By Tsai-Wei Chou
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand recently passed away in Bangkok. Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men and president of the Federation of World Peace and Love, sent a condolence letter to the Prime Minister of Thailand to extend his deepest sympathy to His Excellency, the Royal Family, the government, and the people of Thailand on Oct. 20. Twelve representatives of Tai Ji Men dizi visited Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei to send a prayer to King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Dr. Hong praised the king, “Your Majesty had shown boundless love and caring for your people, as a parent does for his children, and adopted people-oriented governance practices. Your Majesty's humble and honest governance has set a new paradigm for world leaders.”
Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze has exchanged the ideas of love and peace with world leaders for years and received over 10 letters from His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In April 2001, Dr. Hong earned the privilege to host the World Citizens Assembly in Taiwan for the first time, with delegates from over 50 nations participating in the event, and the representative of Thailand sent an elephant-shaped artifact to the event organizer as the Thai elephant is an official national symbol of Thailand. In 2004, the director of Thailand Tourism Division in Taiwan, on behalf of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, presented a gift to Tai Ji Men. Dr. Hong sent a prayer to the late king to commemorate the long precious friendship between them, “Although Your Majesty has left us, your noble examples will be remembered forever. My heart and thoughts will be always with Your Majesty. My sincere prayer is as follows: May the people of Thailand be comforted and blessed. May Thailand enjoy peace and prosperity. May Your Majesty’s resting land be filled with fragrant flowers.”
The world's longest-reigning monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej had shown profound love and compassion for his people and was a beacon of hope for them. During politically tumultuous times and coups, the highly beloved and revered king was the stabilizing force in the nation. He initiated flood control and artificial rain-making projects to solve the nation’s flooding and drought problems. He also encouraged Thai farmers to grow cash crops such as tea and fruit trees to replace opium. Additionally, he personally taught them modern farming technologies and environmental protection concepts to reduce deforestation and other practices that were not eco-friendly. The then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited Thailand and presented King Bhumibol Adulyadej with the UN Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his extraordinary contributions and decades-long efforts to help the poorest and the most disadvantaged people in his kingdom.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s outstanding lifetime contributions will forever be remembered by his people and the whole world. The representatives of Tai Ji Men dizi sincerely paid their tribute to the great king. Dr. Hong commended His Majesty, “Life will eventually come to its end while the qi will last forever. The purpose of life and the true meaning of being a human being are to create infinite values within limited life . Your Majesty has achieved the mission and left behind the legacy of virtues to be remembered by all.”
Photo: Representatives of Tai Ji Men dizi, on behalf of Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, Zhang-men-ren of Tai Ji Men, express their sincere condolences on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.