Great Wisdom Reading Club led by Tsan-Hua Academy founder Mr. S.M. Hwang.
贊化書院創辦人黃世明先生擔任大智慧讀書會主講人
The word “Tsan-Hua”, meaning “assist the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth”, comes from “The Doctrine of the Mean”. In brief, the doctrine states “It is only he who is possessed of the most complete sincerity that can exist under heaven, who can give its full development to his nature." Able to give its full development to his own nature, he can do the same to the nature of other men. Able to give its full development to the nature of other men, he can give their full development to the natures of animals and things. Able to give their full development to the natures of creatures and things, he can assist the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth. Able to assist the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth, he may with Heaven and Earth form a ternion.”
Naming the academy “Tsan-Hua” communicates the hope that all developmental aspects of the academy will be based on the principle of assisting Heaven and Earth to transform and nourish the entirety of nature. Hence, the vision and mission of the Tsan-Hua Academy are listed as:
- Carry forward traditional Chinese culture
- Promote ethical and moral education
- Inspire the wisdom of life
- Impact the heart of society and cultivate individuals of diverse knowledge and giftedness to develop talent, virtue, and wisdom.
Adhering to this ideal and the vision of Confucius “to aspire the Tao, hold to morality, lean on benevolence, and enjoy the arts” and believing deeply that “teaching through words is not as good as through example, teaching through example is not as good as through the environment, and teaching through the environment is not as good as education in the classics/scripture to illustrate illustrious virtue (Ming Ming De)” Mr. and Mrs. Shih-Ming Hwang formally founded the Tsan-Hua Academy in Irvine in 1990, and the Jun Hua Education Foundation (Superior Education Foundation) in Taiwan in 1996. Both organizations hold Reading Classes in the Chinese Classics, and advanced seminars to support the practice of reading the Chinese Classics in the community.
In 1996, they developed the “Parent-child Chinese Classics Reading Class” and the “Youth Chinese Classics Reading Class” in Taiwan and Irvine to teach children and young adults to read and recite “The Disciple Guidance”, “The Book of Filial Piety”, “The Analects of Confucius” and other Chinese classics. The words and sentences from the ancient sages help children to understand the teachings of the sages, the inherent culture, and the principles of filial piety and faithfulness.
In 2001, a formal “Classic Reading of Chinese Studies Club” was established, followed by the “Great Wisdom Reading Club” in December 2005, on the premises of the Irvine Chinese School. The two adult reading clubs study “The Analects of Confucius”, “The Great Learning”, “The Doctrine of the Mean”, “Mencius”, “Tao De Jing”, “The Altar Sutra of Sixth Patriarch” and other Chinese classical literature. The goal of both clubs is to elevate the participant’s minds, engage their inner wisdom, transform their knowledge into wisdom, and apply the learned wisdom from the sages to business management, operation, and judgment, as well as to cultivate talent and virtue. This kind of personal growth, in turn, will affect their family, colleagues, friends, community and society in a positive way.
Over the years, Tsan-Hua Academy has provided support to organizations and activities that can assist in promoting traditional Chinese culture. For example, it (1) sponsored the construction of the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center (2) provided funds to the Irvine Chinese School (ICS) Tsan-Hua Classic Scholarship (3) organized competitions in the ten classics of the sages at ICS, including hard-point pen calligraphy, brush writing calligraphy, drawing contests, scripture memorization and recitation, individual reading, group reading, and filial piety month group performance competition, etc. (4) jointly organized classic scholarship activities with SCCCS (Southern California Council of Chinese Schools) (5) provided related culture lectures to support and celebrate the Confucian Memorial Ceremony in Southern California (6) jointly organized reading test events with JCUAA (Joint Chinese University Alumni Association of Southern California) (7) sponsored many Chinese schools in California to promote the reading of Chinese classics and provided textbooks to the schools. These activities have expanded education in the Chinese classics over a larger geographic area!
Since its establishment, Tsan-Hua Academy has also actively participated in the diversified cultural programs of the City of Irvine. At the annual Irvine Global Village Festival (IGVF) event, the Academy introduced Chinese classic books, brush writing calligraphy, and Chinese arts to the attendees and visitors. The staff also conducted stage performances on Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, Tai Chi Sword and Yi Jin Stick, presenting the exquisite Chinese culture to the various ethnic groups in Irvine! Its efforts have enriched the quality of the humanities among Irvine residents (especially people from a Chinese background).
It also has contributed greatly to the development and diversification of Irvine City! Tsan-Hua Academy is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization officially approved by the state of California and the Internal Revenue Service. In January 2020, the Academy moved into a new 14,310 square feet building (address listed below). When the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, the Academy will officially open to the public.
Any non-profit organization with the same purpose of Tsan-Hua Academy will be welcome to use the facility to promote Chinese culture. As the city of Irvine celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Tsan-Hua Academy extends its sincere congratulations and wishes i t s continued success, growth, and development. At the same time, the Tsan-Hua Academy will continue to uphold its original intent of spreading Chinese culture, inheriting the classics of great sages, training young students with high-quality education, and exerting a positive influence in the community. We are also committed to partnering with the city in elevating the status of Irvine to become not only one of the top cities in California, but also in the United States and the world!
Address: 16841 Millikan Ave, Irvine CA 92606
Telephones: 949-887-6277 or 949-233-4113
(English translation by May Wen & Dale Wong)
Members celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Great Wisdom Reading Club.
大智慧讀書會十週年
「贊化」出自《中庸》，「唯天下至誠，為能盡其性；能盡其性，則能盡人之性；能盡人之性，則能盡物之性；能盡物之性，則可以贊天地之化育；可以贊天地之化育，則可以與天地參矣」其所以取「贊天地之化育」一句中的 「贊化」二字就是期望此書院的各方位發展均能以贊助萬物，化育人文為原則，並將下列四項列為贊化書院的宗旨和使命：1. 發揚固有中華傳統文化，2. 推動倫理道德教育，3. 啟發人生智慧，4. 導正社會人心及培養具「才、德、智」之多元識能之人才。
秉持此理想和「志於道，據於德，依於仁，游於藝」的願景，又深知「言教不如身教，身教不如境教，境教不如經教，經教在明明德」，黃院長世明先生與夫人蔡蕙先女士於 1990 年在爾灣市正式成立贊化書院，並於 1996 年同時在台灣和爾灣市創辦「兒童親子讀經班」及「青少年國學讀經班」，教導幼童及青少年熟讀及背誦《弟子規》、《孝經》、《論語》等經典，將古聖先賢之字句深植腦中，了解聖賢教誨與固有文化，並學習孝悌忠信做人的道理。
1996 年也在台灣設立俊華教育基金會，舉辦讀書會、讀經班、進修班講座等，持續在社區深耕發展。又於 2001 年成立「國學經典讀書會」，及 2005 年 12月假爾灣中文學校校舍創辦「大智慧讀書會」，以研討切磋的方式閱讀《論語》、《大學》、《中庸》、《孟子》、《道德經》、《六祖壇經》等，在研讀經典中提昇研討者的心靈，開啟智慧，轉識成智，將所學的聖賢智慧運用於事業上的經營，管理，運作和判斷上，培養才、德、智兼具之人才，進而影響家人和同事朋友社會，導正社會人心，至今已超過 15 個年頭！
贊化書院多年來樂於支援能協助發展傳統中華文化之任何活動，例如贊助南海岸文化中心之興建；提供爾灣中文學校贊化書院經典獎學金；與爾灣中文學校聯合舉辦十項聖賢經典比賽，有硬筆書法、百孝篇毛筆書法、繪畫、經文背誦、朗誦、個人讀經、團體讀經及孝悌月團體表演賽等；與南加州中文學校聯合會聯合舉辦經典獎學金活動；支援南加祭孔大典慶祝活動，辦理相關文化講座；與南加州大專校友聯合會聯合舉辦讀經會考活動；贊助南加和北加州多所中文學校推廣讀經並提供教材等，將經典教育由點擴大成
面。
成立至今，亦積極參與爾灣市政府的多元化文化節目，在一年一度的爾灣地球日活動中，參與攤位展示經典書籍書法及中式藝品，亦以舞台表演的方式介紹功夫、太極拳、太極劍、易筋棒等給爾灣市各種族裔的社區大眾，對推廣精美的中華文化不遺餘力！其努力豐富了爾灣市居民（尤其是離鄉背景的華裔人士）的人文品質，對爾灣市的發展及多元化的融合亦有極大貢獻！
贊化書院是個正式獲得加州政府及國稅局批準的501(c)3 非營利民間組織，並於 2020 年 1 月遷入下列的新址，佔地 14,310 平方呎，待新冠疫情過後，將正式對外開放；凡與贊化書院宗旨相同的非營利組織團體，均歡迎借用使用，共同推廣中華文化！
今欣聞爾灣市成立滿 50 年，贊化書院在此獻上誠摯的賀意，祝福爾灣市政蓬勃發展；同時亦將秉持贊化書院成立時的初衷和宗旨，繼續宣揚中華文化，傳承聖賢經典，以優質教育方式培養年輕學子，對社區居民發揮正向積極之影響力，並與大眾共同創造良好的方法以回饋所居住的爾灣市，使其不僅在加州，亦在美國及世界上均成為一個頂級，人人嚮往的好城市！
住址：16841 Millikan Ave，Irvine CA 92606
電話：949-887-6277 or 949-233-4113
（鍾梅馨撰文）