Vice President Annette Lu attended a national Buddhist prayer service and a joint examination on Chinese classic scriptures on March 19, respectively praising the cathartic power brought by religions and conferring awards upon the prize-winning children.
Referring to the Buddhist notion that the Buddha sails people across the bitter sea, the vice president said, "Our president is guiding Taiwan as the helmsman of a ship on which the 23 million people are riding on the whirling sea. Each passenger on the ship is obliged to work with our president, the Captain, to sail against the winds and the waves and reach our destination safely."
"Spiritual reform" is where the vice president's efforts are directed; she particularly emphasizes religious power that pacifies society. "Together with many of the religious leaders in Taiwan, I wish to make Taiwan a place full of tender hearts and tender citizens," said the vice president.
The Buddhist prayer service is hosted annually by the Chinese Buddhists Association. The vice president has attended the event many times since she was elected Taoyuan magistrate years ago. This year, the event took place, for the first time, in Kaohsiung City.
The vice president also attended a joint examination on Chinese classic canons, pointing out that humanism is the foundation for technology development. "Our children should have a grasp of the wisdom that has been passed down generation after generation," the vice president reminded the attendees of the examination.
While conferring the awards to the prize-winning children, the vice president wished them brilliance and praised them as the cornerstone of the country.