Tzu Chi Jing Si Abode Introduction
Tzu Chi Jing Si Abode was established in the winter of 1969. Initially, it covered an area of over forty pings, funded by the founder Master Cheng Yen's mother who purchased the land, and construction was carried out in phases over the years. At that time, the master and the resident members worked hard to create products to repay the costs, also rolling up their sleeves to join in the construction work. During this period, due to the aging of the buildings and leaks, along with the needs of their activities, it underwent ten expansions, resulting in its current appearance. The Jing Si Abode serves as a place for Tzu Chi’s monastic members to practice, emphasizing tranquility and serenity, and is not a typical tourist attraction, hence there are no road signs. Visitors can find Guang'an Temple near the 195k mark on Route 9 and enter via the small road across from it. After walking about 300 meters, they will reach the parking area; once they disembark, they can follow the maple paths, turn right and proceed to their destination with gray tiles and white walls. The structures in the abode, from outside to inside, include: the Main Hall, Guanyin Hall, New Lecture Hall, dormitories for monks, dormitories for nuns, dining hall, office, vegetable garden, and orchard. Visitors can follow the maple tree-lined path to enter the area, where they will be greeted by the elegantly simple Main Hall. Externally, the roof's inner edge forms a triangular shape supported by '人' (ren), while the outer roof has three circular pillars on either side to express the imagery of the Three Jewels; the four exterior columns symbolize the "Four Immeasurables": loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, aptly interpreting Tzu Chi’s practice of humanistic Buddhism, aspiring for Bodhisattvas to embody in the human realm and for Buddhist teachings to be integrated into daily life.
