The West is most familiar with Buddhism through novels such as Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Journey to the West (
History paints a different picture, however, as numerous Indian missionaries traveled to China to promulgate the Buddhist faith. One, named Bodhidharma (
By the time he died on the banks of the Lo River in 534, he had sown the seeds of Chan Buddhism (
Bodhidharma's ideas were not immediately welcomed. Indeed, his disciple and successor, Hui Ke (
Failing to interest the established Chinese Buddhist hierarchy in his ideas, Bodhidharma, the "Blue-eyed Barbarian," spent nine years in "wall-gazing" meditation. Hui Ke, his first disciple, chopped off his arm to demonstrate his commitment to learn his master's difficult methods.
One of these teachings was that the realization of one's Buddha-nature is attained through mystic and intuitive practices rather than scriptures and ritual. From the 10th century, though, sutra-learning gained a more central role in Chan Buddhism as the number of followers grew and made intense personal meditation less feasible.
Bodhidharma traced his esoteric teachings to the Buddha, who is said to have answered his disciple Kasyapa by merely plucking a flower.
His elevation to Bodhisattva and 1st Patriarch of the Chan School was largely due to subsequent religious and political developments in China. His story became synthesized with those of two other important monks, which connects him with the important Shaolin Monastery.
Routine hagiograhical "facts" were subsequently added to this amalgam. He was given an age of 150 years and reported to have returned to India following his death.
This legend suggests Daoist influences affecting Chan Buddhism, just as Buddhism was also coloring China's own religions at the time. On hearing that he had been spotted in India, disciples opened the Bodhidharma's grave and found it empty but for a single straw sandal. This is commemorated in Chinese Buddhist art, where Bodhidharma is portrayed walking home on one sandal. Other portrayals show him as legless, having lost the use of his legs during nine years of meditation.
This fusion of historical characters and the addition of local traits mark the origins of Chan Buddhism, the first truly Chinese Buddhism.
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
President William Lai’s (賴清德) March 13 national security speech marked a turning point. He signaled that the government was finally getting serious about a whole-of-society approach to defending the nation. The presidential office summarized his speech succinctly: “President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces: China’s threat to national sovereignty, its threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military, its threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan, its threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges, and its threats from
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at