Da Ai TV newscaster Ni Ming Jun roused the audience with his loud and clear singing of the familiar Malay folk song, “Rasa Sayang”. Photo by Teo Moh Sang
“Rasa Sayange, Rasa Sayange…”
The familiar lyrics of the Malay folk song, “Rasa Sayang”, could be heard coming from the Jing Si Hall. It was the acapella singing of the famous Malay folk song by Da Ai TV newscaster Ni Ming Jun, to kick off a tea gathering held on 15th July 2017.
Invited speakers at the gathering included the Assistant Managing Director of Taiwan-based Da Ai TV, Mr He Jian Ming, as well as various department heads of the TV station and seasoned Tzu Chi entrepreneur volunteers. Some 200 plus entrepreneurs, business executives, and Tzu Chi volunteers attended the evening’s session, which aimed to encourage more people to join the efforts in supporting the TV station, which is dedicated to the propagation of messages of Great Love around the world.
“Da Ai has been a non-profit TV station since its inception in 1998. We do not make any revenue from advertisements,” said He Jian Ming, and he revealed that the operating funds of the TV station come from the recycling efforts of Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan and the generous donations from the public.
He highlighted that Tzu Chi’s Mission of Humanistic Culture aims to purify people’s hearts and minds via truthful reporting. The Mission started off with Tzu Chi Monthly, a Chinese language journal that had its humble beginnings 50 years ago as a simple newsletter with a few thin pages, which recorded donation details and reports on Tzu Chi’s charity work. Over the years, it has evolved into the multi-media products of today, including the “Rhythms Monthly” magazine, “Da Ai Radio”, “Da Ai TV”, etc. The sustainability of such wholesome media relies on the support from the public.
“The best way to support Da Ai TV is to watch its programmes!” He stressed in his speech.
Assistant Managing Director of Da Ai TV, He Jian Ming, encourages the audience to leverage on the ease of Internet technology to watch Da Ai TV programmes. Photo by Teo Moh Sang
With the advance of the digital age, and the prevalence of smart phones, Da Ai TV transmits its programmes via 13 satellites to a global audience. The manager of the TV station’s Media Development Department, Ou Hong Yu, shared that viewers can also download the Da Ai TV app, and stream their favourite Da Ai TV programmes on their smart phones. On top of that, there are other related media platforms available, such as a Da Ai social network site as well as Da Ai TV YouTube channel.
Besides the Da Ai TV’s staff, there were also three Taiwanese entrepreneurs who came along to share at the session. They are the legendary “Three Swordsmen” who spare no efforts in promoting Da Ai TV, and are really close to each other like brothers. These three businessmen are, Pan Ji Li, Wang Xian Cong, and Fang Han Wu, and they are faithfully committed to Tzu Chi’s missions.
Fang Han Wu, the real-life protagonist in Da Ai TV’s popular drama “The Bread of Life”, is none other than the founder of the popular Taiwanese chain of bread stores, “Master Fang Bakery”. His parents often fought over money matters when he was young, and he started his journey as a baker’s apprentice at a tender age of 13 years. He recalled, “At that time, I only wanted to improve my family’s financial situation, to bring peace to the family and stop the fights between my parents.”
In the year that he turned 26, Fang Han Wu and his wife started their business together, and opened their own bakery shop. As the business expanded, his troubles also mounted. He started to ponder on the meaning of success, and it was only much later after he understood the meaning of Master Cheng Yen’s teaching, “One is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Thus, he began to actively give to help others. Besides taking part in Tzu Chi’s disaster relief efforts, he also supplied bread to disaster victims both locally and overseas. He firmly believes that with one more Tzu Chi person in the world, more blessings will be sown.
Pan Ji Li, who runs a fashion business, admitted that he used to seize every opportunity to profit himself, but has now changed to seize every opportunity to work to benefit people. He encouraged everyone to support Da Ai TV by signing up as “Friends of Da Ai TV” (regular donors) or *honorary board members of Humanistic Culture, which is akin to supporting the printing of Dharma books, to transmit love into every corner of the globe.
Pan admitted, even though Taiwan has over 5,000 recycling stations and points, the income from recycling is still limited, which is why it is of utmost importance to have the support of more members of the public.
Wang Xian Cong, who owns a construction business, shared that he used to have an inflated ego, thinking that as a wealthy man, he would enjoy preferential treatment from others. He said with a sheepish smile that he had once brought a NT$1 million cheque to Tzu Chi’s Finance Department in Taiwan to donate, and thought that he would receive special treatment in return. However, the reality turned out to be quite contrary to what he had imagined. It was only much later that he understood the principle of “giving without expectations”.
Tzu Chi Taiwan’s entrepreneur volunteers (second from left onwards), Pan Ji Li, Wang Xian Cong, and Fang Han Wu, affectionately known as the “Three Swordsmen”, share a common aspiration to promote Tzu Chi’s missions. Photo by Pan Hui Wen
Marketing Manager of Da Ai TV Yu Dong Mei revealed, “Even though Da Ai TV has public service advertisements and income from recycling efforts, the income generated is still insufficient to cover all our operation costs……”
She invited everyone to become “Friends of Da Ai TV”, to support the TV station on a long-term basis with small but regular contributions.
Yu Dong Mei also shared a video of how two ordinary volunteers actually became honorary board members with small donations accumulated over time. One of them was a 74-year-old elderly lady. Every morning, she collected recyclables for sale, and did tailoring in the afternoons. Within five years, she managed to accumulate NT$1 million through her hard work, and became an honorary board member of Humanistic Culture after donating the sum to Da Ai TV.
The elderly lady thinks that “giving” is a long-term habit of sowing small seeds of good deeds over a lifetime. The other honorary board member featured in the video used her earnings from selling vegetarian buns that cost only NT$10 each, to support Da Ai TV.
After watching the video, entrepreneur Zheng You Chuan couldn’t help but exclaimed, “There are so many people who are less well off and yet gave so willingly to Da Ai TV.” He thinks that those who have the means should do their part to contribute. Through the tea gathering, he finally understood the operations of Da Ai TV and how it obtains its funds.
“It is really shocking! How a TV station could operate like this for 20 years……” said Zeng Ai Hua, who agreed that Da Ai TV has a good influence on society. “When someone is feeling down, there is a TV station that may provide answers; I think it is of vital importance.”
Moved by the inspiring talks by the Taiwan speakers, many people respond to the call by filling up a form to sign up as “Friends of Da Ai TV”. Photo by Pan Hui Wen
A Tzu Chi trainee commissioner, Zheng An Yu, said that when she flipped through the daily news, it was always filled with negative news headlines. She hoped that the media would report less unhealthy and negative news, and more encouraging, upbeat news.
Her entry into Tzu Chi started many years ago, after watching a Da Ai TV drama serial, “The Raindew Waltz”, which a friend had lent to her. It was only through the drama that she knew that Tzu Chi is an organisation that performs practical acts of charity to relieve suffering around the world, and thus took the initiative to walk into Jing Si Hall to sign up as a volunteer.
Zheng An Yu said that Da Ai TV is like a clear stream, full of programmes infused with a positive energy. She revealed that she would watch an episode of “Life Wisdom” (Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s talk programme) every night before she went to bed, which gave her spiritual support and guidance.
News Anchor Ni Ming Jun shared Master Cheng Yen’s hope: “Saving the world starts from saving the heart.” In this day and age of great unease and constant man-made mishaps, our society needs a “clear stream to flow through” to cleanse the turbidities; the world needs this blessing. For Da Ai TV to be this clear stream, it will require the consolidated efforts of everyone, so that it may light up the dark corners of the world.
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