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Minnan Dialect — One Voice of Home, Carrying Centuries of Cultural Memory

Minnan is a linguistic river flowing across time and oceans. Originating in southern Fujian, it spread through migration, maritime travel, and historical change to Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and communities around the world.

In Taiwan, Minnan is more than a language used in everyday communication. It carries traditions of food, faith, folk songs, proverbs, opera, and ordinary life. When an elder asks, “食飽未？” (“Have you eaten yet?”), it is more than a simple greeting. It feels like the land and generations of family memories gently answering us in the most familiar voice.

✦ Bodhidharma — After Crossing the Yangtze on a Single Reed, What He Left Behind Was a Heart Turned Inward in Self-Awareness

Bodhidharma, known as the First Patriarch of Chinese Chan Buddhism, is one of the most legendary figures in the history of Chinese Zen tradition. According to tradition, he traveled from India to China and introduced teachings that emphasized directly perceiving the mind and realizing one’s true nature. Later generations further shaped his image through stories such as “Crossing the Yangtze River on a Single Reed” and “Facing a Wall in Meditation for Nine Years.”

As history and legend became intertwined, Bodhidharma gradually came to symbolize the spiritual essence of Chan Buddhism. His significance lies not merely in the image of a mysterious martial arts patriarch, but in a deeper wisdom of practice: turning inward, breaking free from attachment, and personally experiencing the nature of life. His story reminds us that true awakening is not simply something to be explained through words, but something that must ultimately be discovered within ourselves.

✦ Master Xuanzang — A Journey Across Thousands of Miles in Search of the Dharma

In the history of Chinese Buddhism, Master Xuanzang is one of the most revered eminent monks. In search of more complete and accurate Buddhist scriptures, he embarked on a long journey to India, crossing deserts, mountains, and foreign lands while enduring countless hardships along the way. 

After returning to China, he devoted tremendous effort to translating Buddhist scriptures and organizing Buddhist teachings, allowing many precious texts to be preserved and widely transmitted. His translations became an important part of the development of Chinese Buddhism.

His life was more than a historical journey in search of the Dharma. It was also a remarkable story of faith, wisdom, scholarship, and perseverance—a journey across thousands of miles in pursuit of knowledge and truth.

✦ Buddhist Dharma — In a Single Moment of Awareness, Seeing Ourselves and Seeing the World

Buddhist Dharma is not merely the sound of temple bells and the chanting of scriptures, nor is it simply something people turn to for comfort when they encounter difficulties. Rather, it is like a path that leads us back to our inner selves—a path that teaches us to observe our thoughts, understand impermanence, face suffering, learn to let go of attachment, and treat ourselves and others with compassion.

When we are willing to slow down and recognize ourselves in every arising thought and moment of awareness, we may gradually come to understand that true peace does not necessarily come from changing the world, but from learning how to find stillness within ourselves.

📜 History — The Traces Left by Time, and the Road Humanity Has Traveled

History has never been merely a collection of dates, figures, and wars found in textbooks. It is also a mirror reflecting the development of human civilization. From ancient tribes to modern cities, from the rise and fall of dynasties to technological revolutions, every era has left behind its own choices and stories.

Understanding history is not simply about remembering what happened in the past. It is also about learning to understand why people made the choices they did, and how the events that once unfolded gradually shaped the world we live in today.

🔥 Spirit Mediums — At the Intersection of Faith, Responsibility, and the Human Spirit

Spirit Mediums — At the Intersection of Faith, Responsibility, and the Human Spirit

In Taiwanese folk religion, spirit mediums known as jitong (乩童) represent a distinctive religious and cultural phenomenon. From beliefs in deities and spirit-possession rituals to temple festivals and worshippers seeking blessings, guidance, or answers to their concerns, spirit mediums embody far more than an aura of mystery. They are also connected to local history, community relationships, and the continuation of traditional cultural practices. 

When we look beyond the surface of mystery and legend and approach jitong from cultural and religious perspectives, we can gain a deeper understanding of how Taiwanese folk beliefs have continued through generations. In this context, the spirit medium can be understood as a cultural and religious intermediary through whom believers perceive a connection between the human and divine worlds—a bridge not only between people and deities, but also between people and the communities they share. 

🪷 The Buddha — From Prince Siddhartha to the Enlightened One: A Life Journey That Changed the World 

The Buddha was not someone who was destined to be regarded as a Buddha from the very beginning. He was once a person who lived in the world, reflecting deeply on the meaning of life. From Prince Siddhartha in the royal palace, to a seeker who renounced worldly luxury in pursuit of truth, and finally to the Buddha who attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, his life was not merely an important chapter in religious history. It was also a profound exploration of birth, aging, illness, and death; suffering, compassion, wisdom, and liberation.

🪷 Buddhist Philosophy — Learning to See Ourselves and the World in a Single Moment of Awareness

Buddhist philosophy is not merely about scriptures found in temples, nor is it simply a belief in the afterlife and karma. Rather, it can be seen as a path leading inward—a journey that begins with suffering, impermanence, attachment, and compassion, allowing us to better understand ourselves and see life from a different perspective.

When we learn to observe our thoughts, accept change, and gradually let go of unnecessary attachments, we may discover a sense of inner peace that does not depend entirely on external circumstances.

✦ Heaven and Hell — Seeking Answers to Good and Evil at the Edge of Human Imagination

From religious beliefs and mythology to philosophical reflection, heaven and hell have always been among humanity’s deepest imaginings when confronting life and death. One represents hope, redemption, and eternity, while the other embodies judgment, punishment, and fear. Perhaps what we truly seek to understand has never been simply where we will go after death, but rather how we should choose to live within the limited span of a human life.

🍃 Green Tea — Eastern Aesthetics of Living in a Fragrant Cup of Tea 

A single tea leaf goes through plucking, fixation, rolling, and drying before finally unfurling in hot water to become a clear, delicate cup of tea. Green tea lacks the bold intensity of coffee and the flamboyance of sweetened beverages, yet with its subtle fragrance and gentle lingering sweetness, it has accompanied people through countless ordinary moments of everyday life.

From tea plantations nestled in the mountains to elegant tea tables in the city, green tea carries more than just a culinary tradition. It represents a way of slowing down, quieting the mind, and rediscovering the beauty hidden within the smallest details of everyday life.

IKU Workshop — Teacher Yigu specializes in yarn knitting, crochet, and a wide variety of handmade crafts. We are now launching a brand-new collection of knitting projects and hands-on craft courses, and registration is officially open!

If you love yarn knitting, handmade creations, or simply want to create a one-of-a-kind piece with your own hands, you are warmly invited to join Yigu IKU Workshop.

Follow Teacher Yigu and start learning from the basics. Enjoy the peaceful rhythm of crafting, take your time with every stitch, and experience the simple joy of watching a unique creation gradually come to life, one step at a time.....