Origin
Buddhism’s profound teaching and culture have long inspired the creation of many splendid works of art. They are not only a record of spiritual cultivation, but also a treasure in our civilization.
The founder of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, the Venerable Wei Chueh (1928-2016), dedicated most of his life to restoring and preserving these treasures of enlightenment, aiming to bring to the public the calming and wholesome influence of Buddhism through the beauty of Buddhist art.
Inspired by the vision of our founder, local and oversea supporters over the years had donated many cultural artifacts from different historical periods to Chung Tai, which led to the establishment of the Chung Tai Museum in 2009. With pure mind as our root, the Buddhist spirit of compassion, equality and wisdom as our guiding principle, the beauty of Buddhist art as our expression, we hope to enlighten through the integration of art with academia, education, science and daily living. The inauguration of the Chung Tai World Museum and its branch, the Wood Sculpture Gallery, in 2016 marked a significant milestone in our mission. Visitors from all over the world may come and explore this unique Buddhist museum, standing like an ancient Chinese castle in central Taiwan, and discover the spiritual meaning, cultural value, historical significance, and most of all, the calming and purifying beauty of Buddhist art.