Chinese mainland delegation mourns Master Hsing Yun in Jiangsu

BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland delegation on Sunday afternoon mourned Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order in Taiwan, at a temple in Yixing, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Long Mingbiao, head of the delegation and deputy head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, attended the mourning ceremony, said a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Others, including officials from the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, president of the Buddhist Association of China, and representatives from all walks of life in Jiangsu, also paid their tributes.

Master Hsing Yun died on Feb. 5. He was born in Jiangsu and became a monk at the Dajue Temple in the city of Yixing.

The delegation had planned to travel to Taiwan to mourn Master Hsing Yun on Saturday, but the trip could not take place due to the obstruction of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities.

In a videolink talk with the Fo Guang Shan Head Abbot Venerable Hsin Bao at the mourning ceremony, Long said the mainland delegation made a special trip to the Dajue Temple to pay tribute and respect to Master Hsing Yun in gratitude for his important contributions to the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, according to the spokesperson.

The delegation extended sympathy to the monks of Fo Guang Shan, and hoped they would carry on the last wishes of Master Hsing Yun and continue promoting cross-Strait exchanges, according to the spokesperson.

In the videolink talk, Abbot Hsin Bao pledged efforts to contribute wisdom and strength to advancing Buddhist exchanges across the Taiwan Strait and promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.