In Memory of Venerable Master Hsing-Yun | WPN World People News

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, center right, the leader of Tai Ji Men, led 60 representatives of Tai Ji Men dizi to pay tribute to Master Hsing Yun, and took a group photo with Deputy Abbot Hui Zhao, center left, at Fo Guang Shan.

On February 12th, in remembrance of Master Hsing Yun, the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Order, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the Zhang-men-ren (leader) of Tai Ji Men, led 60 dizi (disciples) on behalf of the worldwide Tai Ji Men dizi to Fo Guang Shan to pay tribute to the entire membership of Fo Guang Shan. Dr. Hong, accompanied by Venerable Yong You, a professor of life and death education at Nanhua University, praised and thanked Master Hsing Yun for leading the Fo Guang Shan community to promote Buddhism, save all sentient beings, and inspire the public to be better people. The condolence message acknowledges Master Hsing Yun's lifelong contributions and expresses the hope that the teachings of enlightened masters will spread around the world and that love and peace will endure forever.

Tai Ji Men Shifu and dizi expressed gratitude to Master Hsing Yun for his compassion and efforts to help all living beings, and they prayed for the propagation of the teachings of enlightened masters and world peace.

Master Hsing Yun devoted his entire life to promoting humanistic Buddhism and made significant contributions to Buddhism's institutionalization, modernization, and internationalization! Master Hsing Yun met with the leaders of numerous nations and religions over the years in an effort to promote world peace. Master Hsing Yun and Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men, shared the same ideal of world peace and love as Dr. Hong has dedicated his life to promoting love and peace. Dr. Hong led his dizi (disciples) to every populated continent to promote love and peace through various means, including conducting cultural exchanges and inviting world leaders to ring the Bell of World Peace and Love and make wishes for peace.

To date, 464 influential leaders from 128 countries have rung the Bell, including 51 heads of state and government, as well as seven Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The bell ringers are encouraged to pray for the world and all living creatures, to exert positive influences, and to contribute to world peace. The sound of the Bell comforts all living creatures, and it is hoped that global citizens will no longer live in sadness or pain, and that the world will always be filled with peace and happiness.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, right, the leader of Tai Ji Men, delivered a condolence letter to Venerable Hui Zhao, left, who was going to hand it over to Abbot Hsin Bao.

Impressed with Master Hsing Yun's enduring teachings and legacy, Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze expressed his heartfelt gratitude and remembrance in his condolence letter, which was written in Chinese. Below is an English interpretation of Dr. Hong’s letter:
Master Hsing Yun's merits and virtues are complete, and the master passed away in peace. Dr. Hong was thankful to Master Hsing Yun for guiding the Fo Guang Shan community to propagate Buddhist philosophy, help sentient beings globally, and guide the public to be better people. Dr. Hong and the worldwide Tai Ji Men dizi extended their heartfelt respect and condolences. The humanistic Buddhist philosophy has been widely disseminated all over the globe, and the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order has been well established. Master Hsing Yun didn’t claim the ownership of anything and had enjoyed having nothing. He was compassionate and delighted to give as well as to educate and help sentient beings. He taught his believers by both example and words, treated everyone with sincerity, and built positive relationships with the public. Master Hsing Yun lived his life joyously, without attachment, and his great example will endure forever. He endeavored to save all sentient beings through music and to purify people's hearts by publishing the Merit Times. He organized a prayer ceremony for peace and happiness, where participants prayed with compassion and one heart and extended praise for kindness and peace, as the objective of all religions is to help and save humanity. Master Hsing Yun and Dr. Hong shared similar ideals, and now Master Hsing Yun has left the world. In memory of Master Hsing Yun, Dr. Hong hopes that the teachings of enlightened masters will propagate across the planet, and that love and peace will endure forever. Dr. Hong hopes that the conscience of the people of the world will be awakened, that the five poisons in people’s hearts will be eradicated, and that everyone will diligently do good deeds. He also hopes that all living creatures will be saved, the world will be at peace, and everyone will stay safe. He hopes that Master Hsing Yun’s soul will be reborn in the Western Pure Land, surrounded by lotuses, enjoying happiness and tranquility.

The approximately 200-word sympathy letter covers Master Hsing Yun's lifelong contributions, the notion that all faiths share the same origin, as well as the spirit of helping others and doing good deeds. After receiving the condolences of the Shifu and dizi of Tai Ji Men, the deputy abbot of Fo Guang Shan, Venerable Hui Zhao, stated that he would deliver the letter to Venerable Abbot Hsin Bao.

In the 2008 prayer conference of peace and happiness, Tai Ji Men presented a dance of love and peace to pray for the world.

Venerable Hui Zhao shared his recollection of Master Hsing Yun with Dr. Hong, as well as talked about the previous interaction and cooperation with Tai Ji Men. Master Hsing Yun had long advocated for religious integration as well as mutual respect and tolerance among faiths. While serving as the chairperson of the religious committee of the national cultural association, he and the vice chairman of the committee, Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-Hsi, hosted a music prayer conference for peace and happiness, which gathered the representatives from 11 religions to pray for the world together, including Catholicism, Christianity, Taoism, Liism, Islam, Tianliism, the Lord of Universe Church, Yiguandao, Tiandejiao, Xuanyuanjiao, and Buddhism. Tai Ji Men representing the Taoism of Taiwan presented a dance of love and peace, combining the beauty of qigong and martial arts to pray for the world. It also presented the formation of eighteen arhats, conveying the compassion and peace of the eighteen arhats and wishing for peace and stability throughout the world. In his speech, Master Hsing Yun expressed his desire for Taiwan's religious circles to integrate in this harmonious manner and serve as a model for the rest of the world.

In 2011, Tai Ji Men participated in a prayer gathering of love and peace in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China at Fo Guang Shan.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China in 2011, the Council for Cultural Affairs collaborated with various religions to sponsor a prayer gathering of love and peace, which was organized by the Buddha's Light International Association. The event was held in the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum in Kaohsiung. Representatives of eleven religions prayed collectively for world peace and human happiness. Representing Taoism, Tai Ji Men presented a choral performance expressing compassion, universal love, respect for life, and the promotion of world peace.

Venerable Hui Zhao pointed out that Master Hsing Yun founded the "When Buddha Meets the Gods Event" and advocated the "Five Harmonies," which highlights the importance of inner peace and joy, family harmony, mutual respect and harmony, social harmony, and world peace. Ven. Hui Zhao stated that when there is no harmony in the world, such as during the war between Russia and Ukraine, world peace is impossible.

Dr. Hong shared that he and his dizi had traveled to Russia and Ukraine. The locals there were extremely hospitable and the landscapes were breathtaking, but now because of the war, people are suffering, and things have drastically changed.

Tai Ji Men is an ancient menpai (organization) of qigong, martial arts, and self-cultivation. Its leader Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze founded the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in 1966 to improve global citizens’ physical and mental health. He has been teaching his diz (disciples) the philosophy and wisdom of life and has been promoting the movement of An Era of Conscience and the "Declaration of International Day of Conscience." Additionally, Dr. Hong was instrumental in the United Nations’ adoption of the International Day of Conscience. To date, Tai Ji Men Shifu and dizi have traveled to 101 countries to promote the concepts of love and peace. They also organized prayer ceremonies and ceremonies of ringing the Bell of World Peace and Love on significant occasions to encourage the people of the world to restore their pure hearts. Dr. Hong also proclaimed "World Prayer Day" and "World Day of the Power of Hope" to inspire hope and action and encourage global citizens, irrespective of religion, culture, race, nationality, or class, to work together for global sustainability and pray for everyone’s safety.