Tzu Chi University’s Year-End Blessing: Welcoming the New Year with a Grateful Heart and Service

On December 22, 2023, Tzu Chi University organized a year-end blessing event. This gathering included University faculty, staff, and students, with members of the Tzu-Cheng and Yi-Te Association, as well as attendees from the Center for Continuing Education. United in their purpose, they aimed to channel their collective positive energy into prayers for global peace.

Watching the 2023 Tzu Chi Year in Review, the audience reflected on the year’s significant moments. A Nigerian Ph.D. student, a fervent advocate for world peace, sang his original song, “One Voice,” resonating deeply with the listeners. Expressing his gratitude, he remarked, “It’s a profound honor to share my song and the message of global harmony with everyone, particularly during the year-end blessing ceremony.” His words and music underscored the ceremony’s spirit, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.

During the ceremony, Master De Wei and Master De Jiang delivered Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s Blessing and Wisdom Red Envelopes, symbolizing blessings and hope. Master De Jiang advocated spreading universal wisdom, living compassionately, and adopting vegetarianism to protect the earth. Reflecting on the world’s suffering, Master De Jiang highlighted the Winter Solstice gathering as a moment to bless the new year, embodying a life of fortune and love. The Master inspired everyone to follow the principles of “faith, aspiration, and practice” to advance the Buddha’s teachings for the benefit of all beings.

Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology students, including Fang-Yu Lin, gathered for a ceremony. Lin felt blessed to receive a red envelope on stage, sensing blessings from Tzu Chi members around the world, and hoped for self-improvement in the next year. Many international students from the Digital Media and Technology program attended their first year-end ceremony. Despite understanding only some Chinese, they deeply felt the event’s tranquility and peace. Filipino student Zhu-Ye Tsai said, “The 2023 Year in Review helped me understand Tzu Chi better and moved me by its actions.”

A freshman in the Department of Communication Studies, Ying-Yu Huang, who served as the Mistress of Ceremonies, shared that as a child, she enjoyed receiving red envelopes with her family during Tzu Chi’s Year-End Blessings. However, as she grew older, watching Tzu Chi’s Year in Review always justify her with a bittersweet feeling. Realizing the suffering of many people worldwide, and seeing Tzu Chi volunteers helping them everywhere, she aspires to help more people in the future, just like Tzu Chi volunteers.

In a ceremony filled with gratitude, the Tzu Chi University Service-Learning International Volunteer Team was recognized by the Ministry of Education’s Youth Development Administration for their exceptional overseas volunteer service. The Ministry of Education also conferred awards for the 2023 Outstanding Volunteer Service Teams. Tzu Chi University has teams acknowledged for their exemplary efforts—The Department of Public Health’s Tribal Volunteer Team and the Humanism in Healthcare Club’s Song-Pu Health Service.

The Ministry of Education awarded 25 Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards to Tzu Chi University students who have dedicated over two years to continuous service, accumulating more than 200 hours of volunteer work. These awards underscore Tzu Chi University’s deep-seated commitment to social service. Remarkably, this year marks the fourth consecutive occasion when Tzu Chi University students have secured more than half of the national volunteer awards distributed by the Ministry of Education.

A heartwarming and touching year-end blessing, where everyone came together to light the lamp of the heart, express gratitude for the past, and cherish the present. With wisdom and compassion, we resonate with good thoughts, blessing the world in its suffering and praying for Taiwan. Hoping that through sincere prayers, we send heartfelt wishes for peace in the world, uniting to overcome disasters and pandemics. In the melody of love and care, we completed Tzu Chi University’s Year-End Blessing.