Cultural Corridor (1F)

A Center for Humanistic Buddhism

Master Yin Shun was one of the leading modern advocates of Humanistic Buddhism. Through his extensive writings, he sought to clarify the Buddha’s teachings and fulfill his aspiration to “carry forward the Buddha’s wisdom and legacy.” At the same time, his scholarship broadened the horizons of Buddhist thought, building on the achievements of the past while opening new paths for the future. His work stands as an important chapter in the history of Chinese Buddhism.

After coming to Chiayi in 1963, Master Yin Shun found at Miaoyun Temple a quiet place for retreat and practice, through a convergence of karmic conditions. The monastic community here was deeply influenced by his teachings and care, particularly his emphasis on “this time, this place, and these people.” Inspired by his rigorous approach to practice and exemplary way of life, the community has sought to carry forward the spirit of Humanistic Buddhism and put it into practice, step by step.

Whether through inner cultivation and study or through sharing the Dharma with the wider community, the guiding principle has always been to remain engaged with the world and connected with sentient beings. In this way, the community has gradually brought the original vision of Humanistic Buddhism into everyday life. Through their daily practice, the harmonious monastic community of Miaoyun Temple continues, one step at a time, to embody and put into practice Master Yin Shun’s teachings.

Venerable Hui-Li (The Second Abbess)

After completing junior high school, Venerable Hui-Li entered the Buddhist Studies Institute at Baojue Temple in Taichung. There, through her study of An Introduction to Buddhism, she gained a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and came to regard Master Yin Shun as the teacher she would follow throughout her life.

In the autumn of 1957, she enrolled in the Buddhist College for Nuns in Hsinchu as a member of its first class. In early 1958, with Master Yin Shun’s compassionate consent, she was ordained as a Buddhist nun. From that time onward, she dedicated herself to following the Master’s path. Even after his passing, she continued to regard his aspirations as her own and remained steadfast in upholding the authentic spirit of his vision of Humanistic Buddhism.

In 1964, when Master Yin Shun entered retreat at Miaoyun Temple, Venerable Hui-Li vowed to devote herself to safeguarding his retreat. She remained at Miaoyun Temple thereafter, making it her permanent home. In 1971, Master Yin Shun formally entrusted Miaoyun Temple to her care. Following his compassionate instruction to “repay the kindness of the Three Jewels according to one’s abilities and circumstances,” Venerable Hui-Li persevered through more than four decades of hardship while maintaining her simple and unassuming way of life. She also vowed to follow Master Yin Shun on the Bodhisattva path, life after life. In doing so, she not only carried forward his humble and disciplined way of life but also became an exemplary embodiment of “the human practice of the Bodhisattva.”

Venerable Chang-Guang (Current Abbess)

In 1965, Venerable Chang-Guang came to Taiwan from Penghu and began studying and practicing Buddhism at Lingquan Temple on Yuemei Mountain. In 1967, she followed Venerable Sheng-Yin of Ciming Temple in Taichung and was ordained as a Buddhist nun. Although she had hoped to be ordained under Master Yin Shun, that wish did not come to pass. However, Master Yin Shun later served as her precept preceptor when she received full ordination, allowing her to fulfill, in a sense, her long-held aspiration to follow him.

In 1976, Venerable Chang-Guang came to Miaoyun Temple to assist with administrative affairs. She later remained there as a resident monastic, drawing close to Master Yin Shun and making his Dharma center her home. Through an extraordinary convergence of karmic conditions, she came to devote herself to carrying forward Master Yin Shun’s teachings and shouldering the responsibility of “carrying forward the Buddha’s wisdom and legacy.” She has devoted herself wholeheartedly to Miaoyun Temple and played a pivotal role in its development, earning her the description “the living source of Miaoyun’s flowing waters.”

Even through difficult and trying years, she has remained guided by the aspiration: “May this body and mind be offered to every realm; even so, it would not be enough to repay the Buddha’s kindness.” This aspiration continues to inspire her tireless commitment to spreading the Dharma.

Master Yin Shun’s Retreat Quarter at Miaoyun Temple

On May 26, 1964, Master Yin Shun entered meditation retreat at Miaoyun Temple. This was the period during his years in Taiwan when he devoted himself most deeply to quiet practice and contemplation. Miaoyun Temple was established specifically for his retreat, and after his passing, his retreat quarter has been carefully preserved and maintained by successive generations of monastics.

Everything in the retreat quarter has been preserved as it was during his lifetime. The Buddhist scriptures and books he read and studied, his manuscripts, everyday belongings, bed, tables and chairs, clothing, and other personal effects remain in their original places. In recent years, Miaoyun Temple has pioneered the preservation of historical materials within Taiwan’s Buddhist community. With the assistance of experts and scholars, these objects have been restored using professional museum conservation methods and displayed in a way that preserves the authenticity of the historical setting.

In 2003, following restoration, the retreat quarter was opened to the public for the first time. The unchanged furnishings and belongings preserve, in tangible form, traces of Master Yin Shun’s life and his journey among people. To step into the retreat quarter is to feel as though time has stood still, offering a glimpse into the quiet world of the Master’s wholehearted devotion to Buddhist study and practice.

A New Building Based on the Blueprint of Humanistic Buddhism

The new main hall at Miaoyun Temple takes Humanistic Buddhism as its guiding design concept, expressing the spiritual essence of Buddhism through an architectural language suited to the modern era. Unlike the rigid, rectangular forms traditionally associated with Buddhist temples, the new main hall follows the natural contours of the hillside and takes on a rounded form. Extensive use of natural light helps reduce energy consumption, while the exterior deliberately avoids the elaborate colors and ornamentation of traditional temples. Instead, its simple gray-toned washed-stone finish gives the building a quiet, understated character that reflects the unpretentious spirit of Miaoyun Temple.

The interior is designed around human needs, with careful attention to the practical requirements of monastic life and community operations. Spaces for public activities and areas for internal use are thoughtfully separated while being integrated within a multifunctional architectural design. By moving beyond the constraints of traditional temple design and adopting new approaches to Buddhist architecture, the building seeks to respond to the needs of a changing era. It offers younger generations and the wider public a fresh way to experience and connect with a Buddhist place of practice, opening the way to a deeper and more meaningful encounter with the Dharma.

Miaoyun Everflowing

The stone pillars at the main entrance of the old Main Hall at Miaoyun Temple bear a couplet by Master Hong Yi: “A supreme and wondrous place, a pure and cool garden free from defilement.” The horizontal plaque above the entrance bears the inscription “Miaoyun Temple,” written by the renowned calligrapher Yu Youren. Together, these inscriptions capture the character of this simple yet profound place—a setting of understated elegance and deep spiritual significance.

“The ordinary is not simply living a simple life, but living a life of simplicity.” These plain and unadorned words speak to the profound simplicity at the heart of Master Yin Shun’s way of life and practice, and offer a fitting reflection of the spirit of Miaoyun Temple.

The story of Miaoyun Temple is also a story of “the inconceivable workings of karmic conditions”—from Master Yin Shun’s years of retreat here, through the Temple’s humble beginnings and many hardships, to its development into what it is today. From the outset, the monastic community has embraced the aspiration to give rise to the Bodhisattva mind through engagement with people and everyday life. Through sustained efforts in environmental stewardship, end-of-life care, cultural education, and other areas, the community continues to put the principles of Humanistic Buddhism into practice, with the hope that its spirit will flow onward without end, like the ever-flowing clouds of Miaoyun.