Speech by Ven. Zhang Fenglin, Vice President of CCRP, at the Webinar Hosted by CCRP in October 2020

Ven. Zhang Fenglin
Vice President of China Committee on Religion and Peace
Vice President and Secretary-General of Chinese Taoist Association

Dear colleagues of different religions, dear friends,

Greetings.

It’s my honor to attend the webinar today and share experience in fighting against COVID-19 and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship with colleagues present here and from an online Zoom meeting.

This urgently emerging COVID-19 concerns the hearts of all people in China, including religious leaders and believers. When one is in trouble, help comes from all others. Looking back to the process of fighting against the pandemic, China Taoist circles have paid close attention to the spreading of the virus and took series of measures to prevent and control the virus in the spirit of caring about and benefiting others.

First, Chinese Taoist Association issued a notice about activities in Taoist holy places during the Spring Festival and asked local Taoist temples in all regions of China to ensure health safety in Taoist holy places. All local Taoist temples announced accordingly to the public stopping Taoist activities, reminded them of strengthening individual protection, reducing outdoor activities, and explained why patiently for the public by posting at the door of Taoist temples, phone call, Wechat, and network. Meanwhile, all Taoist temples took strict measures to prevent and control the virus by testing temperature for all priests in temples, spraying completely disinfectant, which ensured no one from Taoist circles was infected and all Taoist activities were orderly, safe and harmony.

Second, Chinese Taoist circles have donated more than 50 million RMB to fight against COVID-19. All Taoist priests and followers said we should stand up to shoulder social society in an urgent time of containing the virus, and pray for disseminating disasters and welcoming blessings.

Third, we have held praying rituals in Taoist way to wish an early end of the pandemic and prosperous nation and peaceful people. Taoist Calligraphy and Painting Academies of Chinese Taoist Association opened an online exhibition in the theme of combating COVID-19 with boundless love, worshiping forefront heroes in harm’s way.

Fourth, as the worsening situation of the overseas pandemic, Chinese Taoist circles have donated medical materials from different channels to religious colleagues in Malaysia, Spain, and Japan, contributing to the global battle with COVID-19.

Foreign Taoist believers also paid much attention to the spreading of the virus and held praying ceremonies and donated funds and materials to express their caring, which made us feel so warm.

COVID-19 is a warning from nature to human beings and convinces the international community of the significance and contemporary value of ideas about the community with a shared future proposed by President Xi Jinping. The threat brought by the virus surpasses national borders, and no single country could stand against it. We should unite in great solidarity and build in joint hands a community with a shared future for mankind.

All roads lead to one world. Bearing the same spirit in mind, China Taoist circles carried out interreligious cooperation in joint prevention and control mechanism and promoted to build community with shared public health security in real actions. Let’s remember the martyrs dying of fighting against COVID-19 and victims due to infecting the virus and continue the war against the pandemic with the hope they left behind.

Wish you all healthy both physically and mentally, and happy with bondless luck.

Thank you all.