The Heart Lotus Ward

The Heart Lotus Ward is the palliative care ward or hospice which was established in August 1996 in the Tzu Chi General Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan. It employs medical professionals, social workers, volunteers and religious personnel who provide services that are centered around the patients and their families. These include medical services as well as physical and spiritual care and guidance. The ward was designed to provide a home-like atmosphere. The rooms are equipped with comfortable electric beds, family rooms, dining rooms that allow patients to cook their favorite foods, and rooms where family members may rest, as well as chapels, prayer rooms, etc.

"The heart is like the bright moon, which shines on the purity of the earth. The lotus is like the bodhi tree, which blooms with flowers of wisdom in the mortal world." This is the Chinese couplet hung by the entrance of the Lotus of the Heart Ward. It represents Master Cheng Yen's wishes and blessings for the patients.