In 1967, one year after Tzu ChiFirst founded in 1966 in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, Tzu Chi started as a charity group with only 30 housewives each saving 50 NT cents every day and pooling their money together every month to help the needy. In Chinese, "Tzu" means "compassion" and "Chi" means "relief." Together, "Tzu Chi" means "relieving suffering with compassion." was founded by Dharma Master Cheng YenBorn in 1937, Dharma Master Cheng Yen renounced the lay life at the age of 25 in pursuit of life's meaning and purpose after her father's sudden death due to a stroke. She took refuge in Ven. Yin Shun, a prominent monk in contemporary Chinese Buddhism. Throughout her monastic life, Master Cheng Yen has been living out her Master's words, "Work for Buddhism and for all living beings," by spreading the Buddha's teachings and carrying out Tzu Chi's missions to benefit humanity and the world. in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, a biweekly newsletter recording people’s donations to Tzu Chi was published. This newsletter, which later became Tzu Chi Monthly magazine, was the origin of Tzu Chi’s Mission of Culture.

Over the years, as Tzu Chi’s cultural mission unfolded, in addition to print media, it further endeavored into electronic media. In 2005, Tzu Chi’s cultural center was inaugurated in Taipei. Today, the center is home to Da Ai TV, Da Ai e-Radio, Tzu Chi Monthly, Rhythms Monthly, and periodicals in English and Japanese.

Culture is one of the Four Missions of Tzu Chi FoundationTzu Chi Foundation is a Buddhist non-profit organization based in Taiwan and also an NGO under the UN umbrella. Its major areas of work are charity, medicine, education, and culture, which have later extended to include international relief, bone marrow donation, community volunteerism, and environmental protection. As of 2018, it has brought aid to 97 countries and regions around the globe., along with charity, medicine, and education. Just as the mission of charity is to relieve suffering, medicine to safeguard lives, and education to nurture wisdom, the cultural mission is to purify hearts and minds. With the dedication of professional staff members, the support of donations from the general public, and the contributions of articles, photos, and videos from Tzu Chi’s documenting volunteers around the globe, Tzu Chi’s cultural center will continue in its efforts to report what is true, good, and beautiful in the hope of inspiring more people to tap into their innate love and take action to make the world a better place.

In 1967, one year after Tzu Chi was founded by Dharma Master Cheng Yen in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, a biweekly newsletter recording people’s donations to Tzu Chi was published. This newsletter, which later became Tzu Chi Monthly magazine, was the origin of Tzu Chi’s Mission of Culture.

Over the years, as Tzu Chi’s cultural mission unfolded, in addition to print media, it further endeavored into electronic media. In 2005, Tzu Chi’s cultural center was inaugurated in Taipei. Today, the center is home to Da Ai TV, Da Ai e-Radio, Tzu Chi Monthly, Rhythms Monthly, and periodicals in English and Japanese.

Culture is one of the Four Missions of Tzu Chi Foundation, along with charity, medicine, and education. Just as the mission of charity is to relieve suffering, medicine to safeguard lives, and education to nurture wisdom, the cultural mission is to purify hearts and minds. With the dedication of professional staff members, the support of donations from the general public, and the contributions of articles, photos, and videos from Tzu Chi’s documenting volunteers around the globe, Tzu Chi’s cultural center will continue in its efforts to report what is true, good, and beautiful in the hope of inspiring more people to tap into their innate love and take action to make the world a better place.