Page 117 - 42-Winter 2014_Final
P. 117
Culture (2006-2014)
Tzu Chi in the USA
1989 – 2014
Dharma as Water (Volume 1), From Cheng Yen’s publications and other valuable
Austerity to Prosperity, The Essence books and innovative products created by the
of Filial Piety, and Jing Si Aphorisms: Dharma masters of the Jing Si Abode. Since
The Fundamentals of Virtue, have July 2010, a Chinese and English website (jingsi.
been published. us.tzuchi.org) has given customers throughout
At the same time, Tzu Chi the country access to Jing Si products that
USA Translation Team’s support in benefit both body and mind. In December 2012,
providing English subtitles for Da Ai Television the very first Jing Si Books & Café independent
programs expanded to include such programs of a Tzu Chi office opened in the heart of
as Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s Dharma downtown San Diego. It is connected with
teachings of Wisdom at Dawn and Essence of EcoVerse, Tzu Chi’s flagship environmental
the Bodhi Mind, stories of recycling volunteers community center, where community members
in Grassroots Bodhi, and true stories of real- can learn and share skills to better care for self
life Tzu Chi volunteers in Da Ai Drama. At Tzu and environment.
Chi USA Headquarters, posters, brochures, and Since 2011, Tzu Chi volunteers throughout
promotional materials have continued to be the country have diligently shared a four-
developed in Chinese, English, and Spanish, language (English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese)
while Jing Si Aphorism bookmarks in Japanese edition of Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s Jing Si
and Haitian Creole and children’s books in Zulu Aphorisms with hotels and motels, so that the
and Sesotho were also designed to support concise words of wisdom contained within may
volunteers in other corners of the world. provide inspiration and guidance to travelers on
To deliver Master Cheng Yen’s teaching to their journeys. As of May 2014, these volunteers
the Chinese-speaking community, volunteers had visited more than two thousand hotels
in both Southern and Northern California and motels nationwide, of which roughly 730
continued to broadcast weekly local radio had accepted donations of more than sixty
programs. In 2009, Tzu Chi USA Media Center thousand copies of Jing Si Aphorisms.
started producing a weekly television program Since December 2013, hundreds of copies
in English, US Tzu Chi 360°, which is broadcast of Jing Si Aphorisms and Tzu Chi USA Journal have
on Da Ai TV and also made available online and also been donated to jails and prisons to share
on select public television stations. In July 2011, Master Cheng Yen’s wisdom with inmates. As of
US Tzu Chi 360° expanded from six-minute to June 2014, eighty-eight inmates from twenty-
twenty-four-minute episodes to share in greater two states had sent more than 140 letters to
detail stories of Tzu Chi volunteers and projects Tzu Chi to thank volunteers for the moving and
in the United States and abroad. By summer inspirational words and to request additional
2014, thirteen public television stations in seven resources. Several of these inmates even joined
states were also broadcasting episodes of US the Power of Five movement, sending checks
Tzu Chi 360°. or postage stamps each month to donate to
Between 2007 and 2014, eight Jing Si Tzu Chi’s mission of love. Though the monetary
Books & Café locations opened in five states value of these donations may be small, the
to introduce the community to Dharma Master kindness contained within them is enormous.
www.us.tzuchi.org | 117
