Dr. Huang Ping-hua, family practitioner Dr. Wang Ying-wei, cardiologist Dr. Chao Sheng-feng, urologist Dr. Chang Shih-chung, otorhinolaryngologist Dr. Liao Pei-chuan, and orthopedist Dr. Hsieh Yen-chun.

This major influx of dedicated and highly-skilled personnel really shook up the medical community of East Taiwan. The movement going on at Tzu Chi was also a splash of cold water on the faces of those junior doctors from the teaching hospital who had previously held Tzu Chi in disdain and who focused only on their promotions.

With so many excellent doctors entering service, the hospital soon changed its policy of providing only basic health care services and began to work toward becoming the important medical center it is today. Even the late Dr. Tu Shih-mien, hospital director at the time, expressed uncertainty as to what it was about Tzu Chi that had charmed all these fine doctors. The answer perhaps lies in the focus of purpose and the immeasurable humanity and compassion of one frail Buddhist nun. The sincerity of her invitation made it impossible for us to refuse. Her high ideals and powerful ambition had struck a chord and easily convinced us to do good works under her patronage. Every one of us has a spark of humanity and compassion in our hearts and it was here at Tzu Chi that we could light it up.

Leisure Time:
Communing With Nature Is a Recipe for Good Health

I have been in Hualien for eight years. I have been busy and my work is fulfilling. Our life in Hualien is clean and rich. Our children can run on the beach, walk in the woods, lie on the grass and play in the dirt, just like when I was a boy. The doctors' wives no longer go shopping to kill time. They are busy managing households hose members go home right after work or school. The doctors who used to while away their evenings drinking or gambling now play tennis after dinner. Life is much healthier and more satisfying here.

As one woman said, "In Hualien, our family can finally spend some time together." During holidays, families often invite each other to go on picnics or on trips down the coast. The splendors of nature have broadened our minds and lightened our hearts. These are the spiritual luxuries that we could never have possessed in a place like Taipei.

On the Job:
Using Our Training and Expertise to the Utmost

At Tzu Chi, the Department of Urology has successfully performed innumerable artificial bladder implants, Orthopedics conducts operations all day long, and Cardiology routinely performs heart surgery without missing a beat. Neurology saves lives again and again, the kidney dialysis room is filled with patients day after day, and in Obstetrics, they have almost mastered in vitro fertilization.

There is a fresh spirit running through the hospital and everyone is doing his or her best. It seems that everyone has attained a high degree of self-discipline and is more concerned with the patients' well-being than with anything else. These doctors don't just work hard, they work with all their hearts.

The hospital continues to acquire the most advanced medical instruments available. This equipment allows doctors to utilize their special skills to the utmost. Some recent improvements include computerized tomography, angiography, cobalt-60 radiation therapy, laser therapy, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, and magnetic resonance imagery.

The Miracle of Love

We strive to care for patients as we would members of our own family, and this has become one of our best traditions.

The world that Tzu Chi has created is a miracle of modern Taiwanese society. We might say that Tzu Chi is a positive side effect of Taiwan's sudden newfound wealth. People from all walks of life have joined Tzu Chi, and Tzu Chi has helped them find their conscience. Through this foundation, they have found a means to express their care for their homeland.

I believe deeply that this hospital and the new medical school have a special significance for the Taiwanese medical community. In the old days, a doctor was a highly-respected member of society. In modern society, it seems inevitable that the dialogue between doctor and patient has succumbed to a more impersonal, commercial approach to health care. It is not uncommon to find doctors who care too much about their personal benefits and whether or not they are personally responsible for specific medical procedures. And I believe that as a result, the reputation of the medical profession has suffered greatly in the eyes of the community.

At Tzu Chi, the doctors make an effort to treat patients with respect. They care for their patients from the heart. They get to know the patients' families and try to understand where the patients are coming from. And in return, they receive the patients' gratitude and respect. Gradually, a new respect for the medical profession will emerge in Hualien and this may in turn effect a profound change in the ethics of the entire commercialized health care industry within Taiwan.