Late January /
Launching the ‘100-Million Chants of the Heart of Shurangama Mantra in Support of Medical Professionals’ campaign as COVID-19 flared up again globally. The Master mobilized the general public to safeguard Planet Earth with mindfulness while helping to boost the morale of all frontline pandemic-fighting personnel worldwide.

Late January /
The LJM Wusheng Monastery hosted the future University for Life & Peace (ULP) pilot program ‘Winter School 3’ for its initial online offering in Taiwan for the first time. The theme of Winter School 3 was ‘Decision-making: How to Strategize & Implement Action Plans Corresponding to Present Dire Ecological Threats’.

End of February to late April /
A 49-day Spring Meditation Retreat was conducted with live streaming accessible in Chinese, English, and German.

Early April /
The Dharma function labeled ‘The Emperor Liang Repentance & the Flaming Mouth Puja’ as the second Preliminary Practice of the LJM signature Water-Land Dharma Assembly was performed to offer solace to the spirits of all lives that had fallen victims to wildfires and the pandemic around the world. A severe railway accident in Hualien with stunning casualties happened during this period, and ritual name tablets were set up to garner the merits from the Great Compassion Mantra chanted by LJM followers to help liberate the deceased and accelerate the recovery of those injured.

Mid-May /
COVID-19 became increasingly threatening to Taiwan and all LJM activities were taken online for a change until further notice. The LJM followers were urged to recite the Heart of Shurangama Mantra everyday and regain inner peace by way of ‘chanting mantras, reciting sutras, and practicing meditation’.

Late May to Mid-June /
The 21-Day Online Great Compassion Mantra Retreat was offered and registered record-high participation.

Late May /
Invited to participate in the monthly teleconferencing ‘Faith & Science Marching Towards COP26’ co-organized by the Vatican, the UK, and Italy. Master Hsin Tao offered his discourse entitled ‘Return to the spiritual wisdom by realizing that all beings share one common origin’.

Late May /
Honoring the invitation of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) to deliver remarks for blessing for the celebratory occasion of Vesak online.

Late July /
Honoring the joint invitation by the IBC and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to deliver remarks online in commemoration of Buddha’s Initial Turning of the Dharma Wheel.

Late July /
In celebration of the 38th anniversary of the LJM, a birthday party themed on ‘Guanyin has been and will always be there’ was taken to the Internet for a public reminder about nurturing the contact with Guanyin at all time.

Late August to Mid-September /
For the first time for all 28 stagings of the LJM’s signature annual Water-Land Dharma Assembly over the years, the grandiose ritual was moved back to its Head Temple at Fulong for execution online. Themed on ‘Resting in the Buddha Nature to Neutralize the Pandemic for Peace by Tracing the Origin, Returning to the Buddha Mind and Practicing the Vow’, the 21-day retreat that flanked the Water-Land Dharma Assembly proved to be a smooth and successful operation thanks to a seamlessly orchestrated collaboration between all LJM’s residential masters and its 100-plus volunteers.

End of September to Early October /
A 10-day early autumn meditation retreat for monastics and laity was conducted at the LJM Wusheng Monastery. During the retreat, the participants were given rare access to the Four Sacred Mountains of the LJM for practicing daily meditation. Upon the conclusion of the retreat, a repentance ritual in honor of the Medicine Buddha was performed to indicate gratitude for the support and services rendered by the Dharmapalas, volunteers, and LJM followers during and throughout the retreat.

Early October /
Honoring the invitation to join the online conference of ‘Faith & Science Marching Towards COP26’. Master Hsin Tao addressed the occasion on the topic of ‘The Spiritual Ecology’ and endorsed a petition presented by fellow religious leaders and scientists.

Mid-October /
Participating in the 8th Parliament of the World’s Religions (PoWR) to deliver remarks on ‘A Spiritual Awakening for Interdisciplinary Cooperation’ with three concrete suggestions for action: Veganism for Loving the Earth, Spiritual Awakening Aligned with Accountable Actions, and Abolishment of War and Nuclear Weapons. Also in the same period, the LJM organized and held the 17th Muslim-Buddhist Dialogue & the 2nd Muslim-Buddhist Dialogue for the Youth along with the tagline of Spiritual Ecology. The event ran on the theme of ‘Loving the Earth, Loving Peace’ and invited three young guest speakers with different religious backgrounds to share their views on climate change on the basis of spirituality.

Mid-October /
Honoring the invitation to join and share in the dialogue at the Water Adaptation Community Webinar: Water and Spirituality for Climate Adaptation jointly curated by the GCA, the ISC Water under the ICOMOS, the CIRAT Brazil, and the Justice and Peace Europe.

Early November /
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Museum of World Religions (MWR), the Master presided over the prayer-for-blessings activities for the LJM World Day of Religious Harmony on the same day, which coincided with the inauguration of the Hall of Spiritual Ecology at the MWR. President Tsai Ying-Wen and Master Hsin Bao of the Fo Guang Shan Monastery were among the special VVIPs and other interfaith leaders in attendance for the special prayer session led by Master Hsin Tao.

Early November /
For his longtime dedication to the arts and culture, life education, and religious exchange activities, Master Hsin Tao was awarded a medallion for cultural endeavors honored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture as an inaugural event.

Early December /
Joining the occasion to deliver an opening speech online, the Master was present at the 3rd International Forum on Guanyin Culture for a multi-site event taking place simultaneously in Taiwan and Japan. The event was curated by the Global Confederation of the 108 Lokesvaras and the Center for Chinese Studies of Taiwan’s National Central Library, with the implementation of the event farmed out to the Shyushi Institute in Japan.

Early December /
Signing an MOU for cooperation for Master’s programs as the founder of the future University for Life & Peace (ULP) with Rector Eddy J. Moors of the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. The parties will join forces in the fields of water research, sustainable development, and spiritual ecology.

Mid- to late-December /
Presiding over the Avatamsaka Dharma function at the Sheng Shan Temple, the LJM Lower Monaster