The founder of the school is Dharma Master Cheng Yen of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation. With the great aspiration of compassion and joy, the Master embarked on a great mission of helping and saving those who suffer and encounter hardships. With Eastern Taiwan as its base, The Master initiated and dedicated herself to a life-long mission of helping people and spreading kindness.
Adhering to the principle of honesty and integrity, the charity donated by the general public has been done to benefit all living beings without fail. "Buddhism is a theory and concept, while Tzu Chi acts as an affair and movement." What is done will show what needs to be known. Tzu Chi is thus acknowledged as the inspiring practical of Buddhism. The immense religious sentiment has inspired countless people, from the wealthy and experts, to the general public, a lot has dedicated themselves to supporting Tzu Chi. The Master suggests that everyone is equal, and that the wealthy should be enlightened, and the poor must be saved.
Dharma Master Cheng Yen discovered and realized the concept of "benefiting the world with benevolence and compassion" of Buddhism and put the principles into practice. The boundless Sahā world and the realistic society are the dojos of Tzu Chi. Tzu Chi’s various ambitions are equal and respected by all beings as a whole. Over the past 40 years of uninterrupted hard work, the Tzu Chi world, a miracle of global love, has been built up in the form of "charity", "medicine", "education", "culture", "international disaster relief", "bone marrow donation" to "environmental protection" and "community volunteers" and is still continuing to serve its purpose.