Three Perspectives on Protecting the Earth: Ling Jiou Mountain to Host Two International Forums on Spiritual Ecology
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Museum of World Religions (MWR) partnered with the University for Life and Peace (ULP) to launch an international exchange series. On October 1, 2026, a curtain-raiser press conference themed "Three Perspectives, One Earth" was held at the Kishu An Forest of Literature in Taipei. The event brought together veteran media producer Meng-Lan Shu, former Central Weather Bureau Director-General Ming-Dean Cheng, and Venerable Xian-Yue, CEO of the MWR Development Foundation and Steering Director of the ULP, to engage in an interdisciplinary dialogue bridging ecological imaging, climate science, and life wisdom.
The press conference opened with an introductory short film titled "When the Earth Loses Its Balance", setting the stage for an innovative mini-forum. Following the thematic arc of "Seeing the Imbalance, Understanding the Imbalance, and Healing the Imbalance," the three panelists addressed a pressing question: as science and visual media persistently sound the alarm, how can humanity take decisive steps toward meaningful change?
Seeing the Imbalance Through Images, Understanding the Crisis Through Science
Meng-Lan Shu shared her firsthand experience filming the ecological crisis and reflected on how film can move audiences from emotion to action. Her film, "Guardians of Our Planet II: Between Land and Water," participated in this year's Taiwan Film Festival in São Paulo, Brazil, and was nominated for the 61st Golden Bell Awards. She stated that documentaries protect not only the Earth, but also humanity itself and the future of generations to come.
Ming-Dean Cheng analyzed the long-term trends behind extreme heat, heavy rainfall, and abnormal weather from a climate science perspective, highlighting the climate risks Taiwan most needs to address. He pointed out that climate change is not simply a technological issue; interdisciplinary thinking is necessary to find feasible solutions. He also cautioned that the Earth cannot sustain humanity's insatiable material desires, emphasizing that we must return to our true nature and restrain our desires.
From Inner Awareness to Symbiosis with All Life
Venerable Xian-Yue stated that solving ecological problems requires addressing both the symptoms and the root causes. The fundamental solution should begin with oneself, purifying the mind through meditation to experience the pure and unpolluted spirituality within, reduce greed, and nurture care and compassion. Humans are not inherently superior to all other creatures; we are reminded to see the spirituality and virtues of all things, and to humbly learn from nature. By illuminating ourselves with meditation and caring for all things with compassion, we allow life to illuminate one another, and together move towards harmonious coexistence and ecological sustainability.
International Exchanges Take Place at Ling Jiou Mountain Fucheng in October and November to Echo MWR's 25th Anniversary
From October 8 to 9, the "Taiwan-Japan International Symposium on Spiritual Ecology" will be held at Ling Jiou Mountain Fucheng. Following this, from November 7 to 8, the "2026 International Forum on Spiritual Ecology" will convene, inviting 11 international speakers to explore the relationship between humanity and the Earth from three major aspects: religious and spiritual wisdom, academic research and education, and international initiatives and local actions, forging a shared ethic and collective action to protect life.
Grand Master Hsin Tao, the Founding Abbot of Ling Jiou Mountain, has long advocated that "Spirituality is Ecology, and Ecology is Spirituality," hoping that people will start from inner awakening and put respect and compassion into action to protect the Earth. The series of events will culminate on November 9, on the 25th anniversary of the Museum of World Religions, with the unveiling of a large-scale art installation themed "Spiritual Ecology," showcasing the achievements of interfaith exchange, life education, and diverse symbiosis.
The press conference concluded with engaging and thought-provoking discussions: images opened eyes, science deepened understanding, and life wisdom inspired change. Through the dialogue among these three distinct perspectives, "Loving the Earth and Loving Peace" became a tangible choice that everyone can put into practice today.
The press conference opened with an introductory short film titled "When the Earth Loses Its Balance", setting the stage for an innovative mini-forum. Following the thematic arc of "Seeing the Imbalance, Understanding the Imbalance, and Healing the Imbalance," the three panelists addressed a pressing question: as science and visual media persistently sound the alarm, how can humanity take decisive steps toward meaningful change?
Seeing the Imbalance Through Images, Understanding the Crisis Through Science
Meng-Lan Shu shared her firsthand experience filming the ecological crisis and reflected on how film can move audiences from emotion to action. Her film, "Guardians of Our Planet II: Between Land and Water," participated in this year's Taiwan Film Festival in São Paulo, Brazil, and was nominated for the 61st Golden Bell Awards. She stated that documentaries protect not only the Earth, but also humanity itself and the future of generations to come.
Ming-Dean Cheng analyzed the long-term trends behind extreme heat, heavy rainfall, and abnormal weather from a climate science perspective, highlighting the climate risks Taiwan most needs to address. He pointed out that climate change is not simply a technological issue; interdisciplinary thinking is necessary to find feasible solutions. He also cautioned that the Earth cannot sustain humanity's insatiable material desires, emphasizing that we must return to our true nature and restrain our desires.
From Inner Awareness to Symbiosis with All Life
Venerable Xian-Yue stated that solving ecological problems requires addressing both the symptoms and the root causes. The fundamental solution should begin with oneself, purifying the mind through meditation to experience the pure and unpolluted spirituality within, reduce greed, and nurture care and compassion. Humans are not inherently superior to all other creatures; we are reminded to see the spirituality and virtues of all things, and to humbly learn from nature. By illuminating ourselves with meditation and caring for all things with compassion, we allow life to illuminate one another, and together move towards harmonious coexistence and ecological sustainability.
International Exchanges Take Place at Ling Jiou Mountain Fucheng in October and November to Echo MWR's 25th Anniversary
From October 8 to 9, the "Taiwan-Japan International Symposium on Spiritual Ecology" will be held at Ling Jiou Mountain Fucheng. Following this, from November 7 to 8, the "2026 International Forum on Spiritual Ecology" will convene, inviting 11 international speakers to explore the relationship between humanity and the Earth from three major aspects: religious and spiritual wisdom, academic research and education, and international initiatives and local actions, forging a shared ethic and collective action to protect life.
Grand Master Hsin Tao, the Founding Abbot of Ling Jiou Mountain, has long advocated that "Spirituality is Ecology, and Ecology is Spirituality," hoping that people will start from inner awakening and put respect and compassion into action to protect the Earth. The series of events will culminate on November 9, on the 25th anniversary of the Museum of World Religions, with the unveiling of a large-scale art installation themed "Spiritual Ecology," showcasing the achievements of interfaith exchange, life education, and diverse symbiosis.
The press conference concluded with engaging and thought-provoking discussions: images opened eyes, science deepened understanding, and life wisdom inspired change. Through the dialogue among these three distinct perspectives, "Loving the Earth and Loving Peace" became a tangible choice that everyone can put into practice today.