Bamboo Bungalow

Heng Yao

Bamboo Bungalowwas originally named “Still Thoughts Bamboo Bungalow”(Peaceful Thought tea Hut). It is because when the Tzu Chi Hospital was founded, there was no such a place for visitors, so Bamboo Bungalow, a traditional building was build up around with smooth space settings. Bamboo Bungalow is 6480 square feet big. More than 80 thousand kilogram of bamboo was used for the construction.

Bamboo Bungalo wcombined Taiwanese traditional building style and Southern Changjiang River building style. It caught the spirit of bamboo, humility and long-suffering, represented the examples of Tzu Chi  people, willing to serve and bearing with happiness. Taiwanese square bamboos and round bamboos were used, so the building reflects the beauty of bamboo nodes, so irresistible that you might want to touch them. The square bamboos represent the Taiwanese characteristic, pure in heart, and righteousness in behaviors; the round bamboos represent the tactful attitude of Chinese culture. The pillars were made of square bamboos abide with round bamboos, which is the metaphor of Tzu Chi  people

The whole building does not contain any carving or painting, even not a piece of nail. Almost fifty thousand volunteer Tzu Chi  people made bamboo nails and polished them until smooth. It is a place you can breathe and relax. In Zhu-Xuan, you can be in the ancient style hall way, and there are guiding bricks for blind people along the hall way, so you may find out how thoughtful Tzu Chi people are.

It is especially worthy to mention about Xiang Shi Clock Tower (Xiang Shi means thinking of teachers.) It is made by the ratio 15:1. The tower is15 meters tall (about six floor), the diameter of the round seat is 23 meters wide. The pillars in the Xiang Shi Tower, the four surfaces mean the four attitudes of Buddhism. (Mercy-, understanding-to help those in trials, joy- to bring happiness to others, to give-without looking for feed back.) Among the pillars, there are 24 squares, which mean there are 24 hours a day. There are 86400 red beans, every second, it will drop a bean down, expecting people to think about every second, do every thing you can to treasure every second. On the top of the pillars, there is a light, hoping our every step forward will bring us to the light. On the seat, it was carved all those great and positive stories from the 7000 year history of China, reminding people to follow their examples, and that is why the tower is called Xiang Shi Clock Tower. Around the seat, there are 12 sets of water pillars, means the 12 fortunes of Buddhism. Also, four angels were put in the front, mean Mercy, Understanding, Joy, and To Give.