TZU CHI TIMELINE
1937: The founder of Tzu Chi was born as Jinyun in Qinshui, Taizhong, Taiwan.
1938: Jinyun was given away to the family of her uncle, who was childless at that time.
1952: When Jinyun’s mother was ill, Jinyun vowed to become a vegetarian and received Bodhisattva Guan Yin’s revelation.
1960: Jinyun’s father died, and she blamed herself for mismanaging his medical aid.
1960: Jinyun was attracted to the local Buddhist temple, Ciyun Si, where she met Ven. Xiudao, and began to contemplate becoming a Buddhist nun.
1961: Jinyun escaped from home with Xiudao and went to Hualian, in the Eastern part of Taiwan, where they stayed together for two years. Xiucan was decided upon as her dharma name.
1963: To validate her self-ordination, Xiucan attended the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China (i.e. of Taiwan) (BAROC) annual inauguration. There she met the master Yinshun, who agreed to be her tonsure master and gave her a new dharma-name, Zhengyan (Chengyen).
1966: Ciji Gong der hui (The Buddhist Compassion and Merit Foundation) was founded with five nuns and thirty housewives.
1987: The membership title of Honorary Patron (榮譽董事róngyù dŏngshì) was introduced
1989: The first chapter of the Buddhist CiJi Foundation, U.S.A., known as Ci Ji USA, was established in Alhambra, California.
1990: The CiJi men’s association, called the Regiment of the Faith Corps (慈誠隊cí-cén duì ), was formally founded.
2008: CiJi was granted official NPO status by PRC, as the first (overseas) NPO China.
