"Dr. Duh Chun-yuan has a daily cleaning ritual"
Michael Bristow (BBC) in Kaohsiung
At 6:30 am every day, a 63-year-old man leaves his home in the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung with a dustpan and brush to sweep the streets around his home. He spends half an hour making his neighbourhood spick and span -- he even cleans up dog dirt -- before returning home to have breakfast with his wife.
"There is something more meaningful in my life other than material purposes" -- Dr. Duh Chun-yuan
Dr. Duh Chun-yuan
The elderly man is neither a pensioner with time on his hands, nor an environmental campaigner, but a multi-millionaire businessman who heads two of Taiwan's top IT companies.
Dr. Duh Chun-yuan carries out his morning routine not because he has to, but because, like an increasing number of Taiwanese, he feels he wants to put something back into his community.
He said: "People see me cleaning the street and say, 'How can this guy do that job,' but I feel very good, very calm. I feel it's helping me spiritually."
Life-changing experience
Despite rising economic prosperity over recent years, many people on the island, like Dr. Duh, are turning to voluntary work and other good deeds to fulfil the spiritual side of their lives.
Dr. Duh is one of Taiwan's most successful businessmen. He was a pioneer of the island's semi-conductor industry and holds senior positions in two companies he founded, Orient Semiconductor Electronics and Silicon Integrated Systems.
His life seemed to be going along a traditional path until 1987 when he had a life-changing experience. He suffered a heart attack during a trip to Hawaii and began to reassess his life.
He soon became involved with the Tzu Chi Foundation in Taiwan, a Buddhist charity that focuses on such things as health and educational projects both on the island and overseas.
"People get a sense of satisfaction and sense of pride from contributing to society" -- Polyn Hou, Tzu Chi spokeswoman
Michael Bristow (BBC) in Kaohsiung
At 6:30 am every day, a 63-year-old man leaves his home in the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung with a dustpan and brush to sweep the streets around his home. He spends half an hour making his neighbourhood spick and span -- he even cleans up dog dirt -- before returning home to have breakfast with his wife."There is something more meaningful in my life other than material purposes" -- Dr. Duh Chun-yuan
Dr. Duh Chun-yuan
The elderly man is neither a pensioner with time on his hands, nor an environmental campaigner, but a multi-millionaire businessman who heads two of Taiwan's top IT companies.
Dr. Duh Chun-yuan carries out his morning routine not because he has to, but because, like an increasing number of Taiwanese, he feels he wants to put something back into his community.
He said: "People see me cleaning the street and say, 'How can this guy do that job,' but I feel very good, very calm. I feel it's helping me spiritually."
Life-changing experience
Despite rising economic prosperity over recent years, many people on the island, like Dr. Duh, are turning to voluntary work and other good deeds to fulfil the spiritual side of their lives.
Dr. Duh is one of Taiwan's most successful businessmen. He was a pioneer of the island's semi-conductor industry and holds senior positions in two companies he founded, Orient Semiconductor Electronics and Silicon Integrated Systems.
His life seemed to be going along a traditional path until 1987 when he had a life-changing experience. He suffered a heart attack during a trip to Hawaii and began to reassess his life.
He soon became involved with the Tzu Chi Foundation in Taiwan, a Buddhist charity that focuses on such things as health and educational projects both on the island and overseas.
"People get a sense of satisfaction and sense of pride from contributing to society" -- Polyn Hou, Tzu Chi spokeswoman
The foundation had just a handful of members when it was launched in 1966, but now has around four million supporters, many of them outside Taiwan.
Dr. Duh, who has three children, is a key foundation supporter. Just two of his donations of land and shares to the organization were together worth nearly $100 million.
Like many others with less money to give, he also donates his time to good causes, such as his street sweeping.
"Before joining the foundation, I was just like every other businessman, fighting for the growth of the business, for profit, for personal reasons," he said.
"Now I feel there is something more meaningful in my life other than material purposes. I feel personally I am now a much more humble person."
"Spiritual wealth"
The foundation's increasing popularity -- and the support given to similar charitable organizations -- shows that many people in Taiwan, from company directors to ordinary office workers, feel the need to help others.
The 1999 earthquake prompted new volunteers (AP).
Tzu Chi spokeswoman Polyn Hou said despite Taiwan's relative wealth, more people like Dr. Duh were coming forward to carry out voluntary work.
She said the number of people volunteering had risen since the major earthquake that hit Taiwan in September 1999, killing more than 2,000 people.
"People get a sense of satisfaction and sense of pride from contributing to society," she said. "People become spiritually wealthy because when you help others you actually help yourself."
The rise in the number of volunteers is partly related to a Buddhist revival that has been going on in Taiwan for a number of years.
There are believed to be around four million practicing Buddhists on the island.
The type of Buddhism practised emphasises doing good deeds rather than meditation. This has led to people volunteering for organizations such as the Tzu Chi Foundation.
Elise DeVido, of research body the Ricci Institute for Chinese Studies, said: "In countries such as Nepal and India, Buddhism is more contemplative, but in Taiwan it's more engaged, focusing on such things as social welfare."
Buddhist organizations run nurseries, orphanages, hospitals, retirement homes, and clinics.
Whatever the personal motivation, for many people, like Dr. Duh, voluntary work has become an integral part of their lives.
The street sweeper said: "Speaking from my heart, I would prefer to be remembered as a devoted volunteer of Tzu Chi rather than as a businessman." Source
Dr. Duh, who has three children, is a key foundation supporter. Just two of his donations of land and shares to the organization were together worth nearly $100 million.
Like many others with less money to give, he also donates his time to good causes, such as his street sweeping.
"Before joining the foundation, I was just like every other businessman, fighting for the growth of the business, for profit, for personal reasons," he said.
"Now I feel there is something more meaningful in my life other than material purposes. I feel personally I am now a much more humble person."
"Spiritual wealth"
The foundation's increasing popularity -- and the support given to similar charitable organizations -- shows that many people in Taiwan, from company directors to ordinary office workers, feel the need to help others.
The 1999 earthquake prompted new volunteers (AP).Tzu Chi spokeswoman Polyn Hou said despite Taiwan's relative wealth, more people like Dr. Duh were coming forward to carry out voluntary work.
She said the number of people volunteering had risen since the major earthquake that hit Taiwan in September 1999, killing more than 2,000 people.
"People get a sense of satisfaction and sense of pride from contributing to society," she said. "People become spiritually wealthy because when you help others you actually help yourself."
The rise in the number of volunteers is partly related to a Buddhist revival that has been going on in Taiwan for a number of years.
There are believed to be around four million practicing Buddhists on the island.
The type of Buddhism practised emphasises doing good deeds rather than meditation. This has led to people volunteering for organizations such as the Tzu Chi Foundation.
Elise DeVido, of research body the Ricci Institute for Chinese Studies, said: "In countries such as Nepal and India, Buddhism is more contemplative, but in Taiwan it's more engaged, focusing on such things as social welfare."
Buddhist organizations run nurseries, orphanages, hospitals, retirement homes, and clinics.
Whatever the personal motivation, for many people, like Dr. Duh, voluntary work has become an integral part of their lives.
The street sweeper said: "Speaking from my heart, I would prefer to be remembered as a devoted volunteer of Tzu Chi rather than as a businessman." Source
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