Master cheng yen biography of michael

Dharma Master Cheng Yen

Wiping away tears of sadness, bringing warmth to those who suffer.

Born in 1937, Dharma Master Cheng Yen renounced the lay life at the age of 25, to pursue the meaning and purpose of life after her father's sudden death due to a stroke.

The founding of the nursing college benefitted society in three major aspects: Resolving the education and employment issues of local youths, in particular the aboriginal girls; Locally trained talents can effectively reduce the turnover rate of nursing staff; and, Nursing staff trained in the Tzu Chi humanities can bring professionalism and empathy to all major hospitals, benefiting patients. 

Later, Master Cheng Yen founded the Tzu Chi College of Medicine in 1994, which was restructured to the Tzu Chi University in 2000.

Throughout her monastic life, Master Cheng Yen has been living out the words her Master gave her, “Work for Buddhism and for all living beings.” She has worked tirelessly to spread the Buddha's teachings and continues to carry out Tzu Chi's missions to benefit humanity and the world.

Dharma Master Cheng Yen was born in Qingshui, a small town in Taichung County, Taiwan.

Prior to their departure, the nuns inquired, “We have finally understood today that the compassion of Buddha encompasses all sentient beings.

Awards and recognition

• 1986: Receives “Huashia Medal of the First Order”
• 1991: Receives Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership
• 1993: Conferred Honorary Doctorate Degree by the Chinese University of Hong Kong
• 1996: Tzu Chi receives the “Interior Ministry’s First Class Honorary Award.”
• 1996: Tzu Chi receives the “Foreign Affairs Medal of the First Order.”
• 1996: Tzu ChiReceives the “Huaguang Award of the First Order.”
• 2000: Honored with the Noel Foundation Award
• 2001: Received the first “Presidential Culture Award”
• 2001: Selected as one of 26 “Heroes from Around the World” and featured on the “Wall of Honor” in Philadelphia’s National Liberty Museum.
• 2001: Receives “National Medal of the Second Order” from the President of El Salvador
• 2001: Conferred Honorary Doctorate in Social Science by Hong Kong University
• 2002: Awarded “Distinguished Woman in Buddhism” by World Buddhist University in Thailand
• 2002: Conferred “Honorary Doctorate Degree in Socio-Cultural Studies” by National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan.
• 2003: Receives the Presidential Second Order of the Brilliant Star Award, Taiwan.
• 2004: Receives the 2004 Asian American Heritage Award for Humanitarian Service by the Asian American Federation of California (AAFC)

Master Cheng Yen was born in 1937, in Qingshui Township (later upgraded to district in 2010), Taichung County, Taiwan.

These circumstances brought her to a chance encounter with Venerable Master Yin Shun at a Buddhist lecture hall in Taipei.

Master Cheng Yen has referred to relief work in China as “Building a Bridge of Love.” Tzu Chi’s China relief program began in 1991 when devastating floods hit central and eastern China. True compassion, however, is not just having sympathy for others' suffering—it is reaching out to relieve that suffering with concrete action.

Foundation.

The Social Service Prize from the Wu San-Lian Foundation.

1991

• The Magsaysay Social Leadership Award from the Philippine Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.
• The first annual Outstanding Community Movement Leadership Award from Community Movement Culture Foundation.
• The U.S.

  awards: Texas Honorary Citizen Award, St. Antonio Honorary Mayor Award, and St. Antonio Honorary Territory Award.

1992

• The International Communication Award from the Executive Yuan Bureau of Journalism.

1993

• Honorary Doctorate degree in Social Science from Hong Kong's Chinese University.

1994

• The Eisenhower Medallion – the highest honor given by the People to People International.

1995

• Chosen as one of the 20 Outstanding Women in Asia by the Hong Kong Asia Weekly magazine.
• The Executive Yuan Cultural Prize from the Executive Yuan Cultural committee.

1996

• The Internal Affair’s First Medal and the “World Education and Relief” plaque from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• The Foreign Affairs First Medal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• The Hwa Guang First Medal from the Foreign National Commission.

1998

• Reported as one of the Taiwan's 200 most influential people in 400 years in the January issue of the Common Wealth magazine.
• The International Human Rights Award from UNPO, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, the so-called “Little U.N.”
• The Outstanding Alumni Award by the Taichung Chingshuei Elementary School to recognize her outstanding contribution to society.

2000

• The Humanity Life Award from the U.S.

  Noel Foundation.

• Master Cheng Yen and Tzu Chi Foundation’s charitable facts and documentation were collected and chosen by the Canadian Department of Education as the teaching material in its high school elective course curriculum - "World Contact - - 21st century Geography”.
• Recommended by more than 30 U.S.

  academics and educators to receive the Honorary Model Hero Award as one of the world’s 27 most recognized contributors to human peace.

• Selected as one of the 50 Stars of Asia by the U.S. Business Week magazine.

2001

• The Honorary Doctorate degree in Social Science from Hong Kong University.
• Second-level National Medal from the President of El Salvador.

2002

• The Outstanding Female in Buddhism Award from the World Buddhism University.
• The Honorary Doctorate in Social and Cultural from National Chiao Tung University.

2003

• The 3rd annual Top Ten Outstanding Educators Award from the Private School Culture and Education Association.

2004

• The 2004 Asian American Heritage Award for Humanitarian Services from the Asian American Federation of California (AAFC).
• The first annual special Lifetime Achievement Award in Volunteerism from the Daily Volunteer Association, DVA, which was founded to recognize groups and individuals from various socioeconomic levels for their volunteerism and contribution to the community, Taiwan.

2007

• The 2007 World Peace Prize from the American Los Angeles Chinese-American Elected Officials Organization (CEO).
• The 24th Annual Niwano Peace Prize from the Japanese Niwano Peace Foundation.

2008

• The WFB Merit Medal from World Fellowship of Buddhists.

2011

• One of the 100 Most Influential People named by the U.S.

  news magazine TIME.

• Honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities from the University of the East, Philippines.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Distinguished Public Service Award from the Roosevelt Institute, U.S.A.
• Mayor of the City of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, proclaimed October 11th, 2011 as “Master Cheng Yen Day”, Canada.

2012

• Highest state title, DGPN Datuk Seri, from the Malaysian government.
• Honorary doctorate in social welfare from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand.

2014

• Award of Honor from Rotary International.
• A certificate of honor and appreciation presented by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, Haiti.

2015

• Honorary Doctorate in Social Development from Naresuan University, Thailand.
• Honorary citizenship of Finale Emilia, Italy.

  They would put this money into little savings banks made from bamboo. When posed with the question, “Why should we save fifty cents every day? Love from doctors, gratitude from patients, the genuine doctor-patient relationship is hoped to be the ideal model of the medical humanities. 

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