ABSTRACT
In 1973, Tzu Chi expanded its medical outreach to hold its first free clinic in Taitung at Haishan Temple, where Master Cheng Yen led a medical team including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to provide care to over 160 impoverished patients. When 85-year-old Su You-Cheng was too frail to attend, Master Cheng Yen and Dr. Chang Cheng-Wen made a house call, embodying the spirit of “If those in suffering cannot come to us, we will go to them.” Later that year, Typhoon Nora brought devastating floods to eastern Taiwan, affecting over 10,000 people. Despite limited resources, Master Cheng Yen mobilized Tzu Chi volunteers to conduct on-site assessments, raise funds, and distribute aid based on principles of directness, priority, and respect. The relief efforts raised over 600,000 TWD and benefited 671 households, establishing a systematic disaster relief model that would guide Tzu Chi's future emergency response work.
