News | Taiwan Blood Services Foundation ESG

       In Taoyuan, there is a place of faith that has long and quietly supported public welfare—Wuji Sanzhu Temple. Over the years, all directors and supervisors of Sanzhu Temple have not only actively responded to blood donation activities by calling on disciples, devotees, and local residents to roll up their sleeves and donate blood, but have also contributed both funds and effort. Recently, they further gathered all devotees to donate NT$16 million to the Hsinchu Blood Center for the purchase of a large fully electric bloodmobile and charging station equipment. A donation ceremony and new vehicle fire-crossing ritual were held on the 13th of this month, with Tsung-Hsi Wang, CEO of the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation, and Yun-Lung Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Blood Center, accepting the donation on behalf of the Foundation.


Caption: Taoyuan Wuji Sanzhu Temple donated a large fully electric bloodmobile. During the donation ceremony, Sister Shu-Chen Cheng, Abbot of Sanzhu Temple (center), Tian-Hsiang Liu, Chairperson of Sanzhu Temple (second from left), and Ching-Chun Chou, Vice Chairperson of Sanzhu Temple (first from left), presented a bloodmobile model to Tsung-Hsi Wang, CEO of the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation (second from right), and Yun-Lung Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Blood Center.

Compassion in service of the world: Sanzhu Temple promotes charitable giving

       Located in Dayuan District, Taoyuan City, Wuji Sanzhu Temple is a foundation temple dedicated primarily to the Third Mazu, the Heavenly Holy Mother, and is a temple that integrates Buddhist and Taoist beliefs. The predecessor of the temple had relocated several times, but the number of devotees continued to grow. Through a convergence of causes and conditions, it took root in Taoyuan and established a charitable merit association to carry forward the spirit of the Third Mazu—“compassion in service of the world and salvation for all beings.” Its charitable work includes emergency relief, care for disadvantaged groups, donation of coffins and funeral assistance for impoverished families, as well as a charitable outreach team formed by kind-hearted individuals who jointly protect local elders and residents. Sanzhu Temple is not only a local center of faith, but also an important cornerstone in Taiwan’s promotion of public welfare and good deeds.
 
       Tian-Hsiang Liu, Chairperson of Sanzhu Temple, stated that the temple’s devotees come from all walks of life, but they share a common belief: compassion, joyful giving, and charitable donation. Therefore, everyone is willing to actively respond to the cause of donating blood to help others. For the donation of this large fully electric bloodmobile, after he proposed the initiative, all directors and supervisors of the temple demonstrated remarkable solidarity and compassion, unanimously approving the proposal. He also thanked the Hsinchu Blood Center for fully supporting the design of the bloodmobile and assisting with vehicle licensing and verification procedures, allowing the donation ceremony to be held as scheduled.
 
Devotees make a vow, and the wish to donate a bloodmobile comes true
 
       Yung-Ho Yao, Director of Sanzhu Temple, said that in order to create the “Sanzhu Temple” bloodmobile, temple staff consulted the Third Mazu on every detail, including the arrangement of the names of major donors on the vehicle body and the composition of the three bamboo stalks on both sides, designed so that they appear to move with the wind as the vehicle advances. To pray for the safe operation of the bloodmobile and successful blood collection, this bloodmobile also underwent traditional rituals, including a divine cleansing ceremony and fire-crossing ritual. He said that the electricity consumed by the electric bloodmobile during daytime outreach blood collection can be fully recharged in two hours after being connected to the charging station at night, using off-peak electricity, making it both environmentally friendly and cost-saving.


Caption: After the donation ceremony for the large fully electric bloodmobile donated by Taoyuan Sanzhu Temple, the CEO of the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation (center, wearing black) took a group photo with Sanzhu Temple’s directors, supervisors, devotees, and the “Sanzhu Temple” bloodmobile in front of the temple.

       During the bloodmobile donation ceremony, Sister Shu-Chen Cheng, Abbot of Sanzhu Temple, could not hide her emotion as she said that tour buses often bring pilgrims to the square in front of Sanzhu Temple, but unlike usual, this time the vehicle parked there was a large fully electric bloodmobile. This was made possible by the shared charitable commitment of Sanzhu Temple’s directors, supervisors, disciples, and kind-hearted supporters to donate a bloodmobile. “Today, this wish has come true, and my heart is filled with boundless gratitude,” she said. She noted that donating one bag of blood does not save only one person, but saves a family and helps many people, allowing a family to remain whole. The Third Mazu will bless everyone with many descendants, prosperous business, and happy families.
 
       Tsung-Hsi Wang, CEO of the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation, stated that he was honored to attend the bloodmobile donation ceremony on behalf of Chairperson Sheng-Mou Hou of the Foundation. On behalf of the medical institutions and patients served by Taiwan’s blood donation and supply system, he expressed sincere thanks to all directors, supervisors, and devotees of Sanzhu Temple. This act of kindness demonstrates the most beautiful example of religious faith transformed into concrete social compassion. As described in the book published by the Foundation, River of the Body: A Journey of Blood Exploration, the Foundation will gather the love of all devotees and the public into an endless source of life, passing it on to patients and their families who are fighting illness.
 
One bag of blood saves three lives and three families
 
       Tsung-Hsi Wang said that, as the saying goes, “Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.” In the medical system, blood still cannot be artificially synthesized, and it is a precious resource with a limited shelf life. Every bag of blood is the only hope for extending a patient’s life. Just as Sister Shu-Chen Cheng mentioned in her remarks, “Donating one bag of blood can save a family.” He added, however, that one bag of whole blood donated by a donor can be separated into different components, such as red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Therefore, “one blood donation saves three lives,” and those three lives represent three families.
 
       CEO Wang said that the “Sanzhu Temple” bloodmobile is the first fully electric bloodmobile of the Hsinchu Blood Center. Its equipment and design are very comprehensive, and it is also environmentally friendly, making it truly the No. 1 bloodmobile at present. In the future, this bloodmobile will travel through streets and alleys to collect more blood for Taiwan, while also providing blood donors with a more comfortable, safe, and professional blood donation environment. The Foundation also plans to make a video about it in the future, allowing international friends to know that Taiwan not only has the world’s highest blood donation rate, but also that the compassion of the Taiwanese people is known around the world. 
 
The compassion of faith becomes warmth for society
 
       Tian-Hsiang Liu also mentioned that the Rotary Club of Taipei Yihsien originally initiated a campaign to donate a fully electric bloodmobile to the Taipei Blood Center. However, after two years of efforts, including organizing auctions, the club had still not reached its fundraising goal and remained NT$5 million short. At that anxious moment, when the target still could not be met, the president of the Rotary Club of Taipei Yihsien sought his assistance. Liu then discussed the matter with Sanzhu Temple’s directors, supervisors, and Sister Shu-Chen Cheng. Within one hour, everyone quickly reached a decision, and in less than one day, NT$5 million in donations had been gathered to fill the final funding gap, successfully helping the Rotary Club of Taipei Yihsien reach its goal. He said this is the miracle created by the unity of Sanzhu Temple. In the future, Sanzhu Temple will continue to uphold the spirit of compassion in service of the world, work together with all sectors of society, and deliver warmth to every corner where it is most needed!
 
       Yun-Lung Wang, Director of the Hsinchu Blood Center, stated that blood donation is a public welfare action that requires participation by the entire population, and a bloodmobile is like a mobile base of love. He thanked Sanzhu Temple for donating a fully electric bloodmobile and expressed his hope that each time it sets out and at every stop it makes, many blood donors will roll up their sleeves to offer a precious gift of life to patients they have never met.