IV. Grand Master Huen-Yuan leads Weixinism to integrate different nations and ethnic groups.

1. Actively moving toward the source; Promoting Chinese culture; Encouraging ethnic solidarity.

(5). Build the City of the Eight Trigrams on Yunmeng Mountain, integrate the differences within Chinese culture, and support the union of the Chinese people.

The tenet of Taiwanese Weixinism is to propagate Chinese culture and Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu’s wisdom. Yunmeng Mountain in Henan Province, China, is the cradle of our culture. Since 1996, as part of his ongoing effort to trace Chinese origins back to their ancestral source, Grand Master Huen-Yuan has led his disciples in annual pilgrimages to Yunmeng Mountain. In the 2000 pilgrimage, he vowed to build the City of Eight Trigrams, which would amalgamate all forms of Chinese culture on this mountain as an expression of gratitude to his ancestors and his origin. In 2001 (December 11th), his wish came true. He signed a fifty-year contract with Henan Provincial authorities to build and develop the city. Construction is currently ongoing.

Master Huen-Yuan told us, “As history and the Chinese cultural melting pot have left their imprint here, we must follow the foresight of our ancestors and take the fourteen chapters of Gue Gu Zi, the thirteen chapters of The Art of War, and the Buddhist Eightfold Noble Paths as our essential Dharma. We must apply their cornerstone natural principles in everyday life. Principles and their application hold equal importance. This means we need to transform the wise principles (eight trigrams) into 64 hexagrams as applications, with 384 lines as variations. In total, there are 360,004,600 timeless and boundless rules at work on earth. I expect that Chinese sons and daughters in various positions and stations in life will bring it to perfection in myriad ways.” The Master also mentioned in his preface to the article, “Chinese Cultural Melting Pot: City of Eight Trigrams on Yunmeng Mountain” that, “Honesty and trust are basic principles in relationships. The principle of ‘harmony in differences’ unites all the deviations through the 5,000-year Chinese history. The spirit and ultimate treasure of Chinese culture relate to honesty and trust. They are the radiance of human life.” We can see here that being honest and trustworthy and pursuing harmony in differences are keys to successful relationships. At another time, he remarked, “Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu’s wisdom has already become the guiding star in the hearts of Taiwan’s 23 million people. It brings mankind hope and peace. It creates harmony for the world.” Universal harmony should begin with Cross-Strait peace. The foundation of the City of Eight Trigrams on Yunmeng Mountain is the debut of lasting Cross-Strait peace as well as the start of the great Chinese reunion and of all people propagating Chinese culture together.

In 2003, October 11th, Grand Master Huen-Yuan again expounded on the genuine meaning of building the City of Eight Trigrams. He said, “The physical architecture here inspires, develops, and illuminates the heart of all Chinese descendants. ‘Heart’ has many emotions, which are manifested as the ‘eight trigrams (bagua)’, the ‘eight postures’, the ‘eight standpoints’, and the ‘eight ways of thinking’. This City of Eight Trigrams will be the future melting pot for universal culture, fostering Chinese and world culture.” He also stated, “Our Chinese culture was initiated by Fu Xi seven thousand years ago. Its culmination will be completed in this melting pot. All culture and all Dharma will fuse as one in the City of Eight Trigrams. The culture built here will continue to be passed down through the eons. The City unites heaven and mankind. Human wisdom will be opened again…. All Dharma, all ideas, all creatures exit with a purpose, and the Chinese melting pot is no exception…. Politics is temporary, but culture is everlasting. There have been 917 emperors through all Chinese dynasties over the past 5,000 years. After construction is complete, the City will then attain a timeless and boundless historical accumulation over the next three to five thousand years. Hence, the City of Eight Trigrams is also known as “The Town of Chinese Culture” - a place constructed by all believers that holds eminent historical significance.”

“Nantian Gate” (南天門) and “Heavenly Virtue” (天德) were designed personally by Master Huen-Yuan in the city. They carry profound meaning. He said, “'Nan-Tian Gate’ is the origin of life. It stands for ‘heart‘ and ‘luminosity’. The five doors of Nantian Gate symbolize the five virtues and the five fortunes coming to our door. The eight trigrams and the lines on the six pillars represent all the Dharmic rules in the vast universe and symbolize unity between heaven and humanity, which is peace. In addition, the foundation stone of “Heavenly Virtue” is intended to inspire us to work on ourselves diligently until we reach the supreme state of virtue.” He also stated, “We are all descendents of the Yellow and Yan Emperors. The City of Eight Trigrams on Yunmeng Mountain is a cultural melting pot, through which the fortune and wisdom of China’s descendants can be developed. It is also through this melting pot that all races will be united, learn to love Chinese descendents, and serve humanity, considering world affairs as their personal duty. Universal harmony must start from within. If everyone can reach the state of Heavenly Virtue, world peace and universal harmony will happen.”

Grand Master Huen-Yuan raised funds to make the City of Eight Trigrams the base for Chinese culture to prevail again. It is also from here that he propagates Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu’s culture and wisdom. On February 19th, 2003 (lunar calendar), “Wang Chan Lao Zu Palace Hall” was completed in the city. On September 19th of the same year, the main beam of Nantian Gate was installed during a ritual ceremony. Master Huen-Yuan remarked, “The main beam signifies Heavenly Virtue. At the moment this ritual took place in the palace hall, all sons and daughters of China and all the Chinese clans were united as one, and the Chinese culture integrated into a single unity. From this unity, such will continue through future lives and endless eons on Yunmeng Mountain. To bring our culture alive again and encourage it, we must commit ourselves to practicing what we preach. I wish that all Chinese will work to re-enhance and glorify Chinese culture and create a global village together. Let's work heart to heart, hand in hand, until all humanity is united and we reach true world peace.”

The City of Eight Trigrams is the future Town of Chinese Culture. It covers 172.56 acres, and incorporates Wang Chan Lao Zu Palace Hall, the Memorial Hall of Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu, Yi-Ching University, the Bodhisattva Wang Chan Lao Zu Academy, and Cultural Research Center. Chinese culture will prevail again when construction is completed. All Chinese will begin to integrate culturally, and all clans will be united. China and Taiwan will begin to connect, and all Chinese descendents will create world peace together.