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Quarter Century of Compassion
Education (1997-2005)
Tzu Chi in the USA
1989 – 2014

n its Educational Mission, Tzu Chi’s philosophy is to educate the
whole person. Since the first Tzu Chi Academy was established in Los
IAngeles in 1994, more academies have been steadily established
throughout the country, one after another. In addition to teaching
Chinese, teachers carry out Jing Si Aphorism Education, imparting
values and morals through Master Cheng Yen’s teachings. In 2000,
when Los Angeles Tzu Chi Academy Principal Grace Yin returned to
Taiwan to meet Master Cheng Yen, the Master especially emphasized
that Tzu Chi’s education must stress kindness, compassion, joy, and
giving, as well as self-restraint and respect for all life.
In 2003, the education team held an eight-week course to
provide resources for teachers. Using the Los Angeles Academy as a
model, they brought together Tzu Chi philosophy and professional
educational wisdom and developed teaching materials to share
with all of the Tzu Chi Academies. From this point forward, Tzu Chi’s
humanistic culture officially entered the standard curriculum at all Tzu
Chi Academies in the United States. Through activities such as sign
language, environmental protection, flower arrangement, and more,
teachers brought Jing Si Aphorism Education to students. In addition,
the education team set a major theme each year in conjunction
with Global Headquarters in Hualien and designed separate age-
appropriate teaching materials based on this theme for low, middle,
and high grade levels.
At the first national education conference in 2002, the “Return
to the Bamboo Bank Era” project was kick-started for all academies
throughout the country. The objective of this project was to motivate
students to engender a kind thought every day. Students were
encouraged to adopt bamboo banks to learn the value of giving. In
2004, Tzu Chi’s Missions of Charity and Education jointly promoted
“Send Love to South Africa,” calling on students in every academy
around the country to donate or help collect donations of books,
stationery, and toys to be sent to South Africa for students in Tzu
Chi’s elementary and nursery schools there. By the end of 2013, this
successful drive had been held four times, and more than 150,000
books, 120,000 stationery supplies, and 25,000 toys had been donated.
In 2004, Buddhist Tzu Chi Education Foundation was officially
established, marking another milestone for Tzu Chi’s Mission of
Education in the United States.

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