The Nung Chan Monastery (meaning 'Farming Ch'an') is a monastery at Beitou District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is formally founded in 1975 by Ven. Dongchu, a scholar monk and disciple of renowned Chinese Buddhist Master Taixu.[1] It's named ' Farming Ch'an ' as its early residents dedicated themselves to Ch'an practice and grew their own food. Its spirit is based on 8th century Zen Master Baizhang Huaihai's aphorism, "A day without work is a day without food."
Ven. Dongchu bought the 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) land at Guandu Plain near Taipei in the end of the 1960s. As he didn't have many followers, he worked most of the land by himself and for the first few years, his only improvement is to have the land leveled. It then became a farmland worked by Ven. Dong Chu, his two disciples, and the neighboring villagers. In 1971, Ven. Dongchu finally began to build a two-story farmhouse that still existed today behind the main hall. The building was completed four years later in 1975.[2]
Ven. Dongchu was determined to promote Buddhist culture in Taiwan and cultivating Buddhist human talent. The monastery became a center for Ven. Dongchu's cultural and educational activity, and annual winter charity events.[3]
In 1978, Ven. Dongchu died and in his will he wanted to be succeeded by his disciple, Ven. Sheng-yen, as the abbot of the monastery. Ven. Sheng-yen was in United States by the time, he was just being elected abbot of a small monastery in Bronx, New York called Temple of Great Enlightenment. But he couldn't refuse his master's will and decided to return to Taiwan.[4]
Under Ven. Sheng-yen's leadership the monastery's devotees increased, and it had to expand its buildings further. The two-story 3,600 square feet (330 m2) farmhouse wasn't enough for the growing followers. Under the help of some donors, it then erected several temporary steel buildings. Some of Ven. Sheng-yen's earliest Taiwanese disciples were devotees and monks in Nung Chan.
Throughout the 1980s it continued to expand with temporary buildings as Master Sheng-yen's reputation grew. Its capacity became quite overwhelmed by the late 1980s and finally the organization decided to buy a new plot of land in the mountainous area of Jinshan, Taipei and build the Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM). Until today, after the completion of DDM in Jinshan, Nung Chan continues to serve as DDM's principal branch.[5]
nung, chan, monastery, refugee, camp, nong, chan, refugee, camp, meaning, farming, monastery, beitou, district, taipei, taiwan, formally, founded, 1975, dongchu, scholar, monk, disciple, renowned, chinese, buddhist, master, taixu, named, farming, early, reside. For the refugee camp see Nong Chan Refugee Camp The Nung Chan Monastery meaning Farming Ch an is a monastery at Beitou District Taipei Taiwan It is formally founded in 1975 by Ven Dongchu a scholar monk and disciple of renowned Chinese Buddhist Master Taixu 1 It s named Farming Ch an as its early residents dedicated themselves to Ch an practice and grew their own food Its spirit is based on 8th century Zen Master Baizhang Huaihai s aphorism A day without work is a day without food Nung Chan MonasteryArchitectureGroundbreaking1971Completion date1975SiteLocationBeitou Taipei TaiwanVen Dongchu bought the 2 5 acres 10 000 m2 land at Guandu Plain near Taipei in the end of the 1960s As he didn t have many followers he worked most of the land by himself and for the first few years his only improvement is to have the land leveled It then became a farmland worked by Ven Dong Chu his two disciples and the neighboring villagers In 1971 Ven Dongchu finally began to build a two story farmhouse that still existed today behind the main hall The building was completed four years later in 1975 2 Ven Dongchu was determined to promote Buddhist culture in Taiwan and cultivating Buddhist human talent The monastery became a center for Ven Dongchu s cultural and educational activity and annual winter charity events 3 In 1978 Ven Dongchu died and in his will he wanted to be succeeded by his disciple Ven Sheng yen as the abbot of the monastery Ven Sheng yen was in United States by the time he was just being elected abbot of a small monastery in Bronx New York called Temple of Great Enlightenment But he couldn t refuse his master s will and decided to return to Taiwan 4 Under Ven Sheng yen s leadership the monastery s devotees increased and it had to expand its buildings further The two story 3 600 square feet 330 m2 farmhouse wasn t enough for the growing followers Under the help of some donors it then erected several temporary steel buildings Some of Ven Sheng yen s earliest Taiwanese disciples were devotees and monks in Nung Chan Throughout the 1980s it continued to expand with temporary buildings as Master Sheng yen s reputation grew Its capacity became quite overwhelmed by the late 1980s and finally the organization decided to buy a new plot of land in the mountainous area of Jinshan Taipei and build the Dharma Drum Mountain DDM Until today after the completion of DDM in Jinshan Nung Chan continues to serve as DDM s principal branch 5 Contents 1 Gallery 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksGallery Edit See also EditBuddhism in Taiwan Ven Dongchu Ven Sheng yen Dharma Drum Mountain Shandao Temple Zhongzheng District Linji Huguo Chan Temple Zhongshan District List of temples in TaiwanReferences Edit Dharma Drum Mountain Archived from the original on 2007 03 25 Retrieved 2009 10 15 http www dharmadrum org about about aspx cid C 00000016 amp ccid C 00000018 permanent dead link http www dharmadrum org about about aspx cid C 00000042 permanent dead link Sheng Yen Footprints in the Snow The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk Doubleday Religion 2008 ISBN 978 0 385 51330 2 Dharma Drum Mountain Archived from the original on 2007 03 25 Retrieved 2009 10 14 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nung Chan Monastery Nung Chang Monastery page from Dharma Drum Mountain This article about a Buddhist convent is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article about a building or structure in Taiwan is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nung Chan Monastery amp oldid 1105668875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
