Tzu Chi Jing Si Abode Introduction
The Tzu Chi Jing Si Abode was built in the winter of 1969. Initially, it occupied an area of over forty pings. The land was purchased by the founder Master Cheng Yen's mother, and the construction was carried out in stages. At that time, the master and the resident community worked together to create products to pay for the costs, even rolling up their sleeves to join the construction work. Over the years, due to the aging of the buildings, leaks, and the needs of the organization, it underwent ten expansions to achieve its current appearance. The Jing Si Abode serves as a place for Tzu Chi practitioners to cultivate themselves, emphasizing tranquility and serenity, and is not a typical tourist spot; therefore, there are no signposts. Near the 195k mark on Provincial Highway 9, you can locate Guang'an Temple and enter through a small road across from it. Proceed approximately 300 meters to the parking lot; after getting off, follow the guide marked by the maple trees, take a right turn, and you will arrive at the destination characterized by gray tiles and white walls. The structure of the Jing Si Abode consists, from outside to inside, of: the Main Hall, Guanyin Hall, New Lecture Hall, Monastic Quarters for monks, Quarters for nuns, Dining Hall, Office, Vegetable Garden, and Orchard. Visitors can follow the path through the maple trees to reach the park, where they will be greeted by the elegantly simple Main Hall of the Abode. In terms of appearance, the roof's inner edge forms a triangular shape supported by a "人" character, while the outer edge of the roof features three groups of circular columns on both the front and sides, symbolizing the Three Treasures. The four pillars outside the Main Hall represent the "Four Immeasurable Minds" of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, serving as the best interpretation of Tzu Chi's practice of Buddhism in the human world, wishing for Bodhisattvas to embody in human form and for Buddhist principles to be integrated into daily life.
