Venerable Wei Chueh, the founder of Chung Tai Museum, was born in Ying Shan, Sichuan Province, China. As a youth, he showed a great interest in the study of Confucian classics. He was able to gain a profound and thorough understanding of the teachings. Subsequently, he undertook a comprehensive and earnest study of the Buddha's teachings, which inspired in him the steadfast resolution to leave the conventional world behind. In 1963, he was ordained under Master Ling Yuan in the Shi Fan Da Jue (“Great Enlightenment”) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan. Later on, he traveled to the secluded Wan Li Mountain in Taipei County where he immersed himself in solitary practice for over ten years. Gradually, new roads into the mountains created opportunity for more travelers and passersby to notice and admire the aura of deep virtue and wisdom emanating from the secluded monk. The number of followers who came to seek advice from the monk, whom we respectfully called the Grand Master, increased everyday. The Grand Master decided to build a place for the congregation, named Ling Quan Monastery, right on the mountain. And as the number of followers continued to grow, the Grand Master saw the need for a bigger monastery for the Buddhist practice. Hence, Chung Tai Chan Monastery was founded in 2001.
The Grand Master takes active steps to accomplish the Buddhist mission of spreading the Buddha’s teachings, guiding people on the path to enlightenment, and bringing peace and stability to society. He has built many branch meditation centers in Taiwan and overseas, promoted the practice of meditation, conducted Dharma lectures in various colleges and organizations, and regularly held Chan-7 meditation retreats in which he guides the students to look inwards into their original minds.
To make the Buddha’s teachings accessible and adaptable to the present society, the Grand Master proposes five avenues in which to integrate the teachings with the practice: academic research, education, culture and the arts, science and daily living. For example, integrating Buddhism with the arts means using Buddhist art and cultural expressions as the methods for spreading the Buddha’s teachings. To carry this out, the Grand Master has made special efforts to preserve and develop Buddhist art and culture, and engaged in the long-term organization and research of Buddhist artifacts. From the time of Lin Quan to Chung Tai, the integrity and resolution of the Grand Master has inspired many followers and patrons to offer resources and donate many art collections, resulting in an outstanding collection of Buddhist art.
The design of Chung Tai Museum firmly adheres to the aspiration of the Grand Master. Through the display of Buddhist art and culture, the museum aims to give witness to history in cultural relics, to stimulate interest and faith in Buddhism, and to spread the spirit of wisdom, compassion and equality to each viewer of these inspiring works of art.
Brief Sketch of the Life of
the Venerable Master Wei Chueh
- 1963
Ordained as a novice under the Venerable Master Lin Yuan at the Shi Fan Da Jue (“Great Enlightenment”) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan. - 1964
Received full ordination at the Shi Fan Da Jue (“Great Enlightenment”) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan. - Early 1971
Entered solitary practice in the secluded mountains near Wan Li Village in Tapei County for over 10 years. Built Lin Quan Chan Monastery on the mountains to spread the Buddhist teachings at the request of his followers from all over Taiwan. - Late 1991
Held seven consecutive seven-days Chan meditation retreats, or traditionally known as the “Chan-7” retreats, at Lin Quan Chan Monastery. Such a large-scale meditation retreat was the first in the Taiwanese Buddhist circles. Its success revitalized and popularized the practice of Chan Buddhism in Taiwan. Following the success of this event, the Venerable Master has continued to host Chan-7 retreats in Taiwan and overseas. As of today, hundreds of retreats have been held. - 1993
Established Chung Tai Buddhist Institute, which provides an intensive educational program to guide the monastics in the practice of the Buddhist teachings and to teach the many skills involved in the teaching of Buddhism to lay disciples. Established meditation centers, which offer different levels of meditation classes to lay disciples all over the communities in Taiwan. Traveled to Penticton, Canada to host a Chan-7 retreat. - 1994
Ground breaking ceremony for Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Delivered a Dharma lecture, “Chan and Modern Life,” at the University of California, Irvine. Conducted a one-day meditation retreat at Cal Poly. Conducted a Chan-7 retreat in Chuang Yen Monastery in New York. - 1995
Became the Abbot of Shi Fan Da Jue (“Great Enlightenment”) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan. - 1996
Went on an alms-begging round to raise disaster relief funds for the victims of Typhoon Herb. - 1998
Began the planning and preparation for the establishment of Pu Tai Elementary School. Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity at Shi Fan Da Jue (“Great Enlightenment”) Chan Monastery Keelung, Taiwan. Went alms-begging to raise funds for the Keelung municipal government. - 1999
Established an Immediate Disaster Relief Headquarter and a Fund Raising Branch for the 921 Earthquake in Taiwan. Mobilized the entire sangha and lay disciples to take part in the rescue and relief efforts. Raised a total of over 70 million NTD for the Disaster Relief Foundation. The relief efforts won an honorary recognition from the government of Taiwan, and won the “Examplary for Good Person Doing Good Deeds” award in the year 88 in the Republic of China. - 2000
Established Chinese Century Buddhism Association. Went into a solitary meditation retreat for six months in Ruisui, Hualien County in Eastern Taiwan. Started the planning stage of Pu Tai Senior High School. - 2001
▍Ground breaking ceremony for Pu Tai Elementary School. Inauguration of Chung Tai Chan Monastery with Consecration and Grand Opening Purification Ceremony.
▍Hosted “World Religions Cultural Exchange Conference.” Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity. Established "Fellowship for World Religions and Peace." Held numerous cross-strait and international symposiums and Conferences. Accepted invitation to host Chan-7 retreat in the U.S. Organized the "Chung Tai Chan Monastery Religious Arts and Cultural Overseas Delegation" to China for exchanges.
▍Received "Award of Excellence in the Organization of Charity Work and Contribution to Social Education and Reforms in the year 89." Joined the government's participation in the Typhoon Nari Disaster Relief operation, and received public recognition by the Taipei City government. - 2002
The Buddha’s relics, from Famen Monastery in Fufeng, Shaanxi arrived at Taiwan and were enshrined in Chung Tai Chan Monastery for 10 days. Organized the “Welcoming and Venerating the Buddha’s Relics for Blessings Ceremony” in association with the various circles in the Nantou County. Held a “Blessing Service for the Deceased Ceremony” for the Air China CI611 crash victims. Chung Tai Cultural Educational Foundation received the “Year 90 Taipei City Model of Excellence for Service-Learning Award.” - 2003
Held “Blessing and Peace Ceremony for the Early Prevention and Eradication of the SARS Epidemic.” Donated Public Mobile Libraries to the Puli Township. Held a Three-Days Chan Meditation Retreat for Business Executives. - 2004
Held the first “49 Days Medicine Buddha Ceremony” to pray for economic prosperity and world peace. Headed to the United States to spread the Dharma. Conducted the Consecration and Grand Opening Purification Ceremony at the Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston and Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale. Joined the Typhoon Mindulle and 72 Flooding Disaster Relief Operation. Initiated the Fund Raising Operation for the South Asian Tsunami Disaster. - 2005
Inauguration of Pu Tai Elementary School. Passed the Abbotship of Chung Tai Chan Monastery on to his disciple Master Jian Deng. Donated to the Disaster Relief Fund for the Hurricane Katrina victims. - 2006
Delivered a lecture at the Sichuan University, China, and accepted the appointment as honorary professor at the university. Held the first The True Face of the Lotus Treasury – Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Art Exhibition in November. - 2007
Ground-breaking ceremony for Chung Tai Museum. Ground breaking ceremony for Pu Tai Senior High School. Established Pu Ren Associated Clinic to service the community. Held the second The True Face of the Lotus Treasury – Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Art Exhibition in November. - 2008
Donated 26,600,000 NTD to the Sichuan 512 Earthquake disaster area. Completed the establishment of 108 meditation centers nationally and overseas, including the United States, Australia, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines. - 2009
▍In August - Donated 36,830,000 NTD to the Morakot Typhoon Relief. Inauguration of Pu Tai Senior High School, which fully realized the goal of establishing a comprehensive educational system with coordinated elementary, junior and senior high schools.
▍The first of April was the signing of the partnership agreement between Chung Tai Arts and Culture Foundation and Zhejiang Provincial Museum for the Chung Tai Museum grand opening special exhibition, Heavenly Treasures Sprung from the Earth: Soothing Art for the Mind from the Wuyue Kingdom. The third of October was the inauguration of Chung Tai Museum.
Venerable Wei Chueh
currently holds the following titles:
- ▍Founder of Chung Tai Chan Monastery
- ▍Spiritual Director of Chung Tai Chan Monastery
- ▍Spiritual Director of The Chung Tai Buddhist Institute for Monks and The Chung Tai Buddhist Institute for Nuns
- ▍Founder of Pu Tai Elementary and Junior High School
- ▍Founder of Pu Tai Senior High School
- ▍Spiritual Director of Taiwan College Youth Chan Study Society
- ▍Chairman of the Chinese Century Buddhism Association
- ▍President of the Chung Tai Art and Culture Foundation