Introduction to Still Thoughts Hall

Wei-Cheng

 

Tzu Chi Still Thoughts Hall is a history museum of the Tzu Chi Missions and Organizations.

Since 1966, it bears the witness to the movement that celebrates the essence of mercy in practice and the exaltation of human compassion by the people of all social-economic levels, ethnic backgrounds and differnet faiths in Taiwan.

In 1986, the Tzu Chi Hospital completed construction and started operations when the ground-breaking ceremony of Jing-Si-Tan was also conducted.

In April, 1989, Jing-Si-Tan went into its initial construction.

The architectures of Jing-Si-Tan includes: the Reverance Boulevard, the Faith Companion Square, the Central Hall, and its surrounding gardens.

The Reverence Boulevard is situated right in front of the Still Thoughts Hall, bordered by Chung Yang Road on the east, Faith Companion Square on the west. Its length is 35 meters, width 24, paved with snow-white looking Kuan-yin limestone.

The Faith Companion Square is solely paved with granite, the best area to enjoy the sight of Still Thoughts Hall, yet also an ideal assembly place, which can accommodate up to 10,000 people.

The architectural style of the Central Hall is modeled after the original Still Thoughts Hall Jing She, solemn yet elegant. The three-tier roofing style signifies the Three Treasures of Buddhism: the Buddha, The Sutras and the Masters. Despite being made of bronze plates, the roof tiles of the building is no only light-weigh but also extremely durable. Decorations in and around the middle section of the tiled roof are depicted in Buddhist style songs, dances and fragrant flowers spiritedly provided for all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The exterior of the Central Hall is constructed with natural materials, such as stones, limbers and bronzes which over times will appear a sense of history. The distance between ground level and basement 2 is 50 meters. The Hall is flanked on both sides by a reservoir with up to 6 ton volumn capacity. The middle section within the Hall is illuminated with all natural lights from the skylights as well as the installed high-ceiling spot lights with movable motion curtains. From the angel of the Faith companion Square, sophisticated towering pillars are the first in sight. Entering into the bronze front gate, one immediately sees the Lecture Hall which stands to 36 meters tall.

The Central Hall is the spiritual embodiment of the Still Thoughts Hall compound, as well as a sancturary for Buddhist beliefs and arts. The natural light inside in the Hall seems to demonstrate the grace of Buddha from heaven, to the effect of moving the hearts and minds of every visitor.

Also hung on the wall is the 26 meter tall painting : "Buddha Cleansing".

The author of the painting is Tang dynasty painter Tan Huei. The painting is put together by an North Korean artist with 3.4 million mosaic pieces . The 30 meter tall screen is also carved in wood, which clearly shows its delicate tassel patterns of floral themes and their intricate folding lines. How life-liking they seem!

What makes visitors completely marvelled at are those interlocking stone pillars made from imported Italian Carrara white marbles. Basement 1, having the capacity to accommodate for up to 600 people, holds the International Conference Room which is equipped with the high-tech multi-language translation system.

Garden: the most intriguing aspect of the artistic expression in the Gardens are free-flying bronze sculptures displayed aesthetically on the outside lawn surrounding the Still Thoughts Hall , of which 13 are produced by North Korean artists.

Overall, Still Thoughts Hall compound is consisted of solemnly designed white -gray buildings and thick foliages, albeit silent in themselves, yet distinctively tells the whole story of the intertwined nature of Tzu Chi philanthropy, health care, education and cultural missions.

Presently all chapters of the Still Thoughts Hall on the Island of Taiwan are located as such: Taiepei chapter (Still Thoughts Hall),

Tao Yuan Still Thoughts Hall, Feng Yuan Still Thoughts Hall, Ching Shui Still Thoughts Hall, Kau Hsiung Still Thoughts Hall.

 

＊Still Thoughts Hall Design Blueprint.