Pope John Paul II said, "The hope of the twenty-first century is in Asia." I think the leaven of hope lies in the Tzu Chi Foundation, established by Master Cheng Yen.

In every century, every era, there are several outstandingly great persons. Master Cheng Yen should be one of the most admirable and reverend persons at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century. I have not been lucky enough to meet her in person, but I have heard many things about her. Each time I come to Taipei, I contact my good friend, Shu Chih-hung. He has told me about the deeds the Master has done and the words she has spoken. Therefore, I am very much acquainted with this Buddhist nun, who is admired by so many people.

An Eye-Opening Trip

In April 1997, because of my respect for Master Cheng Yen, I arranged a special trip to Hualien to visit Tzu Chi. I was fortunate to see a modern hospital, with the most advanced equipment, and the Still Thoughts Hall, whose design uniquely represents oriental culture. Both of these buildings, standing in the eastern part of Taiwan, were built under the Master's leadership.

At the Abode of Still Thoughts, groups of nuns were making candles, mending old clothes, or planting vegetables for everybody to eat. Although Tzu Chi is such a big, modern organization, the nuns still do such manual labor so that they will never forget their duty and the spirit of Buddhist practitioners. From all these, I could see the unity and harmony of the organization and the spiritual formation of each member. I admired all the more the outstanding leadership of Master Cheng Yen.

Several years ago, Anhwei Province in mainland China had a big flood. Millions of homeless victims were short of food and clothes. Master Cheng Yen compassionately called on the people of Taiwan to extend their helping hands. Many people responded to her call by donating money. Group after group of Tzu Chi members went to the mainland to distribute food and clothes and to build houses for the victims, thus saving many lives. Who would not be grateful to Master Cheng Yen and those Tzu Chi members who sacrificed their time and money and endured all kinds of hardship to do the relief work?

In many underdeveloped areas, such as parts of Africa, there are natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. I was told that Master Cheng Yen, upon hearing of such situations, always sends experienced Tzu Chi people to help the victims. By such benevolent actions, she has not only made the small island of Taiwan known to the world, but has also repeatedly achieved a kind of civilian diplomacy.

In June 1997, I went to the Philippines. Many people there told me how kind the Taiwanese were because they frequently went to rural areas in the Philippines to provide free clinics* for poor inhabitants who could not afford to see doctors. How wonderful to hear such comments, since I was also from Taiwan!

German Aid

In 1960, I was transferred from the Philippines to a parish in Chungpu Village, Taichung County, Taiwan. An adequate supply of water was the biggest problem during the dry season. Some residents carried buckets three kilometers to fetch water from the river. They had to put some alum in the buckets to settle the mud before they could use the water.

Two weeks after I arrived, the principal and teachers from the elementary school came to my church to complain to me about the water problem. Not long after that, the village chief and his secretary came to see me, asking me to get some money through the church to lay a pipeline for water.

I told them that I would try, but that they should not raise their hopes too high, because so many people requested help from the German Exterior Aid Commission (the missionary society that I belonged to was founded in Germany). They left with feelings of helplessness. A letter was sent out in a few days. Six months later, we received a reply. The commission agreed to send us 45,000 marks, half the money required, on the condition that we raised the other half ourselves. That was the way the commission worked.

We accordingly raised the other half of the funds, and before long we solved the water supply problem. In order to show their gratitude for the donation, the local government laid a stone plaque beside the water tank. At the unveiling ceremony, I was invited to say something on behalf of the church. The following is an excerpt from my speech.

We ought to be pleased that our water problem has been solved with the help of the German government. It is natural for someone to ask for help from others when he is in difficulty. There is nothing wrong with that. We beneficiaries of this project, however, should make a commitment that someday we can also help people in other countries to resolve their problems. At that time, we will be able to hold our heads high...

When I said that, I never expected our wish would come true.

Nowadays, Master Cheng Yen and Tzu Chi members deliver food and clothes to other countries, build houses and schools, and help people solve problems. Isn't this the same as when the Germans helped us years ago? Furthermore, Tzu Chi members always spend their own money to travel abroad and carry out their disaster relief missions and provide free clinics. Aren't their actions worth praising?

Are Orientals Selfish?

All these missions are initiated, planned and guided by someone behind the scenes. That someone is Master Cheng Yen. In the past, Westerners criticized Orientals as being selfish and egoistic. Just look at what Master Cheng Yen and the Tzu Chi members are doing today. Are they selfish and egoistic?

There was something else that surprised me and made me respect Tzu Chi. One day, I was taking a walk with my good friend Shu Chih-hung on the campus of Fu Jen Catholic University. Seeing some trash on the ground, he immediately picked it up and threw it in a trash can. Another time, he and I were walking out from the main gate of the university. There is a pedestrian overpass on the right side of the gate . Most people avoid the trouble of using it and just dash across the road instead. But Shu Chih-hung asked me to climb the stairs with him. Why? Because he is a Tzu Chi member, and Master Cheng Yen teaches Tzu Chi people to observe the traffic rules.

I frequently get together with this friend. Since he joined Tzu Chi, he has become a different person-one who is respectable and trustworthy. I always think that if he continues to behave in that manner, he will be a good example for others to follow. Because of him, I respect Tzu Chi all the more and would like to congratulate Master Cheng Yen for her success in teaching her disciples. I hope more and more people will join Tzu Chi to make this imperfect world more perfect and to make us Chinese people a nation of hope.

Hope of the Next Century

During his visit to the Philippines in 1995, Pope John Paul II said, "The hope of the twenty-first century is in Asia." On what grounds are these words based?

Material construction is easy, but without the purification of people's minds, it is like building a skyscraper on sand: it will never last long . The spiritual construction of a nation needs the hard work and participation of many people. Now hundreds of thousands of Tzu Chi members, under the guidance of Master Cheng Yen, are moving toward that goal. They don't care about loss or gain, and they ask for nothing in return. What an organization! What a spirit! As a Taiwanese citizen, I certainly feel proud.

My respect for Master Cheng Yen comes from the bottom of my heart. I believe that the purification of people's minds in China lies in Tzu Chi . As the pope said, the hope of the twenty-first century is in Asia. I think the leaven of that hope is in the Tzu Chi Foundation, established by Master Cheng Yen. That organization will lead Taiwan to influence Asia and move the world.

Father Chen Hsi-shiun

Born in Chingtao, Shantung Province, China, in 1918. Moved by the universal love of the Heavenly Father, he went to study in a monastery and dedicated his life to God. He joined the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a German missionary society.

After working in Germany and the Philippines, he was transferred to Taiwan in 1960 and worked in Chungpu Village and in Chiayi, where he established the Fu Jen Kindergarten.