The several million member strong Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation is led by Dharma Master Cheng Yen. The foundation was established in 1966 at a time when Taiwan's economy was not yet developed and most charity work on the island was done by foreign churches.
而擁有數百萬會員，由證嚴法師領導的慈濟功德會，早在民國五十五年便已創立，當時台灣的經濟力還弱，慈善事業幾乎是外來的教會一手包辦。