Seventy Years of Winter Relief: Institute of Chung-Hwa Buddhist Culture Held Year-End Caring Event

The tradition of winter relief initiated from 1956 by Ven. Dongchu (東初老和尚) has supported countless families through the New Year season over the past 70 years. On December 7 at 10 a.m., the Institute of Chung-Hwa Buddhist Culture—the birthplace of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM)—held its annual Year-End Caring Event, gathering goodwill and resources from all walks of life to distribute relief supplies to more than 860 households facing emergencies or low income, helping them live with greater security and peace of mind. In the event, participants chanted the name of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva together to offer blessings. Dharma Drum Mountain also provided vegetarian meals, along with game booths and musical performances, enabling nearly 2,500 attendees to enjoy the warmth of the festive season in advance.
 
The DDM Abbot President Venerable Guo Huei (果暉法師) expressed gratitude for the generosity of donors and the dedication of volunteers who helped make the year-end event possible. He encouraged everyone with the principles of the "Four Fields for Cultivating Peace"— mind, body, family, and activity, as well as the "Four Guidelines for Dealing with Desires"— need, want, ability and propriety. The Abbot President hoped that when encountering life’s challenges, people can apply the "Four Steps for Handling a Problem"—face it, accept it, deal with it, and let it go. In daily interactions, he encouraged cultivating gratitude and using the wisdom of the Dharma to transform oneself and inspire others, maintaining stability of mind and physical well-being through recognizing blessings, cherishing blessings, nurturing blessings, sowing the seeds of blessings.

In view of the increasing frequency of disasters around the world and the hardships many people face, the Abbot President encouraged everyone to give and perform good deeds regularly, as well as to help those in need, because "the charitable are blessed; the virtuous, happy." Bodhisattvas regard caring for all sentient beings as their field of merit. As long as one's heart is not impoverished, one is truly rich; this is also a form of protecting the spiritual environment.

Participating in the year-end caring event for 19 consecutive years, Hsu Chih-Chuan (許智全), the head of Wenquan Village in Beitou, emotionally expressed his hope that this charitable initiative could extend to more places in need, and that more schools and members of the community would join and participate. Tsai Hsin-Yuan (蔡新淵), principal of Hulu Elementary School, shared that this event has provided tremendous support to many children and families. He hopes that the students who benefit today will one day give back to society and continue passing on this kindness.

Volunteers Liu Chang-Chieh (劉昌杰) and Chen Tsu-Yun (陳竺雲), a couple who helped host the program, said that it's especially meaningful to participate in the event before the Lunar New Year. Seeing so many charitable organizations and kindhearted individuals come together to assist the event was deeply moving, and they expressed gratitude for the compassionate efforts passed down from Ven. Dongchu and Master Sheng Yen.

One of the recipient parents, Hsu Hui-Lan (徐惠蘭), expressed her thanks to the teachers and Dharma Drum Mountain for helping her family. She said that this support and assistance are very important for her family, as they help alleviate the pressures of daily life and the burden on her household finances. This was her third year attending the year-end blessing event, and each time brought her peace and relaxation. Another parent, Huang Hui-Fen (黃彗芬), who attended with her daughter, also shared her gratitude to the teachers who assisted with the application, and to Dharma Drum Mountain for offering an opportunity to experience inner peace and learn about the Bodhisattva spirit. She added that many volunteers guided the children in engaging games, and the warmth from all sectors of society was truly memorable.

The event invited many distinguished guests, including Beitou District Director Wu Chung-Hsin (吳重信), Principal Tsai Ming-Hsun (蔡明勳) of Fuxing High School, Principal Shih Yu-Hsu (施俞旭) of Fu-An Junior High School, Principal Lai Chun-Hsien (賴俊賢) of Beitou Elementary School, as well as nearly 40 principals, directors, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) presidents from more than 30 schools in Taipei, and representatives of charity associations.
 
Original text in Chinese: 傅莉嫻
Photos: 林祥輝、傅莉嫻、法青會
Translation: Patricia Yang 
Editing: Keith Brown