The Birth of Tzu CHI: Establishing the Charity Mission (1966 to 1978)

The Birth of Tzu Chi is a historical series documenting the development of the Tzu Chi Foundation. This book covers its foundational years, detailing how Master Cheng Yen’s simple aspiration, ＂For Buddha’s teachings, for all living beings,＂ led to a global movement.

This volume documents Tzu Chi’s origins from 1966 to 1978, tracing its expansion from Hualien, eastern Taiwan, across the island. It includes the ＂Bamboo Bank Era,＂ where thirty housewives saved fifty cents daily, and the establishment of free medical clinics in 1972, which addressed the intertwined issues of poverty and illness. It further examines key events and Tzu Chi’s distinct approach to charity, including systematic home visits, providing aid, and promoting principles of ＂equal giving＂ and ＂giving without expectation.＂ These early actions established a model for engaged compassionate action, demonstrating how spiritual principles could be applied in society.

Providing a detailed account of Tzu Chi’s early development, this is valuable reading for students, academics, and researchers in Buddhist Studies, Asian Studies, Religious Studies, Sociology, as well as anyone interested in social welfare, Buddhist philanthropy, or the history of modern Taiwan.

Rey-Sheng Her, PhD, is Deputy CEO of the Tzu Chi Foundation and an Associate Scholar at Harvard FAS CAMLab, USA. He teaches Philanthropy and Philosophy at Tzu Chi University, Taiwan and Nanjing University, China. His research explores altruism and how goodness can be applied in the economy, governance, and society.

Rei-Ling Lai, PhD, is Director of Tzu Chi Foundation’s Department of Literature and History in Taiwan. Her doctoral research on organizational memory and disaster management supports this historical documentation.