Tzu Chi Malaysia - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Tzu Chi Malacca

Taiwanese Entrepreneurial Couple Become Ambassadors of Peace and Humanity

In 1988, a Taiwanese couple, Echo Chien Su Hsia (Buddhist name Ci Lu) and her husband, David Liu Ming Ta (Buddhist name Ji Yu), came to Malaysia with the intention of investing and establishing a factory in Malacca

Malacca

Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...

. In 1991, Sister Echo Chien returned to Taiwan

Taiwan

Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

for a home visit. She vividly recalled that while waiting for her turn in a beauty salon, she browsed through some magazines and came across Tzu Chi's monthly publications. She was deeply moved by the good deeds carried out by Tzu Chi and it was then that she realized her personal aspiration of helping the poor. She promptly donated two hospital beds to Tzu Chi (Taipei Branch) and subsequently signed up as a Tzu Chi member.

Leading the Factory Workers to Carry Out the Missions

In August 1992, Brother David Liu and Sister Echo Chien visited Venerable Master Bo-Yuan in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...

. The Master praised the humanitarian work of Master Cheng Yen. He encouraged them to take on this noble work and extend these deeds to Malaysia. A contact number of one of Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

's members in Malaysia was obtained from the Master. Thus the door of Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

was opened for them to propagate the ideals and values of humanitarian work. For a start, Sister Echo Chien introduced Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

to her factory workers and encouraged them to join the organization. They enthusiastically signed up as members. At the initial stage, they raised funds by sacrificing their lunch breaks to make handicrafts for sale at charity fairs.

Vital Decision Made After Visit to the Birthplace of Tzu Chi
Tzu Chi
The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

In November 1992, with the encouragement of Sister Ye Ci Jing, Sister Echo Chien visited Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

Headquarters in Hualien. There she had the opportunity to understand the true teachings of Master Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen is a Taiwanese Buddhist nun , teacher, and philanthropist. She is often called the "Mother Teresa of Asia." In 1966, Cheng Yen founded the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, commonly known as Tzu Chi; its motto is "instructing the rich and saving the poor"...

and her close associates, all of whom adhered strictly to the principle of 'no work, no meals'. Encouraged by Sister Echo Chien, Brother David Liu led a 22-member team to Hualien on 7 November 1993. Their arrival and presence were well received by Master Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen

personally. Brother David Liu was deeply moved by Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

's serenity; and inspired by Master Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen

's gestures of utmost sincerity, he became a staunch Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

follower. He vowed to take on the challenges of spreading the principles and good teachings of Master Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen

. Upon his return to Melaka, Brother Liu immediately set about organizing and promoting Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

's activities by utilizing the conference room and samples display room in his factory.

From Scratch to Today's Achievements, Weaving the Tzu Chi Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...

Net

Having been conferred as Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

Commissioners by Master Cheng Yen

Cheng Yen

in early 1994, Brother David Liu and Sister Echo Chien started their untiring efforts of setting up more Liaison Centers across Malaysia. From Melaka, the seeds of love spread to Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

, Seremban

Seremban

Seremban is the capital of the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, located within the district of Seremban, one of the seven districts of Negeri Sembilan. The town's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council or Majlis Perbandaran Seremban...

, Muar

Muar (district)

Muar District is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. The name "Muar" is also used for the name of its district, which formerly sub-divided between the Town of Muar and the sub-district of Tangkak. Tangkak sub-district has been upgraded into a full district known as Ledang District in year...

, Kota Tinggi

Kota Tinggi

Kota Tinggi is a town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru, on the road to Mersing. Hometown of Azizul Hanipah. Kota Tinggi can also be reached by ferry from Changi terminal in Singapore where tourists need to pass through the immigration check...

, Kluang

Kluang

Kluang is a town and district located roughly in the middle of the state of Johor in Malaysia. Kluang lies about 110 km north of Johor Bahru, east-southeast of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and south of Segamat...

, Tampin

Tampin

Tampin　 is both a town and a district in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, however part of the town spills over into the neighbouring state of Malacca, as it is located along the Malacca-Negeri Sembilan border...

, Batu Pahat

Batu Pahat

Batu Pahat is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies south-east of Muar, south-west of Kluang, north-west of Pontian, and south of Segamat and the new Ledang district. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram, Batu Pahat....

, Klang

Klang

Klang , formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang...

, and Kuantan

Kuantan

Kuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu...

. This then led to the progressive establishment of more Liaison Centers in East Malaysia, namely, Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...

, Tenom

Tenom

Tenom is a town located in Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The town was called Fort Birch in the early colonial period. Its population was estimated to be around 46,200 in the year 2000....

, Sandakan

Sandakan

Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...

, Tawau

Tawau

Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:...

, Kuching

Kuching

Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....

and Miri

Miri

Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....

. Thus the Malaysian network of bodhisattva

Bodhisattva

In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...

s had grown into a sizeable and recognizable organization. The network is still growing today.

Mission's Success Sprouts New Branch in Malaysia

In March 1995, Melaka officially became a Contact Office. Brother David Liu and Sister Echo Chien were subsequently appointed as commissioners, taking charge of Tzu Chi's affairs in Melaka and Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

. With utmost confidence, enthusiasm and dedication, coupled with blessings from Master Cheng Yen, Brother David Liu later decided to donate a piece of land adjacent to his factory to Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

for the purpose of building the Hall of Still Thoughts. On 21 May 1997, the Melaka Tzu Chi Still Thoughts Hall, the first of its kind in Malaysia, was completed. Master De Xuan from Hualien was invited to visit Melaka and officiate at the Opening Ceremony, and at the same time, upgrade Melaka's Contact Office to a Liaison Office. In June 1998, Melaka Liaison Office was further upgraded to a Tzu Chi Branch Office. Master Cheng Yen sent Brother Steven Huang, the Chief Supervisor of Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi

The Tzu Chi Foundation, whose name means "compassionate relief," is an international humanitarian organization and the largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world....

International Affairs, to Melaka for this purpose. Melaka Branch took charge of Tzu Chi affairs in Central and Southern Peninsular of Malaysia, as well as East Malaysia. In year 2005, Kuala Lumpur became another Tzu-Chi's branch office.


Buddhist Tzu-Chi Merit Society Malaysia (Malacca Branch)

External links

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