Among the largest of these is Fo Guang Shan based in the southern port city of Kaohsiung. The Buddhist group has played a major role in advancing altruistic values through its educational organizations, most notably Fo Guang University in the northeastern county of Yilan, one of seven Buddhist-run institutions of higher learning across the country
The other six are Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts in Taipei City, Hsuan Chuang University in the northern city of Hsinchu, Huafan University in New Taipei City, Nanhua University in the southern county of Chiayi as well as Tzu Chi University and Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology in Hualien County, eastern Taiwan.
Fo Guang Shan headquarters in the southern port city of Kaohsiung is decorated with red lanterns to mark the Lunar New Year in January. (Staff photo/Huang Chung-hsin)
Nanhua and FGU are part of the Fo Guang Shan school system, which also operates universities in Australia, the Philippines and the U.S. Its head, FGU President Yung Chaur-shin, served as deputy minister of the Ministry of Education from 1989 to 1997.
Under his custodianship, FGU’s College of Buddhist Studies offers degrees from bachelor to doctoral levels in such areas as art, literature, music and philosophy. According to Yung, Buddhist teachings shape the school’s guiding principles, which are imparted to religious and secular students alike.
Yung discusses his approach to education at FGU. (Staff photo/Pang Chia-shan)
“We aim to teach how Buddhism can make real, concrete contributions to ordinary people in the community,” Yung said. This humanistic aspect is a distinct feature of Taiwan’s Buddhist tradition, he added.
While Buddhism in Taiwan has developed into multiple popular forms, Fo Guang Shan has focused on its role as an education and welfare service provider. By promoting civil values from the grassroots level, the organization is seeking to benefit society as a whole regardless of each individual’s religious beliefs. (E) (By Pat Gao)
FGU imparts Buddhist principles to religious and secular students alike. (Photo courtesy of Fo Guang University)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
(This article is adapted from “Civil Doctrine” in the September/October 2020 issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)