Tzu Chi Hospital is a great place to go for medical care, but unfortunately the vegetarian foodcourt serves little vegan.
Chung Tai Temple, the world's largest religious building currently in use. It's less open to visitors than the Chung Tai Temple, and at one point closed it to outsiders altogether to allow their monks to practice without disturbance, but some of the complex has been re-opened to visitors, and now includes a free 3-D theatre with teachings on the life of Buddha and the world's first vegetarian Starbucks and 7-Eleven.
Attached is a Buddha Memorial Centre housing a Buddha Relic tooth donated by a Tibetan monk in , which he'd been protecting since its temple's destruction at the hands of the Chinese during the Cultural Revolution. Fo Guang Shan also do charitable work, but place particular emphasis on education, with facilities ranging from kindergartens right through to Fo Guang University, which offers generous scholarships to foreign students to study Buddhism in English.
They are also well known around the world for their cafes all around the world, which are usually named the Water Drop Teahouse. Fo Guang Shan's founder spoke out against the abolition of capital punishment in Taiwan, on the grounds that it would interfere with the process of karma. Finally in the north are Dharma Drum Mountain, who run a large temple complex in Jinshan, north of Taipei, which was founded by the Chinese monk Dongchu, who fled to Taiwan with the Chinese Nationalist Party in and established his first monastery in Beitou in It also focuses on education and runs three universities.
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Dharma Drum Mountain are generally held in the highest regard among the vegan community, but their centre, while open to the public, offers the least of interest to curious western-speaking visitors. Dharma Drum Mountain temple complex Buddhist Simplicity? Many Westerners, especially those schooled in Theravada Buddhism, may feel uneasy about the size and scale of the Buddhist temples, especially the enormous Chung Tai temple in Puli, which is estimated to have cost over a hundred million US dollars to build.
Their monks answer, however, that such a presence is necessary to have their important messages of compassion reach the public, and to raise the funds and profile to carry out their charitable work. If their success in promoting vegetarianism in Taiwan is anything to go by it's a very compelling argument, and I'd encourage any visitor to Taiwan with any interest in Buddhism to visit at least one Buddhist temple.
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Temple Visit The Chung Tai temple is the most accessible to foreign visitors and offers guided tours in English. The complex also includes a shop, a simple cafe which offers vegan food and a posh restaurant. It's right in the geographical centre of Taiwan. It takes about 3.
From the Puli bus station there are a few buses to the temple each day, or it's a 7km taxi ride. It's the third largest religion in Taiwan, and its members own at least half the country's vegetarian restaurants, especially the smaller buffets and noodle stalls, however most walk-in customers will confuse them for Buddhist establishments. If a restaurant serves egg products it's a good indication that it's run by followers of I Kuan Tao, however some less-strict Buddhists also serve eggs.
It combines Taosim, with particular emphasis on Lao Tze's Tao Te Ching, with elements of Buddhism and ancestor worship, much like other Chinese spiritual groups. While many of its practices are shared with regular the Taoist practices of most Taiwanese, what contrasts I Kuan Tao to other Chinese religions is its exclusivity, and that its members actively work to convert new members, who are invited to attend classes to study The Tao.
If they continue to show commitment and meet certain criteria including being of an acceptable family background they are invited to receive the Tao in a ritualised ceremony, during which the Tao is transmitted to them by a Tao Master.
I Kuan Tao organisations only 'recruit' through trusted friends or acquaintances, so you won't find them chanting or evangelizing on the street, and they generally maintain a low profile, often describing themselves as Buddhist when asked of their religion by strangers whom they don't expect to know of I Kuan Tao. Members frequently travel to other members' homes and temples for Tao classes, rituals and from my experience to enjoy delicious vegetarian food. The I Kuan Tao organisation as it exists today mostly dates back to Zhang Tienren, who led the Tian Tao organisation through a turbulent period in China during the s, and is still worshiped around the world today.
I Kuan Tao was outlawed in China after the communist revolution, during which time many followers fled to Taiwan, Hong Kong and further afield. While it's thrived in Taiwan ever since, it was only legalised in with the official uplifting of martial law and it is still illegal in China today, despite a large underground following. Vegetarian Restaurants I Kuan Tao members opened many of the first vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan, proving the viability of the business model and leading the way for Buddhists to follow.
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I Kuan Tao followers, however, eat both dairy and egg products, and as far as I know no effort is made to source free-range eggs. If you are invited to a home or temple for a Tao class it will probably be a very interesting cultural or religious experience, whether or not you choose to continue and ultimately to receive the Tao.
The typical non-religious vegan, however, is likely to find far more common ground with followers of Buddhism or especially Supreme Master Ching Hai than they are with members of I Kuan Tao. While many vegans from Western countries find the mix of secular veganism and Eastern spiritual ideas and practices difficult to swallow - if not the burgers at their local vegan restaurant - many are surprised to learn that on virtually all earthly matters, from veganism and animal rights to politics and the environment, non-religious or Judeo-Christian vegans are likely to find as much common ground with followers of Supreme Master Ching Hai as they are with each other.
And most followers speak very good English and will probably be happy to discuss such issues. A billboard urging commuters at Taipei Main Station to "be veg, go green to save the planet" I recommend not being put off by the spiritual teachings, or Supreme Master Television playing in restaurants, and engaging in conversation with members of the organisation such as Loving Hut Staff if and when the opportunity arises, because, spirituality aside, the rapid rise of veganism in Taiwan this organisation has brought about is an interesting phenomenon in itself.
They will never ask you to donate money or for any other form of support. Her father was a naturopath, and from a young age she showed an interest in philosophy and spirituality, and benefited from her father's literary collection. During her youth she spent time volunteering in hospitals and caring for stray animals, and also associated with American soldiers during the Vietnam War, from whom she learned English.
She went on to work in Germany as a translator for the Red Cross translating English, German and Vietnamese and later married a German doctor. She eventually left the marriage with his consent to pursue her spiritual path which took her to the Himalayas, where she was initiated into the Sant Mat spiritual order which enjoys a significant following in the West today and continued to practice meditation there.
She then travelled to Taiwan and became a Buddhist nun. It was in Taiwan, during the s, that she attracted a following of people seeking spiritual knowledge and enlightenment, from which her fame began. She then went on to lecture on spirituality, meditation, enlightenment and the importance of vegetarianism around the world, including to the United Nations, mostly during the s. She now maintains a lower public profile, spending time in meditation or with her followers in various locations around the world. The organisation, while international, is still largely based in Taiwan, where it maintains meditation centres in most cities.
The most significant difference, however, is that her most important requirement of her followers is that they maintain a strictly vegan diet and lifestyle; as far as I know she is the only spiritual teacher alive to advocate veganism. She encouraged her followers to switch from being lacto-vegetarian to vegan in They are also expected to follow the five precepts from Buddhism : Do not kill. Do not lie. Do not steal. Do not commit sexual misconduct. Do not take intoxicants.
Sexual misconduct is loosely defined, but in effect means not cheating on partners or indulging in sexual activity to the point that it hurts others or interferes with one's own life or meditation. Intoxicants are more strictly defined to include gambling, pornography and alcohol, which is why the majority of vegan restaurants in Taiwan do not serve alcohol but many do serve a non-alcoholic beer.
It broadcasts documentaries about vegetarianism and veganism, spiritual lectures and other programs about science, spirituality and a variety of positive news clips from around the world. Connections between agriculture, climate change and disease, which are fundamental to her message, are common themes in many of the programs. After a hiatus of a few years, the channel has re-started again, but is now mostly operates as a Youtube channel, as the commercial-free satellite TV stations were very expensive, and most people in the developed world now have access to internet fast enough to stream video.
The live stream and an archive of old videos can be found at Supreme Master TV , and the live channel can be watched on Youtube. A truck does the rounds promoting the vegan diet through posters and a loudspeaker Kaohsiung, Disaster Relief The organisation previously ran a disaster relief program, which sent rescue teams into disaster-stricken areas to deliver vegan food and other essential supplies, including Fukushima during the nuclear crisis and New York during the events on The formal rescue team has been dissolved, but the organisation still supports the work of charitably organisations financially and through volunteer work.
While it's certainly popular among her followers, there is no expectation to make purchases, and she doesn't take any financial contributions from any of her members, much to the surprise of many Westerners including myself. Most have English menus or English speaking staff, but even if not just take pot luck: at least your meal will be vegan. It's a credit to the organisation that their food is not intended to appeal to its own members, many of whom prefer healthier, simpler, lighter food. I think of Loving Huts the way most omnivores think of McDonalds: a convenient but usually uninspiring, predictable, low-cost meal from a clean kitchen and restaurant.
Of course the comparison ends there, with McDonalds the world's largest butcher and the Loving Huts the world's largest vegan restaurant chain, founded to promote veganism and lessen the suffering of animals and climate change. So is the Taichung Loving Hut. Since the Loving Huts manufacture their own processed foods from raw ingredients, everything can be trusted to be completely vegan, and they are the only restaurants where I ever eat fake meat products.
While processed soy proteins are never going to be particularly healthy, their manufacture by Loving Hut restaurants ensures that they won't contain MSG or other harmful additives all too common in Taiwanese food. Taiwanese tofu was recently pulled from shelves in New Zealand after it was found to contain an industrial dye not safe for consumption. Besides Loving Huts disciples run several other restaurants in Taipei and around the country, including most of Taipei's top vegan restaurants.
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A notable exception is About Animals, which is run by animal rights activists; the new Naked Food, which may use honey, serves wine but pretends not to know that it isn't vegan. Large photographs of her on the walls or her books such as The Birds in My Life, her paintings and other paraphernalia are a sure sign that the restaurant is owned by her followers so all the food is vegan. However, over the last few years many of her disciples have placed large banners outside vegetarian restaurants promoting veganism.
Violations included egg-shaped vibrators, phallic vibrators, and e-cigarettes. Therefore, the lack of regulation has resulted in the current chaotic situation near schools.
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Lei recommended that the solution is the Ministry of Economic Affairs apply the Electronic Game Arcade Business Regulation Act as the legal basis to manage these stores. Example of adult products seen in some claw machines. Photo by Consumers' Foundation. Stay logged in Forget password? Home Society. Video shows crane game player try to catch parrot in S.
Taipei to punish operators caught selling masks, disinfectants in claw machines.