2021 Summer - FGU
Recent Developments of FGU in the Second Semester of 2020 Academic Year
Fo Guang University has Outstanding Performance in Enrollment
Fo Guang University participated in tree planting on World Earth Day
To face global warming, planting trees is the most economical, efficient, and sustainable method. In response to Earth Day, Fo Guang University joined forces with Green Hope Spring Social Enterprise. The latter donated Cinnamomum kanehirae, and Golden Bolly Gums, also known as the tree of Buddha's light, to FGU. Both enterprise and university expressly selected to plant trees on April 22nd, Earth Day. They jointly sign a letter of intent for cooperation to create shared values, implement social responsibilities, work for a high-quality natural environment and repair the future of the Earth! During the planting ceremony, Chen Yuhua, the founder of Green Hope Spring Social Enterprise, personally delivered the tree to Fo Guang University, representing the importance of the cooperation and the treasured baby saplings. President Chaur-shin Yung attended the event together with the Vice President Jow-Fei Ho and other executive supervisors. "We will treat these saplings like our children, and take care of them to ensure they can grow up peacefully," said the President. " As a Chinese idiom goes, it takes ten years to nurture a tree, but a hundred years to educate people. Planting trees is like education at Fo Guang University, diligent, attentive, and caring. We look forward to seeing the beautiful scene of teachers and students discussing schoolwork while enjoying the shade of the grown-up trees.”
Department of Buddhist Studies MA Program at Hong Kong held its online opening ceremony!
FGU Department of Buddhist Studies MA Program at Hong Kong held its second online opening ceremony! President Chaur-Shin Yung, together with the faculty, Hong Kong and Macau Chief Abbess Venerable Yung-Fu, and venerable from Hong Kong Fo Guang Shan Monastery participated blissfully. President Chaur-Shin Yung encouraged them by saying that “The more difficult the process is, the sweeter the fruit is!” He claimed that Fo Guang University is a warm and harmonious school where teachers and students have close relationships. Fo Guang University cooperates with Fo Guang Shan Hong Kong Monastery to offer excellent teachers and a learning environment. He hopes that after the pandemic, Hong Kong graduate students can come to their alma maters to appreciate the beauty of Fo Guang University. At the opening ceremony, senior students were also invited to share learning experiences with the freshmen. The Abbess Venerable Yung-Fu especially expressed that the first senior students enthusiastically collaborated with each other in their online classes and persevered to finish their studies despite the impossibility to interact face-to-face.
Moreover, in May this year, the overseas course of the College of LOHAS Industry was approved by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan and the Hong Kong Education Bureau. The course is expected to open in March 2022.
Fo Guang University Women's Basketball Team winning the UBA third place
In the 2020 academic year, University Basketball Association (UBA)'s League held the final competition of basketball on March 21st. Fo Guang University and Chinese Culture University competed for the third place. Facing a traditional and strong team, Fo Guang University fell behind by 23 points at the worst moment. However, Fo Guang University began to catch up in the second half. In the final quarter, Wang Jingting scored 5 points in a row. Huang Jingwen and Liang Yuling joined scoring points, leading the game to 77 against 77. In the overtime, Fo Guang University held the lead with 5 points. Finally, Fo Guang University was victorious with a final score of 90 against 85, winning the third place. With a shortage of players this year, Fo Guang University maintained results as outstanding as last year’s. Coach Yang Shujing said she believes that Li Yihua, who scored 19 points, will be stronger next year and her performance is worth looking forward to.
Fo Guang University won the Taiwan Most Influential Academic Resources Award.
In 2021, with a rate of 100% in electronic full-text dissertation authorization, Fo Guang University won the "Best Academic Dissemination" in the Private University Category of the Taiwan Most Influential Academic Resources Award. Every year, the National Central Library organizes Taiwan Most Influential Academic Resources Award to compliment public and private universities, technical and vocational schools, and publishing units, emphasizing the extraordinary contribution of these units to academic resources and research that serves as a model for learning. President Yung Chaur-shin remarked that Fo Guang University regularly deposits its dissertations in the National Central Library. Also, he thanked all the teachers and students for their collaborative efforts, which has made consecutive winning of the "Best Academic Dissemination" award possible. In the future, we will keep encouraging teachers to work hard to get better results!
Department of Product and Media Design handled graduation exhibition!
13 items shortlisted for the Young Pin Design Award.
Ten Directions is One Mind, 2021 graduation achievement exhibition of FGU Department of Product and Media Design students, has had excellent results with a total of 13 items shortlisted for the Young Pin Design Award. The content of the exhibition is diversified, including large-scale and exquisite products, dynamic and static media, and cultural and craft creation. On April 28th, Ten Directions is One Mind exhibition of the Department of Product and Media Design was held in the school. The President of Fo Guang University Yung Chaur-shin, Vice President Liu Sanqi, Dean of the College of Creativity and Technology Xie Yuanfu, Department head of the Department of Product and Media Design Zhang Zhisheng, and all professors of the department attended the exhibition and strongly supported students’ accomplishments. President Yung Chaur-shin indicated that although the Department of Product and Media Design is very young, it is amazing to see the achievements of its students every year! We believe that after four years of training and honing, students will have the same imagination for the future as for their exhibition this time. Also, we wish every student can shine and glow in the industry community! The meaning of "ten directions in one mind" is taken from the Buddhist scriptures, conveying that the whole world is born of countless thoughts. There are always countless ideas, even endless ones; and one idea can reach the ten directions, representing the speed and the breadth of the space.
Living Buddha-Love Life! Department of Buddhist Studies Handled Graduation Exhibition
The graduation exhibition of the Department of Buddhist Studies was held at FGU Yun Wu Library from May 10th to 15th, titled Living Buddha-Love Life. Living Buddha-Love Life is entrusted to represent the meaning of "Reciting the Buddha name wholeheartedly and Love Life". Two papers and six groups of creative works by twelve students, all marvelous, were exhibited. At the opening ceremony on the 10th, President Yung Chaur-shin along with the Dean of the College of Buddhist Studies Wan Jinchuan, and other deans and executives, as well as the professors of the Department of Buddhist Studies, and distinguished guests attended the exhibition. Principal Yang used his own experience as an example, saying that running a school seems simple, yet is hard to do. Similarly, the students' exhibits showed the results of four years of learning, which also came from gathering sand into a tower. "The achievement of learning starts from walking down the mountain and practicing the Way. Regardless of whether you are a layperson or a monastic, everybody has a responsibility for Buddhism," Dean Wan Jinchuan praised. The graduation achievement exhibition shows what students have thought, learned, and pursued in their four years of university. The characteristics of our students are shown through the academic and life education of the College of Buddhist Studies, and the integration of what is learned into daily life.
Department of Health and Creative Vegetarian Science
prepared a Creative Vegetarian Thanksgiving Luncheon at Fo Guang Shan.
To let students dig out their professional field and encounter their interest in it, every year FGU programs a week where each department holds its learning activities. Among all activities, students from the Department of Health and Creative Vegetarian Science made their efforts to prepare a Creative Vegetarian Thanksgiving Luncheon at Kaohsiung Fo Guang Shan. On the day of the lunch party on May 5, Venerable Tzu Hui, Chairman of Fo Guang University, Venerable Hsin Bao, Head Abbot of Fo Guang Shan Temple, Venerable Hsin Pei, Venerable Tzu Jung, director of the Board of Fo Guang University, Venerable Jue Yuan, Executive Director of Fo Guang University, Fo Guang University President Yung Chaur-shin, Benefactor Liu Zhaoming and his wife, and Dean Xu XingJia and his family, together tasted the dishes of Department of Health and Creative Vegetarian Science students. The origin of Creative Vegetarian Thanksgiving Luncheon is the benevolent acts and intentions from FGS Venerables and benefactors to students. Their help and contribution allow students to have a lot fewer difficulties in their schooling process and complete their studies. Therefore, the students specially designed 13 dishes. Each dish’s name contains Buddhist elements and the ingredients used are all-natural. The meals taught by the department’s professors are based on the premise of health. The dishes are not oily or greasy, and the taste is just right, making the VIPs present nod their heads in approbation and praise them. Venerable Abbot Hsin Bao and President Yung Chaur-shin both encouraged students. Also, Venerable Tzu Hui shared that Venerable Master Hsing Yun also loves cooking, and the principles he gained through cooking, which all students found beneficial.
“Lanyang Dietary Literature Food List” was published
Yilan's development process dates more than two hundred. With the fusion of Minnan and Hakka people, the traditional cuisine of Yilan has been created. Each of its dishes carries rich local histories, cultures, and stories. Luckily, a book named Lanyang Dietary Literature Food List, which 17 teachers and students of Fo Guang University jointly created, was published. This book collects 38 classical Yilan dishes described in literary ways. On April 27th, the book was launched in a literary feast. Lanyang Dietary Literature Food List not only combines local historiography to fulfill the university’s social responsibilities but also enhances Yilan’s food culture and creativity, being a conquered peak of literature for Fo Guang University. President Yung Chaur-shin said that due to the popularization of new media and the Internet, the combination of food and literature is an essential part of the life and culture of modern humans. A wave of citizen food reporting literature has emerged, allowing everyone to deliver and share food messages anytime and anywhere. It is also hoped that this move will set a new milestone for the localization of Taiwanese food literature.
The University’s Clubs Week, to Promote the Development of the University’s Clubs
To promote the development of the university’s clubs, Fo Guang University has the first University’s Clubs Week, a three-day event that started from March 30th. Fang Wu, a well-known female singer-songwriter, was specially invited to inaugurate the event. 20 clubs were participating, including the Student Association and the A Plus Volunteer Service Team. We hope to share the enthusiasm of our clubs with the teachers and students of the school. Weng Haoyu, president of the 19th Student Association, said that he was content with this opportunity which permits everyone to share what they love and what they are good at with other students. He also hopes that this event contributed to the exposure of FGU clubs and associations, letting more students join in and eventually, find their hobbies.
