My mother found her illiteracy a hardship, which is why she placed great importance on our education. She often told us that even if she had to beg, she would ensure we all attended school. Due to our financial constraints, each time the seven of us were to register for a new semester, she had to borrow money from relatives, friends, or private lending clubs to cover the enormous school fees. My uncle, a practicing doctor, often supported our education. He became an important benefactor in our lives, and we will always remember his kindness. My mother’s commitment to our education bore fruit; each of us completed higher education. My brother Xie Hui-long (謝輝龍) now serves as the superintendent of Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital in Nantou County.

A devout Buddhist, my mother had been vegetarian from an early age. She learned to chant scriptures, strike ritual percussion instruments, and could recite quite a few Buddhist texts. Even though she led a frugal life, she did everything possible to support Buddhist temples and monasteries. Zhang He-zhen (張河圳), the first Tzu Chi volunteer in Caotun Township, often visited our home to share Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s teachings and updates on Tzu Chi’s work. When the foundation was building a hospital in Hualien, an area with limited medical resources, my mother visited the Jing Si Abode, the Buddhist convent founded by Master Cheng Yen. Inspired by her visit, she quickly raised 300,000 NT dollars (approximately US$10,000) to support the hospital’s construction. In 1989, she became a Tzu Chi commissioner—a role that requires training and establishing a roster of regular donors. Though my siblings and I had already achieved success in our respective careers, she chose not to live in comfort; instead, she devoted herself to following the Master and helping the less fortunate.

In 1990, when Master Cheng Yen called upon her followers to engage in recycling to protect the environment, my mother didn’t hesitate. She threw herself into the cause with full devotion. As she pushed her cart through the streets and alleys, selling vegetables she grew and wholesale fruits, she also collected recyclables like PET bottles and cardboard boxes. She was once hit by a bus during her recycling efforts, requiring hospitalization. On another occasion, a young man on a motor scooter approached her, pretended to hand her a PET bottle, then snatched her gold necklace. The force of the robbery caused her to fall and injure herself. Despite these incidents, her commitment to Tzu Chi’s recycling mission never wavered.

My mother was an exceptional cook. She could recreate any dish she tasted, earning her a reputation for culinary excellence. When my eldest and second brothers got married, she personally prepared the meals for the guests. Her talent for cooking was not only cherished by our family but also put to good use for charity. Whenever Tzu Chi organized disaster relief efforts, she made vegetarian zongzis (wrapped rice dumplings), soups, bamboo shoot buns, or other food items for fundraisers. Even now, we, her children and grandchildren, fondly remember the taste of her dumplings and nourishing herbal soups—no one could match her cooking.

Having lived through World War II, my mother had deep empathy for disaster victims. Beyond making food for fundraisers, she actively raised money for Tzu Chi’s disaster relief efforts, soliciting donations at every opportunity. This was in addition to her regular monthly work of collecting donations from the roster of donors she had established. When it was time to collect these donations each month, she would ask my brother Xie Hui-long or my sister Xie Su-fen (謝素芬) to drive her and her cart to Xinzhuang. Once dropped off, she would collect donations and recyclables along her route, walking back to downtown Caotun, a distance of over ten kilometers (6.2 miles). Sometimes, it was as late as 11 p.m. when she returned home, demonstrating her remarkable perseverance and dedication.

My mother found her illiteracy a hardship, which is why she placed great importance on our education. She often told us that even if she had to beg, she would ensure we all attended school. Due to our financial constraints, each time the seven of us were to register for a new semester, she had to borrow money from relatives, friends, or private lending clubs to cover the enormous school fees. My uncle, a practicing doctor, often supported our education. He became an important benefactor in our lives, and we will always remember his kindness. My mother’s commitment to our education bore fruit; each of us completed higher education. My brother Xie Hui-long (謝輝龍) now serves as the superintendent of Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital in Nantou County.

A devout Buddhist, my mother had been vegetarian from an early age. She learned to chant scriptures, strike ritual percussion instruments, and could recite quite a few Buddhist texts. Even though she led a frugal life, she did everything possible to support Buddhist temples and monasteries. Zhang He-zhen (張河圳), the first Tzu Chi volunteer in Caotun Township, often visited our home to share Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s teachings and updates on Tzu Chi’s work. When the foundation was building a hospital in Hualien, an area with limited medical resources, my mother visited the Jing Si Abode, the Buddhist convent founded by Master Cheng Yen. Inspired by her visit, she quickly raised 300,000 NT dollars (approximately US$10,000) to support the hospital’s construction. In 1989, she became a Tzu Chi commissioner—a role that requires training and establishing a roster of regular donors. Though my siblings and I had already achieved success in our respective careers, she chose not to live in comfort; instead, she devoted herself to following the Master and helping the less fortunate.

In 1990, when Master Cheng Yen called upon her followers to engage in recycling to protect the environment, my mother didn’t hesitate. She threw herself into the cause with full devotion. As she pushed her cart through the streets and alleys, selling vegetables she grew and wholesale fruits, she also collected recyclables like PET bottles and cardboard boxes. She was once hit by a bus during her recycling efforts, requiring hospitalization. On another occasion, a young man on a motor scooter approached her, pretended to hand her a PET bottle, then snatched her gold necklace. The force of the robbery caused her to fall and injure herself. Despite these incidents, her commitment to Tzu Chi’s recycling mission never wavered.

My mother was an exceptional cook. She could recreate any dish she tasted, earning her a reputation for culinary excellence. When my eldest and second brothers got married, she personally prepared the meals for the guests. Her talent for cooking was not only cherished by our family but also put to good use for charity. Whenever Tzu Chi organized disaster relief efforts, she made vegetarian zongzis (wrapped rice dumplings), soups, bamboo shoot buns, or other food items for fundraisers. Even now, we, her children and grandchildren, fondly remember the taste of her dumplings and nourishing herbal soups—no one could match her cooking.

Having lived through World War II, my mother had deep empathy for disaster victims. Beyond making food for fundraisers, she actively raised money for Tzu Chi’s disaster relief efforts, soliciting donations at every opportunity. This was in addition to her regular monthly work of collecting donations from the roster of donors she had established. When it was time to collect these donations each month, she would ask my brother Xie Hui-long or my sister Xie Su-fen (謝素芬) to drive her and her cart to Xinzhuang. Once dropped off, she would collect donations and recyclables along her route, walking back to downtown Caotun, a distance of over ten kilometers (6.2 miles). Sometimes, it was as late as 11 p.m. when she returned home, demonstrating her remarkable perseverance and dedication.