Interview by Venerable Zhi Wen | Photography by Hsin-Tzu Li
On May 2, 2024, the Venerable Master Hsing Yun Digital Humanities Research and Development Center held its inauguration ceremony on the 4th floor of Yunqi Building at Fo Guang University. The unveiling was conducted jointly by Venerable Ru Chang, Executive Director of the Fo Guang Shan Foundation for Buddhist Culture and Education; Jow-Fei Ho, President of Fo Guang University; and Shuhsien Tseng, Director of the Venerable Master Hsing Yun Digital Humanities Research and Development Center.
Approximately 30 distinguished guests attended the event, including Po-Ching Wu, President of National Ilan University; Chao-Ming Fu, Vice President of Fo Guang University; benefactors Mr. Qi-Song Lin and Ms. Mei-Hui Si; Fo Guang University administrators; and venerables from Fo Guang Shan.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun (1927-2023), the founding master of Fo Guang Shan and founder of Fo Guang University, witnessed nearly a century of Buddhist history and societal changes throughout his life. He had extensive interactions with representatives from many sectors, including culture, education, religion, and politics, with his influence spanning across Taiwan, Mainland China, and the world. He left behind a rich legacy of historical materials and artifacts. To establish a preservation and management mechanism for Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s tangible cultural assets and to digitize them for future research and utilization, the Fo Guang Shan Foundation for Buddhist Culture and Education and Fo Guang University signed an agreement on March 6th this year to establish the Venerable Master Hsing Yun Digital Humanities Research and Development Center, which was inaugurated today.
President Jow-Fei Ho stated that establishing the center at Fo Guang University allows for the full utilization of academic resources, making it a base for the development and exchange of Humanistic Buddhism studies worldwide, and helping to establish a unique identity for the university. The creation of the digital humanities platform relies on the efforts of Director Tseng, whom he described as “a treasured talent of Fo Guang University.” He also asked all university departments to fully support the center’s operations.
Venerable Ru Chang stated that since its establishment by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the Fo Guang Shan Cultural and Educational Foundation has successively established various educational institutions, including Fo Guang University, and promoted numerous academic activities. The center is located at Fo Guang University to honor Master Hsing Yun’s starting point of Dharma propagation in Taiwan—Yilan, which also benefits from its proximity to the capital. The foundation invited Dr. Shu-Hsien Tseng, who recently retired from the post of the Director General of the National Central Library, to serve as the center’s director. This decision was made because Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s most important works in his later years were published at the National Central Library with the support of Dr. Tseng. The long-standing collaboration has fostered deep admiration for her insight, capability, and character. Despite numerous invitations, she finally agreed to take on this role.
Venerable Ru Chang hoped that “with the establishment of this center, Yilan will become a base that illuminates the five continents with peace and happiness!”
Director Shu-Hsien Tseng expressed that during her time at the National Central Library, she established strong friendships with the faculty of Fo Guang University. Upon taking on this new role, she is met with high expectations and has received significant assistance from various university departments and Fo Guang Shan venerables. With a humble and cautious mindset, she is committed to contributing her expertise to the organization and digital archiving of Master’s materials, ensuring their permanent preservation and research utilization. Furthermore, she aims to expand academic exchanges and international cooperation. The center hopes to collaborate with various departments, “The Venerable Master Hsing Yun Digital Humanities Research and Development Center is a center for everyone, for Fo Guang Shan, and for the world. Its influence depends on collaborative efforts.”
The unveiling ceremony was held after the speeches. The plaque for the center was personally inscribed by the ink painting master, Professor Hung Ken-Shen of the Department of Fine Arts at National Kaohsiung Normal University. The ceremony was attended by Tsan Pi-Tsung, Director of Library and Information and Chair of the Department of Health and Creative Vegetarian Industry; Venerable Miao Yang, Director of the Accounting Office; Chen Yan-Hong, Director of the Secretariat; Hsiao Li-Hua, Dean of the College of Humanities; Hsieh Yuan-Fu, College of Creativity and Technology; Kuo Chao-Shun, Dean of the Department of Buddhist Studies; Jhen-Sheng He, Dean of the Department of Future Studies and LOHAS Industry; Tae-Soon Joh, Director of the Department of History, College of Humanities; Wen-chieh Hsu, Professor of the Department of Public Affairs; and Yun-Liang Tien, Sheng-He Hsu, and Yu-Zhen Wang, Professors of the Department of Chinese Literature and Application.
Furthermore, Venerable Miao Kuang, Director of the FGS Founding Master’s Secretary Office; Venerable Miao Qin, Abbess of FGS Lan Yang Temple; Venerable Zhi He; Venerable You Zhen, Member of the Board of Directors; Venerable Chueh Yu, Superintendent of the Guang Yun Building ; Venerables Miao Shu, Chueh Liao, Miao Kun, Miao Duan, and Zhi Tang, editors of the FGS Literature and Arts Canon; and Venerables Miao Jia Ven, Zhi Ru, Zhi Wen, Zhi Quan, Kuei-Chu Chang, and Hsin-Tzu Li of the Department of Buddhist Studies.
Following the unveiling, a group photo and interactions took place. Benefactors Lin Chi-Sung and Su Mei-Hui brought delicious pastries to share with the attendees, and they also presented flowers as congratulations, bringing a joyful conclusion to the ceremony.
Website：https://mhydh.fgu.edu.tw
News report：https://youtu.be/tv0Lp1m1jjc?feature=shared&t=135
Venerable Ru Chang, the Executive Director of the Fo Guang Shan Foundation for Buddhist Culture and Education, and President Jow-Fei Ho of Fo Guang University unveiled the plaque.
President Jow-Fei Ho of Fo Guang University delivered a speech.
Venerable Ru Chang, the Executive Director of the Fo Guang Shan Cultural and Educational Foundation delivered a speech.
Shu-Hsien Tseng, Director of the Venerable Master Hsing Yun Digital Humanities Research and Development Center.
Li-Hua Hsiao, Dean of the College of Humanities, and benefactors Mr. Qi-Song Lin and Ms. Mei-Hui Si were present in the ceremony.
Group photo.
The Venerable Master Hsing Yun Digital Humanities Research and Development Center.
