Taiwanese Buddhist Association donates relics to China

The National Museum of China in Beijing held a ceremony on Monday in which the Unified Association of Humanist Buddhism, Chunghua, donated 30 relics to the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), highlighting the cultural ties between the China and Taiwan. Some 250 officials and guests from China and Taiwan attended the ceremony, highlighting the significance of the relics.

Co-chairman of the Chunghua Unified Humanist Buddhism Association Wu Chih-yang admitted that the relics were collected by "warm people" from abroad and then collected by the association.

“There is always a long story behind every lost item, but destiny rediscovers them, and so the key is to bring them home,” Wu said. “Donating these items is not just an exchange of heritage cultural and Buddhist circles on the other side of the strait. It is a higher level communication regarding our deep emotion. (ECNS)

The relics, made up of colorful sculptures dating from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), were selected from a collection of lost precious items from various foreign sources in recent years.

Head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council Song Tao praised the efforts of Taiwanese citizens to safeguard Chinese cultural relics and promote culture Chinese.

Song emphasized the common Chinese identity of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing the importance of Chinese culture as a common heritage and binding the two peoples in what he called "our common foundation, our pride, our wealth and our soul.” (World Time)

Taiwanese guests emphasized the importance of Buddhist culture as an integral aspect of traditional Chinese culture, viewing the collection and preservation of these artifacts as a way to show pride in their cultural heritage. They noted that the donation event reflected sentiments passed down from previous generations, citing the example of Ven. Master Hsing Yun (1927-2023), founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order of Taiwan, who donated a Buddha head statue from the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577) to the NCHA. This event took place in 2016 and attracted the attention of many people in China, Taiwan and beyond. During this ceremony, Ven. Hsing Yun promised to bring more relics.

“Hsing Yun has set an outstanding example for the people in safeguarding Chinese cultural relics,” Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli said at the ceremony. “Once again we see his unfulfilled wish come true. » (ECNS)

Sun added that the newly returned relics would undergo in-depth study to better understand their provenance and condition. Exhibitions would follow, allowing the Chinese and Taiwan to benefit from the exchanges.

“Cultural communication has always played a crucial role in enhancing people-to-people connectivity across the Strait and strengthening our ties,” Sun said. (ECNS)

The guests from Taiwan expressed hope that the return of these artifacts would promote peace, harmony and unity between Chinese and Taiwanese citizens. They called for increased interactions, exchanges and visits between people on both sides of the Strait to build mutual trust and goodwill, thereby contributing to the revitalization of Chinese culture.