[Taipei] In July and August, Golden Year 3 (2006), Taipei Center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association was invited to participate in a series of Good Books exhibitions held by public libraries in suburban Taipei. Our Center had received commendation for its endeavors to promote a balanced development of the body, mind, and spirit, as well as a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.

We were again invited by Chen Yi-zheng, director of Shiding Library, to participate in another Good Books Exhibition from September 9 to 17. In addition to showcasing Master’s paintings, lamps, and spiritual publications, a seminar on the healthy vegetarian lifestyle was held, energizing vegetarian food served, and free meditation lessons offered. In the last two days of the exhibition, we also participated in the local annual Beauty Tea Fair at the invitation of the township mayor.

Good Books Exhibition

On the morning of September 9, the book exhibition was inaugurated at the local Danlan Cultural Center by Chen Yi-zheng, director of Shiding Library. Distinguished guests included Mayor Ye Rong-hua of Shiding Township, Director He Wen-qing of Taipei County Library, Director Gao Su-zhen of Danlan Cultural Center, local councilmen, and representatives of our Taipei Center. Mayor Ye thanked The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for supporting and enhancing the event with a rich spiritual ambiance that was a remarkable change from the regular arrangements. Many guests were drawn to our exhibition booth, deeply touched by Master’s poetic singing that was shown on DVD at the venue. A big team of fellow initiates received an overwhelmingly positive response when distributing Alternative Living fans, document folders, and multi-purpose tablemats on a nearby street known for its preservation of cultural history. Ms. Yang, a teacher at a local daycare center, asked for 50 tablemats for her students, hoping to use them to teach the children to love and protect animals, and to develop the correct concepts of a healthy diet.

Chen Jian-zhong, Ph.D., the principal speaker at the health seminar, spoke on the prevention of cancer. A video from the Taiwan Animal Research Society was played, revealing the tragic truth behind the unnatural breeding of livestock and showing heart-wrenching scenes of animals being slaughtered. Attendees responded positively to ideas about vegetarian diet and spiritual practice. Many local citizens and tourists also learned the Convenient Method of meditation.

One gentleman, Mr. Yen, from Kaohsiung, finding the discussion beneficial and inspiring, quickly invited a friend to the seminar. Deeply impressed by the video, he suggested that it should be shown more often, so that people would be shocked out of their meat diet by the scenes of inhumane cruelty. Being a vegetarian for over three decades himself, he said he was looking for books on meditation. Fellow initiates responded by giving him Master’s sample book, News magazines, and the Key of Immediate Enlightenment series. The gentleman’s friend that he invited said that her parents are vegetarians. She decided to stop eating meat after watching the videos and listening to the talks at the seminar.

Energizing vegetarian food exquisitely prepared by fellow initiates was served after the seminar. A wide variety of dishes, which appealed to the eye and palate, attracted huge crowds of visitors. Everyone, including the mayor, directors and staff of the cultural center, complimented the scrumptious food they savored. A lady who was working at the exhibition service counter came with her mother to try our vegetarian meal box every day. She said she was more than ready to switch permanently to a vegetarian diet if she could have such delicious meals every day.

After enjoying the delicacies, Mayor Ye, whose elder brother was a vegetarian, thanked our Association for introducing a healthy lifestyle to his fellow townspeople. He spoke about how a two-week organic diet as treatment for coronary ailments had resulted in weight loss and better health conditions for him. Fellow initiates encouraged Mayor Ye to introduce the healthy vegetarian diet to the local community and gave him a copy of Master’s new book “The Realization of Health.”

Beauty Tea Festival

On September 16, a typhoon swept across Formosa, but its gusty winds and heavy showers did not deter large turnouts at the Beauty Tea Festival. Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei attended the book exhibition and spent a long time enjoying Master’s exquisite and beautiful spiritual publications at our booth. Later, accompanied by Mayor Ye, he arrived at the Beauty Tea Festival charity bazaar being held at an elementary school. He was especially interested in our vegetarian booth, which was constantly surrounded by a huge crowd.

Early that morning, Mayor Ye had purchased a traditional delicacy--fried vegetarian oyster platter--from our booth, and also received complimentary sweet corn soup and a vegetarian hamburger. His recommendation brought many local inhabitants to our booth. Many exclaimed: “Is this really vegetarian? How could vegetarian food be so delicious?”

Ms. Lu Xiao-feng (right in pink), best actress award-winner at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival, receives Master’s new book, “The Realization of Health.”

On September 17, as the typhoon moved out, the sky became clear. Ms. Lu Xiao-feng, winner of the best actress award at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival, visited the exhibition, where she received a copy of Master’s book, “The Realization of Health.” Holding the book in her hands, Ms. Lu, a long-time Buddhist, told us that Zen practice had given her new realizations in life and taught her the importance of  helping one another. As the clear sky brought back the crowds, fellow initiates cherished the opportunity of distributing Alternative Living fans, document folders, and tablemats in the old downtown area. Several tourists felt the call of Master’s love and enrolled to learn the Convenient Method of meditation. During the exhibition, about 30 persons learned the method and felt filled with bliss.

A gentleman who had been unhappy about Master’s attire changed his opinion and learned the Convenient Method after hearing of Master’s loving and charitable actions from patient fellow initiates. After meditating for 30 minutes, he said that he had seen and passed through a tunnel from his wisdom eye and saw purple light. Before he left, he shyly thanked the sister initiates and apologized for his previous ignorance in misunderstanding Master’s love.

Among those who learned the Convenient Method of meditation was Director Chen of Shiding Public Library. Overcome by fatigue and stress in organizing the event, he was amazed to find himself totally refreshed after a brief meditation. Feeling great, he expressed deep gratitude to the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association: “Our event has been enhanced enormously by the participation of your Association. Although you are not professional chefs, you have prepared such a large quantity of healthy and professional vegetarian food for local citizens and tourists. Your attempt to promote the vegetarian lifestyle at this year’s event has made our exhibition very colorful.” Director Chen sincerely hoped that we could make this a monthly activity, because the town attracts large numbers of tourists on weekends and holidays. We could benefit more people through such activities.

With Master’s blessings, the exhibition was a great success. We thank God for giving us this opportunity to glorify the meaning of life and learn the lesson of sharing. Every initiate who participated in the event felt uplifting emotions and bliss that were beyond description.

A Noble and Loving Life Begins with
a Healthy Vegetarian Diet

Report on the Annual Celebration of
the Industrial Technology Research Institute

[Hsinchu] In response to Master’s instruction about loving animals and promoting a vegetarian lifestyle, initiates working at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) hosted a series of activities on healthy living at ITRI’s annual celebration on July 5, Golden Year 3 (2006), under the name of the newly-established “Health & Vegetarian Society.” Activities included a demonstration of vegetarian cooking, movie showings, seminars, vegetarian festivities and distribution of Alternative Living flyers.

The event opened with a vegetarian cooking demonstration and tasting. Fujia Su and Sotome Osamu, the two cooking experts from the well-known Tang Tang Vegetarian Kitchen in Taipei, were invited to be the lecturers. The cooking class was open for free enrollment. Within only two days, enrollment reached the maximum class capacity. A total of 160 people joined this activity, and the two classrooms were fully packed on that day. The main subject of the cooking demo was “Summer Appetizers and Healthy Cooking.” The participants listened carefully and praised the ingenuity and convenience of the cooking. They also had a chance to cook and enjoy these nutritionally balanced, diverse and delicious vegetarian dishes onsite. This activity received great responses.

In the afternoon, there were four seminars on “Healthy Living and Respecting Life.” In the first seminar, Mr. Zhiming Liang, Director of Tongliuhewu Organic Living House, gave a speech on a hot topic, “LOHAS” (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability). The main purpose of LOHAS is to advocate that family health and environmental responsibility are considered in consumer choices. It is an entirely new living attitude: loving ourselves and treating the Earth kindly. This approach is now becoming very popular in the world and is also being practiced by more than 100 million people.

In the second seminar, Dr. Weihua Chen, Chief Doctor of the Tri-Army General Hospital, gave a speech on “Health and Vegetarianism” from the medical perspective. Dr. Chen explained to  seminar attendees the benefits of a vegetarian diet, from medical aspects such as human body physiological structures, diet and nutrition, the health of pregnant women and newborn babies, as well as its benefits from ecological and environmental aspects. In the third seminar, Professor Fengzhou Lyu from Zhongshan Medical University gave a speech titled “In-depth Study on the Relationship Between Free Radicals and Diet,” explaining to the audience the relationship between free radicals and cancer. After the speech, Professor Lyu queried the audience with tactical questions, and those who answered were awarded with two books that he authored, which ended the seminar with a beautiful experience.

The topic of the fourth seminar was “Love the Animals, Respect Their Lives.” This speech was given by Zenhong Zhu, Executive Secretary of Taiwan Animal Society Research Association.  In the middle of the seminar, a documentary film, “On-site Record of Formosan Farms -- Is This the Pork Meat I Am Eating?” was screened. This film showed how the animals were raised and slaughtered, which extremely shocked the audience.

Between the third and fourth seminar, initiates organized a tea party providing many elaborate baked refreshments. The party was decorated with Master’s Longevity Lamps and paintings. Vegetarian recipes, along with health- and diet-related books, were also displayed. Many visitors attentively read the books containing Master’s art collections and recipes. They also praised the delicious vegetarian refreshments.

On that day, a special vegetarian area was specifically designated in the park festivities. The beautiful Alternative Living banner made by the initiates unexpectedly became the signboard of the vegetarian area and attracted many visitors. In particular, the muffins made onsite were in constant demand from the beginning of that morning, with many people patiently waiting in a long line to buy them. There were also visitors who kept coming back to our booth to buy water-fried dumplings and Italian noodles. Some vegetarian children also happily enjoyed our food after confirming that ours was “real” vegetarian food.

With all these activities going on, fellow initiates did their best to distribute Alternative Living flyers so that all the people at this activity would understand the concept that a healthy life begins with loving animals. Some visitors, who were already holding many things in their hands, still insisted on having a flyer. Some children also asked for flyers. After reading the flyer, many people started practicing its suggestions immediately and came to the vegetarian area to enjoy the food.

This year’s event was the first time the ITRI celebrated with the vegetarian diet as the main theme in the 33 years since the ITRI was established. The concept of living a healthy life by eating a healthy vegetarian diet is already deeply rooted in the heart of ITRI staff and their families. We wish that these pioneers in science and technology will continue bringing the concept of healthy vegetarian living to their colleagues and friends. Together, we will create a loving and healthy society.

Events Datebook

To keep pace with the planet’s ongoing spiritual elevation, the local centers of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association are holding more and more video seminars and other Truth-sharing events.

You are welcome to join in these activities with your friends and relatives. For the latest schedule of our activities, please visit the following URL: http://www.Godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/latest_news/events-datebook.htm

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