Dharma Drum Mountain’s Aid Project to Reconstruct Duogong Central Elementary School in China’s Sichuan Province Completed
Following the earthquake that hit the Yaan City, Sichuan Province, China, in April of 2013, Dharma Drum Mountain launched a relief project to help rebuild schools in the area. On the morning of January 22, 2016, an opening ceremony was held at the Minxing High School in the Xiushui Township to celebrate the completion of the school’s library and sports field, along with the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of its table-tennis center. The project to rebuild the Duogong Central Elementary School in the Tianquan County, Yaan, was also completed, with an opening ceremony held on the morning of January 21, attended by local residents, as well as teachers and students at the school.
The two ceremonies, long expected by residents of the township, were highly valued by the local government. DDM’s abbot president Ven. Guo Dong, vice abbot president Ven. Guo Pin, and secretary-general of DDM Social Welfare and Charity Foundation Ven. Guo Qi attended the ceremonies to share the joy for the completion of the two rebuilt campuses. Distinguished guests, including Zhou Minqian, supervisor of Taiwan Affairs Office of the Sichuan Province, Rong Daoqing, secretary-general of the Chengdu Charity Foundation, were also invited.
Yaan was heavily devastated by a huge earthquake in April 2013, which caused many campus buildings to collapse. DDM soon launched a relief project by funding the reconstruction of Duogong Central Elementary School in Yaan’s Tianquan County. Valuing the importance of education and upholding the compassionate spirit shown in Dharma Drum Mountain’s founder Master Sheng Yen, DDM Social Welfare and Charity Foundation decided to fund the reconstruction of the school, an endeavor to enable more people to realize DDM’s vision of Protecting Spiritual Environment through a peaceful mind, body, family, and activity. Started in October 2014, the project, covering an administration and teaching building, a faculty dormitory, a canteen, walls around a sports field, a guardhouse, as well as campus greening, has since the 2015 fall semester seen the completion of some buildings.
Building a library and sports field for Minxing High School is a follow-up plan of DDM’s disaster relief project in Sichuan. By establishing a Peace of Mind Relief Station in the area to help people realize the Four Fields for Cultivating Peace—
peace of mind, body, family and activity—DDM has developed a deep, long-term relationship with local teachers, students and residents. While the library will provide students with a perfect study environment, the sports field, not only for students to do sports, will also be open to the public to do exercise and walking.
DDM’s vice abbot Ven. Guo Pin expressed thanks to donors and the local government for all their support. Following Master Sheng Yen’s vision of “uplifting the character of humanity and building a pure land on earth,” DDM expects itself to continue to bring peace and send blessings to the victims in disaster areas, with a humble and grateful attitude.
(Text and Photography by DDM Social Welfare and Charity Foundation)
(Translated by Kate Wan-chi Huang and edited by Chiacheng Chang)