In the year that marked the 15th Opening Anniversary and 25th Founding Anniversary of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, Chung Tai World Museum held its inauguration ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 13, 2016, with over 20,000 guests and visitors attending. The opening of the Museum was another milestone in the bodhisattva path of Chung Tai Chan Monastery's founding abbot, Venerable Wei Chueh Zhi'an (1928-2016), whose inspiring leadership had already enabled the establishment of the Monastery and its 108 local and overseas branch meditation centers, and Pu Tai Elementary, Middle and High schools. Grand Master Wei Chueh aimed to make Buddhism accessible in this age through academia, education, art, science, and daily living, and the Chung Tai World Museum is an example of spreading the Dharma through art.

Chung Tai World Museum Grand Opening Activities

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted by Chung Tai Chan Monastery's abbot, Venerable Jian Deng; the deputy director of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, Mr. Jiang Jianyong; the vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, Venerable Zewu; the Magistrate of Nantou County, Mr. Lin Ming-Chen; and many other honorable guests. As part of the grand opening activities, a museum exchange conference, "How to Promote Museum Education," was held in the Museum Auditorium, attended by famous museum directors and important scholars and specialists from both sides of the Strait.

Over 20,000 people attended the Inauguration Ceremony of Chung Tai World Museum.

Ribbon-cutting by Chung Tai Chan Monastery's abbot, Venerable Jian Deng; the deputy director of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, Mr. Jiang Jianyong; the vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, Venerable Zewu; the Magistrate of Nantou County, Mr. Lin Ming-Chen; and many other honorable guests.

During the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Director Jiang Jianyong of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs gave a speech in which he affirmed the value and importance of Chung Tai World Museum in preserving, protecting and promoting Buddhist and traditional Chinese culture, bringing a positive and purifying influence to society, which was a realization of the Grand Master's vision to spread Buddhism through art. He expressed his deep respect for the Grand Master's compassion, vow, virtue, and revitalizing influence on the Chan World, and how greatly the Master was missed and remembered. The Deputy Director also praised the Grand Master's untiring effort in establishing fellowship across the Strait, actively promoting religious and cultural exchange, and initiating the establishment of the World Buddhist Forum. He anticipated that under the leadership of Venerable Abbot Jian Deng, Chung Tai would continue to take up the mission of the Grand Master in promoting cross-strait exchange and traditional Chinese culture.

The deputy director of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, Mr. Jiang Jianyong

Deputy Minister Zhang Jianxin of China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage gave a speech in which he praised that, in returning precious artifacts to China's Shanxi Museum, Chung Tai Chan Monastery demonstrated foresight and uprightness, and contributed significantly to the religious and cultural heritage exchange across the Strait.

Deputy Minister Zhang Jianxin of China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage

In his speech, the vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, Venerable Zewu, mentioned that the opening of the Chung Tai World Museum was a magnificent and joyous event in the world of art, creating important windows in the exchange of art and culture across the Strait, and a bridge between spiritual and material cultures for the world. Accumulating the best in Buddhist and traditional Chinese art and culture, the Museum would enable millions of people to connect with Buddhism and benefit from its purifying influence.

The vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, Venerable Zewu

Mr. Chang Yui-Tan, director general of the Chinese Association of Museums and director of the National Museum of History, congratulated the Museum's inauguration on behalf of the Taiwanese museum circles. He said that it is the goals of museums to preserve and interpret human cultural heritage. The Grand Master also aimed to spread Buddhism through Buddhist and cultural artifacts, which is the educational goal of Chung Tai World Museum.

Mr. Chang Yui-Tan, director general of the Chinese Association of Museums and director of the National Museum of History

A gift presentation ceremony followed in which Abbot Jian Deng presented to Shanxi Museum of China two four-sided Buddhist pagodas from the Tang dynasty. Shanxi Museum Director Shi Jinming, in his speech, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to this act of generosity, stressing that protecting cultural heritage is a responsibility of all world citizens. The return of these precious artifacts to Shanxi marked a great event in the year's cross-strait cultural heritage preservation, and should inspire active participation from society in protecting and promoting traditional Chinese culture.

Chung Tai Chan Monastery's abbot, Venerable Jian Deng (4th from right), the deputy director of China's State Administration for Religious Affairs, Mr. Jiang Jianyong (5th from right), and other honorable guests, in the gift presentation of four-sided pagodas from the Tang dynasty to Shanxi Museum of China

Abbot Jian Deng mentioned that Buddhism originated in India, took root in China, spread to the world and flourished in this age. The ancients said that there are three ways to protect the Dharma: to build and support monasteries, to spread the great teaching, and to promote the sangha. The Abbot affirmed that the establishment of the Museum was the realization of our founding abbot's great vow to spread the Dharma through art, and to promote cross-strait exchange of religion, culture and art.

Chung Tai Chan Monastery's abbot, Venerable Jian Deng

Moreover, it was one of the offerings made by Chung Tai disciples to commemorate our Founder, the Grand Master Wei Chueh Zhi'an (1928-2016), for his devotion and leadership in the 25 years establishment of Chung Tai. To honor and pay gratitude to our Founder, who passed on in April 8, Chung Tai is resolved to continue the missions of our Grand Master to spread Buddhism through modern approaches that are accessible to all walks of life in today's world, and to bring its calming, purifying and beneficial influence to society.