Bhiksuni Ti Zheng

Taiwan

Bhiksuni Ti Zheng was born in Shuangxi, Taipei. Her father was a soldier who accompanied the National Government to Taiwan. As a young woman she worked very hard and performed many jobs, including as an embroiderer, and owner of: a beauty shop, a Chinese and western restaurant, a budget hotel, a screw and nut manufacturing factory, and some business partnerships. She had made a vow when she was young that she would help her mother and work as hard as possible to earn money for her family.

One day she went to the doctor. She was told that she had a small cancerous tumor on her finger. At this time, she realized the impermanence of life and decided to make a vow to the Medicine Buddha. She became ordained, and went on to establish Liu Li Shan Temple using the Medicine Buddha's twelve vows as her guidelines.

Bhiksuni Ti Zheng subsequently established Dong Fang Jing Yuan Temple in Guoshing. She initiated group meditation, Buddhist study group and in 2005 founded Yang Zun Buddhist College to propagate Humanistic Buddhism. She encourages the development of Dharma, education, culture of Buddhism and charity. These four principles she also encourages at Fu Ling Temple in Taichung, Taiwan, the Medicine Buddha Temple in Malaysia and the Buddhist Institute which she also subsequently established.

As a living Bodhisattva, she uses limited time to do unlimited things. On TV talk shows, writing and publishing self-help books and autobiographies, at Buddhist forums, Buddhist camps for youths, educational scholarships for university, offering food and financial support to those in need, end-of-life counseling, she expands others' worldviews to encompass the usefulness of Buddhism.

In recognition of her meritorious endeavors, the Home Affairs Office of the Taiwan Government honored her in 2015.