The Life Story of Master Han

By Henry Chu

Introduction

• Master Han was the Grand Elder of our Temple community and the Interim Patriarch of our Tao lineage

• He had suffered a tumultuous life with severe life threatening illnesses and a social environment that was oppressive to the temple’s mission

• He had overcame all of the obstacles and attained his personal enlightenment and brought the temple community to its greatest success

Introduction

• By understanding the life of Master Han, we can further validate our Mandate of Heaven and see that our temple community is truly a Divine inspired community

• We can also see a great example of Tao in action as he was truly a role model of Tao

• The wonderful guidance and leadership Master Han provided for us will continue to bless us, as well as future generations to come

Life Story

• Master Han’s surname was Han, his given name was “En-Rong” and he received his Adult name “Yu-Lin”

• When he got older, he started to call himself the “White Water Old Man”

• He was born on 03/22/1901 (of lunar calendar) in Ning-He City, and in the He-Bei Province of China

Life Story

• Master Han grew up in a traditional Chinese family of moderate means

• He achieved his basic education in a private school and soon came to the City of Tian-Jin to work in a textile factory

• Master Han demonstrated excellent capacity and was promoted to the position of Plant Manger of the over 600 employee factory

Life Story

• Unfortunately, Master Han contracted TB (Tuberculosis) at the age of 37

• TB was considered a terminal disease in China at the time and he was told that he had less than 6 months to live

• Upon the introduction by his Chinese medicine doctor, Master Han received the Tao and began his new life

Life Story

Life Story

• Master Han’s Tuberculosis was miraculously cured (by simply spending one month in the temple assisting with the practice of the mediums)

• Master Han kept his promise to Heaven and vowed to fully devote himself to Tao’s propagation

• He sold off all of his possessions and send his family back to the countryside

Life Story

• After WWII, Master Han had made plan to pioneer Tao to the city of “Chen-Du” in Western China

• When Mother Teacher learned of his plan, she summoned him immediately and instructed him to go to Taiwan

• Master Han was reluctant due to preset arrangements but Mother Teacher was very stern and insisted that he came to Taiwan

Life Story

Life Story

• In 1948, Master Han came to Taiwan with several elders and began his pioneering mission

• Unfortunately, in 1950, the Chinese civil war broke out and the Republican Army retreated to Taiwan

• All communications with the mainland had immediately been stopped and all financial supports had been cut off

Life Story

Life Story

• Master Han began to organize the members to be self-sufficient and started a small grocery store in Taiwan

• It was a very difficult time due to language barriers, as well as local anti-mainlander sentiment

• The pioneering mission was further hampered by the government due to marshal laws, which prohibits private gathering

Life Story

Life Story

• The government started to jail temple members for breaking the Marshal laws and Master Han and many of the elders have been jailed numerous times

• Two years after the Republican retreat, Master Han got words from Hong-Kong that Mother Teacher had escaped to Hong-Kong and she is seeking to come to Taiwan

Life Story

Life Story

• Master Han immediately made contact with Mother Teacher in Hong Kong and arranged for her to come to Taiwan

• Master Han bought a house in the city of Tai-Chung for her and she began to invite some of the temple community leaders to see her

• However, due to the governmental oppression, Mother Teacher kept her location a secret and only a handful of temple leaders knows her whereabout

Life Story

• When the government started to fiercely crackdown temple communities, Mother Teacher was very upset and prayed to Heaven for the lessening of the governmental oppression

• In one intense bowing session, which it was said that she bowed the entire night, Mother Teacher was found to be paralyzed and henceforth bedridden for the rest of her life

Life Story

Life Story

• Master Han took over the care for Mother Teacher and stopped the news of her paralysis from spreading to the rest of the community

• Other temple leaders blamed Master Han for hiding Mother Teacher away and not letting them visit her (in reality, he was protecting the symbol of their faith)

• Master Han shouldered all sorts of blasphemies from fellow community leaders and continue to take care of Mother Teacher till her death

Life Story

• Mother Teacher died in 1976 of old age and she was buried in a undisclosed location (due to the fear of grave robbers)

• Mother Teacher told Master Han that the Mandate of Heaven remained with him and he was to initiate the next generations of Transmission Masters for the Mission of Tao

• Master Han shoulder the mission until his death in 1995

Life Story

Conclusion

• Master Han was truly a great example of Tao and a role model for his follower

• He had pioneered the Tao from China to Taiwan and then to the rest of the world

• There is estimated over 10 millions temple members under his community and his blessings continues guide and inspire communities throughout the world

Questions