Skip to content Tzu Chi believes that when we create a foundation of moral values starting with our youth, we then create a harmonious humanistic society. This can be done if every citizen works together to help nurture compassion for all.
Tzu Chi Taiwan’s print media is widely recognized. Both the Tzu Chi Monthly and the Rhythms Monthly periodicals are regarded as Taiwan’s equivalent of the National Geographic magazine. They have received the Golden Tripod Award (the highest honour in the Taiwanese publishing industry) multiple times and won other accolades for their outstanding content.
Tzu Chi also publishes English and Japanese periodicals. The Foundation’s offices in countries such as the US, Malaysia, and Indonesia have localized publications that share inspiring news and real life stories of human goodness and compassion with a variety of local audiences.
In the 1990s, Tzu Chi Taiwan’s Mission of Humanistic Culture expanded its reach from print media to the development of 3D media. Dharma Master Cheng Yen felt the significant influence of mass media on hearts and minds, and realized the urgent need for media to have a positive influence on people’s lives. Thus, she established the Da Ai TV Station (“Da Ai” means “great love” in Mandarin).
With providing truthful reporting as its aim, Da Ai TV broke away from the media’s traditions of being influenced by ratings and advertising. Approximately one quarter of the TV station’s operating costs is covered by the proceeds from the sale of recyclables collected by Tzu Chi volunteers across Taiwan. Since its inception, the TV station has garnered 41 prestigious Golden Bell Awards (Taiwan’s equivalent of the Emmy Awards), as well as a host of other local and overseas awards that affirmed the quality of its programmes.
Touched by the call of Master Cheng Yen, hundreds of volunteers contributed their talents in writing, translation, photography, videography, art, and set design to help spread the message and spirit of Great Love to the masses. There are now thousands of Tzu Chi media volunteers around the world working to provide real-time news updates and Tzu Chi’s activities.
Humanistic values come from the heart. As the ancient saying goes, ‘Man is innately good.’ Within each person, there is a true, innate nature that the Dharma speaks of. To engage in spiritual practice, we need such a humanistic quality, too. It is the sincerity that arises from an honest heart, and also the sincerity between people. It comes from within the heart before being manifested outwardly.”
Dharma Master Cheng Yen witnessed the increasing prevalence of social disorder, as well as the disturbing phenomenon of every passing fad and fashion trend being seen as a “culture”. Thus in 2004, she made the decisive call to change the “Mission of Culture” to the “Mission of Humanistic Culture”. She wanted to encourage the people of Tzu Chi to serve as exemplary models in society so that such real life stories about humanity’s beauty and goodness can be passed on.
The Mission of Humanistic Culture bears the important missions of “purifying the mind”, “bringing about harmony in society”, “making known the suffering of people around the world”, and “setting right the minds of the wayward and the deluded”. The three Missions of Charity, Medicine, and Education all share the common goals of improving the quality of people’s lives, purifying hearts and minds, and bringing light and hope to humanity. As such, all the Missions of Tzu Chi embody humanistic values.
