Simhanada--- Ven Master Cheng Yen

Venerable Master Cheng Yen was born in the town of Ching-Sui, Taiwan, in 1937. When she was twenty-three years old, she left home life to become a Buddhist nun. Master Cheng Yen has always led a simple and virtuous life; in her frugality, she made candles and bean powder to maintain a living. In 1966, she established "Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation," and for almost 30 years, this organization has concentrated its activities in the four major areas of charity, giving practical aid to the poor and spiritual encouragement to the rich.

In 1991, the Master Cheng Yen received the Phillipine Magsaysay Award. Living a simple life with only the basic necessities, Cheng Yen has actively pursued her work of helping the poor and teaching all to create and to cherish blessings.

Master Cheng Yen has been called "the Mother Teresa of Asia" and the "Red Cross of China"—where everyone knows her name. As head of a small Buddhist temple in Taiwan, her generous followers number over four million. Her work and influence through the Tzu Chi Foundation provides disaster relief throughout the world—from sending truckloads of food, blankets, and housing directly to people in need to building hospitals, colleges, research centers, and developing educational, social, and cultural programs.

Master Cheng Yen was recently awarded the Eisenhower Medallion for her contributions to world peace. She had also been nominated (1996) for the Nobel Peace Prize for her selfless dedication to helping others and for bringing to a troubled world a renewed vision of compassion in action.