The abbot of the Huguo Miaochong Temple in Qingliang Mountain, Liugui District, Kaohsiung City (1st left) was awarded an honorary doctorate by Thailand's Maha Chulalongkorn University yesterday, becoming the second person in Taiwan.

(Photo by reporter Su Funan)

[Reporter Su Funan/Kaohsiung Report] Hong An, the abbot of Qingliangshan Huguo Miaochong Temple in Liugui District, Kaohsiung City, devoted himself to education and social charity, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Mahachulalongkorn University in Thailand. A grand ceremony was held this morning At the conferring ceremony, former Legislative President Wang Jinping also attended the ceremony to congratulate him.

Thailand's Maha Chulalongkorn University has a history of more than 100 years, and has cultivated more than 300,000 monks. It has a very high status in the Thai Buddhist circle. Lalongkorn University came across the sea to set up a branch campus in Taiwan. As a result, Venerable Jingxin was awarded the first honorary doctorate by Taiwanese, and Venerable Hongan is the second person from the Buddhist circle in Taiwan to be awarded this honor.

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The conferring ceremony was held at Miao Chong Temple at 9:30 this morning. Two vice-presidents of Maha Chulalongkorn University led a team to Taiwan to present honorary doctorate certificates, Buddhist fans and cassocks to Hong'an elder nun, Wang Jinping and Master Jingyao, chairman of the Buddhist Association of China, Elder Chuandeng, vice chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Temple Association, Master Changlu of the Chinese Buddhist Bhikkhuni Association, Master Xiuyi, secretary-general of the Buddhist Association of China, Master Shi Jianyin, chairman of the Buddhist Association of Pingtung County, etc. People from all walks of life attended the event to witness.

The elder nun Hong An was moved to tears when he delivered a speech, saying that it is a great personal honor to be awarded an honorary doctorate, and he specially sponsored Maha Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and Jingjue Sangha University in Taiwan with education funds of 1 million yuan and 200,000 yuan. In addition, it sponsored Xuanzang University, Liugui High School, Ciming High School, Longxing Elementary School, Pingtung County Xishi Elementary School, and Taitung County Haishan Fuer Home for a total of 900,000 yuan in education funds.

The abbot of Miao Chong Temple, Hong An, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Maha Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. A grand ceremony was held this morning.

(Photo by reporter Su Funan)