VenerableMasterChengYenwasborninasmalltowncalledChingshuiincentralTaiwanin1937.Whenshewastwenty-threeyearsold,shelefthometobecomeaBuddhistnun.
MasterChengYenhasalwaysledasimpleandvirtuouslife.Inherfrugality,shemadecandlesandbeanpowdertomaintainaliving.In1966,sheestaWishedtheCompassionReliefTzuChiFoundation,andovertheyearsthisorganizationhasconcentrateditsactivitiesinthemajorareasofcharity,medicine,education,culture,internationalrelief,bonemarrowdonation,communityvolunteerism,andenvironmentalprotection.
In1991,MasterChengYenreceivcdthePhilippineMagsaysayAward,theAsianNobelPrize.Livingasimplelifewithonlythebasicnecessities,shehasactivelypursuedherworkofhelpingthepoorandeducatinetherich.