Master Cheng Yen receives honorary
doctorate from HKU
By Shu-Yi Chang
(Translated by Joy Hsiao, New York)
Three vice presidents of the University
of Hong Kong came to Taiwan on July 9 to present an honorary
doctorate in social sciences to Master Cheng Yen. Vice president
Cheng Chieh-ming observed that ten years ago at the eightieth
anniversary of HKU, the same award was given to Mother Teresa
to recognize her contributions to the destitute in India.
This year the award was presented to Master Cheng Yen to recognize
her contributions to the people of this world, in the hope
that more people would join her philanthropic efforts.
In March of this year, Master Cheng Yen
was awarded a university degree from HKU. At that time, President
Lan Chung-fu of Tzu Chi University went to Hong Kong to receive
the diploma on the Master's behalf. On July 9, HKU vice presidents
Lee Cho-fen, Cheng Chieh-ming, and Chou Chao-ping came to
Hualien, Taiwan, to personally present the honorary doctorate
gown and diploma to Master Cheng Yen.
Master Cheng Yen remarked that this honor
resulted from the joint efforts of all Tzu Chi people, who
work with the spirit of "when one eye sees, a thousand
eyes also see; when one hand reaches out, a thousand hands
also reach out." The Master said, "All Tzu Chi people
and I will work even harder for the new century and provide
for every dark corner in this world in order to repay this
honor."
The HKU vice presidents observed that the
Tzu Chi Foundation vigorously promoted its four major missions
of charity, medicine, education and culture, and has thus
become the most trusted charity organization in Taiwan. The
University of Hong Kong felt that Master Cheng Yen's devotion
and contributions in religion and social services opened the
goodness in all Tzu Chi people. Her philanthropy has provided
assistance and care for over one million needy people in forty
countries, including Hong Kong. For this, the Master was nominated
for the honorary doctorate degree.
After the award presentation, the three
HKU representatives visited various Tzu Chi sites. Vice president
Cheng Chieh-ming remarked that the Master's teachings are
really common sense that everyone knows. However, Tzu Chi
volunteers put her words into action and thus change formless
ideals into concrete results.
The University of Hong Kong was opened in
1912. Prior to its establishment, it was the Hong Kong College
of Medicine, which was the alma mater of the father of the
Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen. The university awards four
to six honorary doctorate degrees annually to recognize persons
who have made social, educational, and academic contributions.
