Chung Tai International Retreat Center - for the Entire World

The story of Grand Master Wei Chueh and Chung Tai began in the early 1970s when the Grand Master started his secluded, austere practice in a rural mountain area of Taipei, Taiwan.  He practiced meditation with joy disregarding the extremely poor and primitive living conditions.  Almost twelve years later, he was discovered by passers-by; and many started to gather and study Buddhism and practice Chan meditation from him.  Before long the Grand Master established Ling Chuan Monastery where he gave lectures and conducted many Chan-7 meditation retreats;  he became known as the master who revived the Chan tradition in Taiwan.  More and more people were attracted by his straightforward teaching and Chan wisdom, and Ling Chuan Monastery was no longer big enough to accommodate all the people who wanted to practice there.

In 1987 Grand Master decided to found Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Puli in central Taiwan, and this started a decade long construction of a new monastery.  The Chung Tai Chan Monastery was completed in August 2010 and inaugurated on the first day of September of the same year.

As one of the largest Buddhist monasteries and organizations in the world, Chung Tai integrates the teachings of sudden enlightenment and gradual cultivation with the altruistic and ascetic practices of Buddhist traditions. Its architecture embodies modern-day technology and artistry, serving to unify religions, academic researches, cultures, and the arts of the East and the West. The establishment of Chung Tai is also a demonstration of the Grand Master's devotion in initiating an era for the intercommunication of all the religions of the world. Under his guidance, Chung Tai now has established more than 108 meditation centers and branches in Taiwan and abroad in the hope of helping people cope with pressure and restless minds brought by the fast-paced life of today and of bringing a safer and more peaceful world for all the generations to come.