Timeline: The Life of Grand Master Wei Chueh

1963 Ordained as a novice under the Venerable Lingyuan at the Shi Fang Da Jue (Great Enlightenment) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan.

1964 Received full ordination at the Shi Fang Da Jue (Great Enlightenment) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan.

Early 1970 Entered solitary practice in the secluded mountains of Wanli district in northern Taiwan for more than 10 years.

1987 At the request of his followers to spread the Dharma, built Ling Quan Chan Monastery at the site of his seclusion on the Wanli mountains.

Late 1991 Held seven consecutive Chan-7 meditation retreats at Ling Quan Chan Monastery, the first such large scale meditation retreat in the Taiwanese Buddhist circles. Its success revitalized Chan Buddhism in Taiwan. Over the years, the Grand Master had conducted hundreds of Chan-7 retreats in Taiwan and overseas.

1992 Entered a two-month solitary retreat in Taichung and at its completion, described his insights in the “Pear Blossom Songs,” four poems explaining the stages of cultivation. Opened the first meditation center, Pu Guang, in Taipei, and began establishing other centers throughout Taiwan, providing many Zen Buddhism and meditation classes to the public. Began plans for the construction of Chung Tai Chan Monastery.

1993 Invited to New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles to give Dharma lectures, and conducted a Chan-7 retreat in Vancouver, Canada, marking the beginning of bringing the Chung Tai Dharma overseas. Established Chung Tai Buddhist Institute in Taiwan to educate and prepare the monastics to spread the Dharma.

1994 Established the Chung Tai Collegiate Chan Association in Taiwan. Delivered a Dharma lecture, “Chan and Modern Life,” at the University of California, Irvine. Conducted a one-day meditation retreat at Cal Poly. Groundbreaking of Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Conducted a Chan-7 retreat in Chuang Yen Monastery in New York.

1996 Went on an alms-begging round to raise disaster relief funds for the victims of Typhoon Herb.

1998 Began planning for Pu Tai Elementary and Junior High Schools. Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity at the Shi Fang Da Jue (Great Enlightenment) Chan Monastery in Keelung, Taiwan. Went alms-begging to raise funds for Keelung City.

1999 Established an Immediate Disaster Relief Headquarter and a Fund Raising Branch for the 921 Earthquake in Taiwan. Mobilized the entire sangha and lay disciples to take part in the rescue and relief efforts; helped distribute relief materials and provided hundreds of free meals everyday to Puli residents for around six months. Established the Chinese Century Buddhism Association.

2000 Accepted recognition for the 921 Earthquake relief efforts by the government of Taiwan. Entered a six-month solitary retreat in Hualien, Taiwan. Honored with the Year’s “Good People Doing Good Deeds” award. Opened the first oversea meditation center in California, USA—Buddha Gate Monastery.

2001 Organized the "Chung Tai Chan Monastery Religion, Art and Culture Delegation" to China. Awarded the Year’s “Excellence in the Organization of Charity Work and Contribution to Social Education and Reforms." Groundbreaking of Pu Tai Elementary and Junior High School. Inauguration of Chung Tai Chan Monastery. Organized “World Religions Cultural Exchange Conference.” Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity. Held the "First Cross-Strait Art and Culture Exchange Conference” and “Welcome China’s Buddhist Academy Delegation Symposium.” Joined the government's efforts in the Typhoon Nari disaster relief operation, and received recognition from the Taipei City government. Conducted Grand Opening Ceremony and Chan-7 retreat at Buddha Gate Monastery in the San Francisco Bay Area.

2002 Chung Tai Cultural Educational Foundation received the Year’s “Taipei City Model of Excellence for Service-Learning Award.” The Buddha’s sariras, from Famen Temple in Fufeng, Shaanxi, China arrived at Taiwan and were enshrined in Chung Tai Chan Monastery for 10 days. Organized major events and ceremonies to venerate the Buddha’s relics in association with the various circles in Nantou County. Held a memorial ceremony for the China Airlines CI611 crash victims.

2003 Organized “Cross-Strait Technological Development and Spiritual Purification Symposium.” Held a blessing ceremony for the prevention and eradication of the SARS epidemic. Donated a vehicle as one of the Public Mobile Libraries to the Puli Township. Held a three-day Chan meditation retreat for business executives.

2004 Initiated the “Chung Tai One Stick of Incense” program which offers day-long sitting meditation sessions everyday in the Upper Chan Hall. Held the first annual Medicine Buddha Blessing Ceremony to pray for social prosperity and world peace. Joined the Typhoon Mindulle and Seven-Two Flooding Disaster Relief Operation. Pu Tai Elementary and Junior High Schools officially opened. Spread the Dharma in the United States: conducted the Consecration and Grand Opening Purification Ceremony at the Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston and Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale. Raised funds for the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

2005 Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity. Formal inauguration ceremony of Pu Tai Elementary and Junior High Schools. Passed on the Abbotship of Chung Tai Chan Monastery to his disciple the Venerable Jiandeng. Established the Soaring Cloud Art Center in Pu Gao Meditation Center, Kaohsiung. Donated to the Disaster Relief Fund for the Hurricane Katrina victims.

2006 Co-founded the First World Buddhist Forum; delivered a keynote address on the Forum’s main theme: “A Harmonious World Begins From the Mind.” Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, China, one of ten great ancient Chan temples, and Chung Tai Chan Monastery became brother temples. Delivered a lecture at the Sichuan University, China, and accepted honorary professorship at the university. Held the Nantou Bonsai Exhibit and Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Art Exhibition in sponsorship with the Nantou County Flower Carnival. The Chung Tai Martial Arts Center opened to promote the integration of Chan and martial arts.

2007 Established the Preparatory Committee for Chung Tai Museum. Groundbreaking of Pu Tai Senior High School. Pu Ren General and Dental Clinics opened to serve the community. Held the 2007 Peace and Blessing Ceremony. Installation of the Unity Bridge at Chung Tai, a gift from brother temple Lingyin Temple of China. Held the Nantou Bonsai Exhibit and Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Art Exhibition in sponsorship with the Nantou County Flower Carnival. Held Cross-Strait Buddhist Cultural Conference.

2008 Donated to the Sichuan great earthquake disaster area. Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity. Held the “Winter Vegetarian Meal Offering for the Thousands Ceremony” in the town of Puli, which offered free vegetarian meals to Puli residents for five days. Reached the milestone of establishing108 Chung Tai meditation centers nationally and overseas.

2009 Planted a “Cross-Strait Peace Tree” with the director of China’s Bureau of Religion. Unveiled the Unity Bridge Plaque with the deputy party secretary of the Zhejiang Province. Invited to the Second World Buddhist Forum with the theme: “Make the Conditions Come Together for a Harmonious World.” Planted a “Cross-Strait Peace Silver Birch Tree” with the vice-director of China’s Taiwan affairs office. Held Cross-Strait Peace Blessing Ceremony. Donated to the Morakot Typhoon Relief. Inauguration of Pu Tai Senior High School. Inauguration of Chung Tai Museum with special exhibition, Heavenly Treasures Sprung from the Earth, displaying Zhejiang Provincial Museum’s collection of unearthed artifacts from Leifeng Pagoda. Opened Lotus Cloud Art Center in Pu Lian Monastery in Hualien. Held Cross-Strait Cultural Artifacts Exchange Symposium and Cross-Strait Peace Blessing Ceremony. The Director of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation paid visit.

2010 Received 1,273 titles of stele rubbings from Xi’an Beilin Museum as a gift to Chung Tai. Held Cross-Strait Peace Blessing Ceremony. Chung Tai Museum held special exhibition: True Treasures in Stone and Ink. Spread the Dharma in the United States: Inauguration of the Texas Pagoda Chan Monastery in Texas and Middle Land Chan Monastery in Los Angeles, transmitted the Eight Prohibitive and Fasting Precepts, Three Refuges and Five Precepts in Buddha Gate Monastery at its 10th anniversary, delivered Dharma talks in Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale and Chung Tai Zen Center of Houston.

2011 Held the Chung Tai Chan Monastery 10th Anniversary Celebration Ceremony. Transmitted the Triple Platform Ordination for the monastics and the Bodhisattva Precepts for the laity. The Chung Tai Shan Buddhist Foundation at its 15th anniversary donated NT$ 9.5 million to various schools, medical and social organizations throughout Taiwan out of the spirit of unconditioned compassion.

2012 Held the 2012 Cross-Strait Peace Blessing Ceremony. Spoke at the Third World Buddhist Forum with the theme: “Unity of Vow and Action for a Harmonious World.” Delivered Dharma talks and transmitted the Three Refuges at Hong Kong’s Pu Guang Meditation Center. Groundbreaking of the Chung Tai World Museum.

2013 Donated to the Sichuan Ya’an earthquake disaster relief. Chung Tai Museum held special exhibition: All Dharma Leads to the One Truth.

2016 Conducted a tonsure ceremony—his last Dharma ceremony. Inauguration of Chung Tai World Museum.