Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Chang Yin

Taiwan

Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Chang Yin

Taiwan

Born in 1957 in Taipei City, Taiwan, with the secular surname Hong and the monastic name Shan De, she grew up immersed in Buddhist teachings through her parents\' practice, developing a deep affinity for the Dharma from an early age. At the age of nine, she visited Haiming Temple with her mother to pay homage to the Buddha. Enchanted by the fresh and serene life of the temple, she resolved to leave secular life behind and undergo the rigorous training of monastic discipline. She continued her secular education, completing primary, middle, and high school one by one.

In 1976, she took monastic vows under Master Guo Zhen. That spring, she went to Haifu Temple in Badu, Keelung, to study at the Nengren Buddhist College under the guidance of Master Dao Yuan. Master Dao Yuan was known for his strict approach to Buddhist studies and disciplined lifestyle, with a strong emphasis on precepts. Under his teachings, Master Chang Yin gradually grasped the fundamental principles of Buddhism. Courses such as \"Precept Studies,\" \"Xianshou\'s Five Teachings,\" and the \"Diamond Sutra\" profoundly influenced her, laying a solid foundation in Buddhist studies.

In 1979, she received full ordination at Cuibiyan Temple in Hsinchu. Two years later, she went to Japan for further studies, attending Taisho University for both undergraduate and graduate programs, where she earned a master's degree. During this time, she also studied flower arrangement and tea ceremony at the Ochanomizu School, earning a teaching qualification. She further deepened her understanding of Buddhist rituals and sectarian practices at the headquarters of the Tendai and Pure Land schools.

In 1990, she returned to Taiwan and was appointed by Elder Wu Ming to revive Haiming Buddhist College, serving as its dean while also teaching at Shuren Commercial and Home Economics High School. During this period, she took additional courses in Chinese literature and advanced teacher training at Tamkang University.

In 1995, she founded Gan En Jing She in Yujing and established the Tainan Women's Buddhist College, dedicating herself to the education of monastics. She hoped that through rigorous monastic training, students would shed worldly habits. With precepts as the backbone, doctrinal teachings as the framework, and the goal of upholding the Dharma as the guiding vision, she aimed to foster mutual learning and bring joy to both teachers and students, guiding them toward genuine faith, correct views, and authentic Buddhist practice.

Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Shih Chang Yin is currently the: Abbess of Songshan Cihang Temple in Taipei, Abbess of Gan En Jing She Temple in Yujing (Tainan), Director of the Chinese Buddhist Association, Director of the Greater Tainan Buddhist Association, Director of the Taiwan Buddhist Association, and Standing Supervisor of the Chinese Buddhist Bhikkhuni Association.