The world of Tzu Chi July 2020 (Vol.124)

07 TZU CHI 124 The Café is decorated in subdued, earthy tones to evoke a sense of nature and create a comfortable atmosphere. [Photograph courtesy of Jing-Si Books & Café, KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall outlet] leaving donations intact and toiling daily in exchange for subsistence. The Master also adamantly refused offerings in any form,making a living from sculpting clayware, patching concrete sacks, knitting woollen garments, carving wooden sculptures, processing ready- to-wear apparel, grinding multigrain powder, planting paddy and making wax candles, among other tasks. Hence, the Jing-Si brand has come to represent the self-sustaining spirit of the Dharma masters and the legacy of diligence and perseverance. Enriching lives with Jing-Si publications When the grand opening ceremony for the Tzu Chi College of Nursing took place on September 17, 1989, every guest received a book, courtesy of Gary Ho, a Tzu Chi volunteer and convener of the ceremony. He had enlisted the help of his friend, Kao Hsin-chiang, a veteran in print media and an experienced editor, to publish a compilation of Master Cheng Yen’s sayings. On November 15, 1989, Jing Si Aphorisms was launched by the Chiu Ko Publishing Company, with 500,000 copies circulating. Following the publication of Jing Si Aphorisms , Master Cheng Yen converted the royalty payments received into red envelopes of wisdom and blessings to be distributed to volunteers at the end of every year. In October 1990, Tzu Chi Culture Publications was established to disseminate Master Cheng Yen’s teachings by releasing books based on Tzu Chi’s culture and humanistic values. In March 1993, Jing-Si