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  • The Birth of Tzu Chi: Establishing the Charity Mission (1966 to 1978)

    The Birth of Tzu Chi by Her, Rey-Sheng; Lai, Rei-Ling;

    Establishing the Charity Mission (1966 to 1978)

    Series: Routledge Studies in Asian Religion and Philosophy;

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      • Publisher's listprice GBP 48.99
      • The price is estimated because at the time of ordering we do not know what conversion rates will apply to HUF / product currency when the book arrives. In case HUF is weaker, the price increases slightly, in case HUF is stronger, the price goes lower slightly.

        22 118 Ft (21 065 Ft + 5% VAT)
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    19 906 Ft

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    Availability

    Estimated delivery time: In stock at the publisher, but not at Prospero's office. Delivery time approx. 3-5 weeks.
    Not in stock at Prospero.

    Why don't you give exact delivery time?

    Delivery time is estimated on our previous experiences. We give estimations only, because we order from outside Hungary, and the delivery time mainly depends on how quickly the publisher supplies the book. Faster or slower deliveries both happen, but we do our best to supply as quickly as possible.

    Product details:

    • Edition number 1
    • Publisher Routledge
    • Date of Publication 24 February 2026

    • ISBN 9781041157922
    • Binding Paperback
    • No. of pages344 pages
    • Size 234x156 mm
    • Weight 640 g
    • Language English
    • Illustrations 99 Illustrations, black & white; 99 Halftones, black & white
    • 690

    Categories

    Short description:

    The Birth of Tzu Chi is a historical series documenting the development of the Tzu Chi Foundation. This book covers its foundational years, detailing how Master Cheng Yen's simple aspiration, "For Buddha's teachings, for all living beings," led to a global movement.

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    Long description:

    The Birth of Tzu Chi is a historical series documenting the development of the Tzu Chi Foundation. This book covers its foundational years, detailing how Master Cheng Yen's simple aspiration, "For Buddha's teachings, for all living beings," led to a global movement.


    This volume documents Tzu Chi's origins from 1966 to 1978, tracing its expansion from Hualien, eastern Taiwan, across the island. It includes the "Bamboo Bank Era," where 30 housewives saved 50 cents daily, and the establishment of free medical clinics in 1972, which addressed the intertwined issues of poverty and illness.  It further examines key events and Tzu Chi's distinct approach to charity, including systematic home visits, providing aid, and promoting principles of "equal giving" and "giving without expectation." These early actions established a model for engaged compassionate action, demonstrating how spiritual principles could be applied in society.


    Providing a detailed account of Tzu Chi’s early development, this is valuable reading for students, academics, and researchers in Buddhist Studies, Asian Studies, Religious Studies, Sociology, as well as anyone interested in social welfare, Buddhist philanthropy, or the history of modern Taiwan.


    The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

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    Table of Contents:

    Words from Master Cheng Yen


    Foreword



    Editor’s Preface


    Translator's Note



    Beginnings



    PART I   1966 to 1971   Humble Beginnings: The Bamboo Bank Era


    1. 1966 The Founding of Tzu Chi



    2. 1967 Practicing the Dharma Widely



    3. 1968 A Resolve to Relieve Suffering


    4. 1969 The Spiritual Home



    5. 1970 Winter Aid Traditions



    6. 1971 Rebuilding Hope for Survivors


    PART II   1972 to 1978   Sowing Seeds of Goodness: Cultivating Fields of Merit


    7. 1972 Expanding Fields of Merit


    8. 1973 Responding to Crisis



    9. 1974 Pioneering Compassion



    10. 1975 Reconstruction and Resilience



    11. 1976 Island-Wide Community Care



    12. 1977 Mobilizing Relief



    13. 1978 Creating a Sanctuary


    Appendix A:  Major Milestones of Tzu Chi (1966–1978)


    Appendix B: Names Index

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