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

2. Initiate grand ceremonies of worship for Chinese ancestors and encourage harmony between different nations and ethnic groups.

The Chinese people are a very tolerant people who are highly cohesive. Chinese religious philosophy regards human beings as part of the universe. As far as its religious behaviors are concerned, stress is placed on honoring heaven, respecting ancestors, and adhering to the laws of nature. Therefore, Chinese religion mandates rituals of worship for heaven, ancestors, deities, Bodhisattvas, and sages. Ancestor worship, allow people to feel and express gratitude for the virtue of their ancestors and to receive them into their hearts. These rituals originated from the essential philosophy that, “All creatures come from heaven and all people come from their forebears.” They have the significance of tracing back to the roots and showing gratitude to the source. They imply the state of unity between heaven, the earth, deities, and humanity. They also indicate the Chinese philosophical pursuit of harmony in life, survival, and living order with all relationships in the universe becoming eternal and sustainable. Amongst these values, “filial obedience to parents” is the substance of Chinese morality. And the moral conceptions it induces, such as “regarding everyone as one’s own sibling and compatriot” and “one world”, are key reasons why the Chinese culture and its inheritance are long-standing and well-established.

Since 2004, to inspire filial thinking, promote filial behavior, integrate different ethnic groups, Grand Master Huen-Yuan has held the “Unified Ancestor Worship Ceremony for Chinese in the 21st Century” in Linkou’s Grand Stadium in Taiwan annually every New Year. The event attracts some 36,000 attendees, including the ROC President, Vice-President, and President of the Legislative Yuan. As benefactors of a shared Chinese heritage, attendees expressed together their acknowledgment of, gratitude for, and intention to repay their forefathers with filial hearts. The ceremonies held by Master Huen-Yuan are the beginning of worldwide Chinese reunification and a demonstration of mutual respect. They initiate world peace and universal harmony.

On the eve of the first ceremony in December, 2003, Grand Master Huen-Yuan wrote the “Doctrines for the Unified Ancestor Worship Ceremony for Chinese in the 21st Century”, which outlined relevant procedural and Dharmic ritual details. He also stated in the preamble to the ancestral worship ritual, “Filial piety is the only way to achieve world peace, progress in our careers, solidification of our families, maintenance of good health, and realization of our nature through inner work. If one is against it, then the mind will be in trouble, the family will be in a mess, society will be muddled, the nation will be disturbed, and the world will be in chaos. ‘Ancestral worship’ is the basis of promoting filial piety. Therefore, the merit of worship is the one and the only way to maintain peace among humanity. This is why holding the “Unified Ancestor Worship Ceremony for Chinese in the 21st Century” is an honor for all Chinese descendents and following generations.” He also remarked, “The ancestral worship procedures listed in this doctrine have launched an new tradition of worship. It is the merit that harmonizes the heart of modern people with that of heaven and allows people to get in touch with ancestral spirits. I intend to lead the whole Chinese nation to acknowledge, appreciate, and repay ancestral grace. My essential wish is that we develop true world peace together.”

The Three Chinese Ancestors share a common root and have produced a vast progeny over these past 5,000 years. Master Huen-Yuan’s “Unified Ancestor Worship Ceremony for Chinese in the 21st Century” also brought into existence the Chinese melting pot. He said, “To resolve disputes on the earth, we have to find resolutions in our roots … in our ancestors. In such will we balance our spiritual life.” The first 3-year cycle ended on January 1st, 2006. With great reverence, Master Huen-Yuan composed the “Hymn to the Grand Ceremony of Ancestor Worship”. “I have been practicing Tao for thousands of eons. As world peace is my sincere wish, I have been working on Tao for the sake of the people. I pray for blessings on humanity. I vowed to dispel the 5,000 year darkness of the Chinese people and bring them into 5,000 years of brightness. I pray that the light of Chinese cultural orthodoxy will shower on the Three Thousand Great Land.” He also said, “The transmission of the Three Great Ancestors Culture has supported the 5,000-year Chinese history. However, little in the way of detailed historical records remains. This is why I have a compassionate wish to let the Three Thousand Great Land shine…. I worship the ancestors for justice. At this moment, we need to deliberate. As we all come from the Three Great Ancestors, we shall pay respect to them and acknowledge this fact. I only wish that all the descendents and those who are rich and in power cultivate their wisdom. We should gather together and discuss how to seek justice so that we can honor our ancestors with finial piety…. I pray that all ancestors make their presence felt, urge their children to live a life of clear conscience, and bless them to be confident and wise. In this way, we will create a great union for our people.”

In 2008, 2009, and 2010, Master Huen-Yuan held the “Unified Chinese Ancestral Worship Ceremony to Honor Ancestral Roots”. He invited overseas Chinese, including the various overseas clan associations, the Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce, entrepreneurs, and local Taiwanese educational, agricultural, industrial and business groups all over the island to join in the ceremony. The purpose was to trace Chinese roots back to Fu Xi through the kindred bond of the Three Great Chinese Ancestors. In this grand ceremony, the holy souls of all 917 Chinese emperors and the 15,615 spirits of all Chinese forefathers were invited to receive the pious worship and prayers of their worldwide descendants. Master Huen-Yuan remarked at the rite, “The excellent Chinese people have been on the Earth for 7,000 years, since the era of Fu Xi. We also had three great ruling ancestors - Yellow Emperor, Yan Emperor, and Chi You. The Chinese people have had 917 emperors and are distributed amongst 15,615 clans. They have bequeathed a valuable culture that is indelible…. For a long time, we in Weixinism have offered sacrifices to them through Buddhist services, and we dedicate merits to their souls. We intend to benefit both the living and the dead, and fulfill our obligations to respect heaven and our forefathers as well as expound filial piety.”

To ensure each grand ceremony runs smoothly, Grand Master Huen-Yuan always holds a 90-day Dharma service for “Seeking Our Roots, Remembering Ancestral Grace, Praying for Tranquility” at Hsien Fo Temple, the home of Weixinism. Through this service, he hopes to connect with the ancestors through Dharma and transmit it into their hearts. In a statement for the grand ceremony, he said, “Today, we are here to establish Dharma sites. We invite the holy souls of the 917 Chinese emperors, the 15,615 spirits of all Chinese forebears, all resentful souls who perished in the 3,762 battles throughout Chinese history, …. the aggrieved ones from the 816 wars in the Saha World, and all spirits in the ten directions and three realms to rest in peace on the lotus seat in the shrine … I wish that they can hear the Dharma and sutras with peaceful hearts, and receive the worship and offerings given here. We have gathered 60,000 Chinese sons and daughters here to pay pious respect to the forefathers with flowers and delicacies. There are some words in our hearts that we would like to express: Let's walk hand-in-hand, and pray for favorable winds and rain. We wish that the country flourishes, and that people live in peace. We hope that all natural calamities and diseases could cease forever, and that the world can see peace.” Upon completion of the ritual, all ancestral spirits were sent to the San Bao Temple, after which they were settled into the Emperor Palace Hall and the Chinese Ancestor Hall, where they received chants and Dharma lectures. The faithful prayed for favorable winds and rain, peaceful lives, universal tranquility, and the rebirth in the Pure Land for our ancestral spirits. Master Huen-Yuan praised the event with the following hymn:
“We honor heavenly destiny and trace back to our origin.
We expound filial piety and recall ancestral grace.
As our forefathers of 10,000 family names share the same blood,
May the unified worship last forever.”

He also expressed a wish, saying, “I humbly hope that grand heaven and the deities will protect mankind and resolve battles and wars. I also wish that people will care for one another and pray together for permanent peace in the world.”

Grand Master Huen-Yuan makes enormous efforts to promote filial piety for the Chinese ancestors and to integrate the Chinese clans. His influence is certainly profound and far-reaching. Moreover, to fulfill his sincere wish for world peace, he has been leading the descendents of the Three Great Chinese Ancestors to know, acknowledge, and pay gratitude for their ancestral grace. His work is truly remarkable, and highly praiseworthy. Qin-Heng Yan, a former professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Dean of the College of Communication at Cheng Chi University, highly praised Master Huen-Yuan’s benevolence, virtue, and compassion in an article entitled, “Acknowledging and Repaying Ancestral Grace with Grateful Hearts - Expounding Great Filial Piety.” He wrote, “Master Huen-Yuan has an ideal for humanity and the world. And this ideal uses culture propagation as its cornerstone. It reaches its ultimate spiritual goal by working in the earthly realm.” He also remarked, “Master Huen-Yuan has made two major contributions to the extension and development of Chinese orthodox lineage. First, he has confirmed the fact that the origin of Weixinism is the philosophy of Yi, which is the essence of the 5,000-year old Chinese culture. Yi-Ching distills the rules of the Universe as well as the process of evolution and change. People can approach this orthodoxy through the studies of Feng Shui and Yi Ching. Second, he honors heaven and the ancestors, and expounds filial piety … Master Huen-Yuan had been holding the “Unified Ancestor Worship Ceremony for Chinese in the 21st Century” on New Year's Day every year since 2004. He invites the representatives of Chinese throughout the world in order to awaken human conscience to live lives of filial piety and gratitude.”

At the end of his article, Professor Yan praised that establishing Weixinism was the natural extension of a great historical cause. “Historically, communication amongst and integration of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism took place during the Western and Eastern Jin Dynasties, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty. Their convergence was accomplished during the Ming Dynasty under the name of Neo-Confucianism. Master Huen-Yuan integrated the quintessence of the three religions and founded Weixinism. The establishment of it is an extension of a great historical cause. Moreover, by propagating our traditional culture, the spirit of filial duty, he expects that all Chinese offspring can, “acknowledge and repay ancestral grace with grateful hearts, live the radiance of human nature, and eventually create true world pace altogether.” Prof. Yan’s commendation for Master Huen-Yuan’s achievements of integrating and propagating Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, and his enthusiastic dedication to promoting Yi-Ching and Feng Shui worldwide in pursuit of world peace is absolutely truthful and pertinent!