TsungTsai Venerable Elder-now over 100 years old , healthy with all normal vitals & mental acuity ; ( monastic at age 9 under Zen Master ZuTang in a cave-temple in Mongolia,China).
In the 50s : it was a time of political & social unrest , VenTsungTsai fled from Mongolia to Hong Kong by foot ( it took over a year) ; later procured the Rockefeller scholarship to come to America ;
Ven. also studied in China’s first Pali Buddhist college. ,instituted by Ven Tai Shu , just before Buddhism was persecuted by the country.
In HongKong, Ven TsungTsai nominated 2 high monks :
Ven RenJun（ 仁俊) & Ven ReChang （日常 ）& was responsible for bringing them to New York to serve the Temple of Enlightenment .
In 1975, Ven TsungTsai bought a building in Chinatown NY & founded the “ kuanYin Temple “ ,which he later exchanged it with Madame Yin for 5 acres in Woodstock in 1978.
Ven TsungTsai constructed the Ch’an Temple-Recluse , hand-built every brick from foundation to chimney , it took 9 years to complete due to the lack of steady resources.
At present, the temple is critically in need of repair after weathering almost 50 years ; plans for renovation is underway ;
Award winning retired architect & his wife have been students of old monk for 40 yrs ( he worked on NYC municipal reno & top fl of Statue Liberty) Ken drafted temple renderings , mindful to preserve the details & purpose of original structure; & designed a ramp entry fr back, for elders to bypass stairway.

Project Estimated budget
at $150thousand .
Any Meritorious donations will be gratefully & prayerfully appreciated. 

Ch’an Temple ,163 Upper Byrdcliffe way ,
Woodstock, NY 12498

(The Woodstock townhall contained handwritten letter by Robert Thurman some 40 years ago to support & designate temple as tax exempt,historic site. )
Project Proposal : Co-op with Town of Woodstock to charter : ( open to public）
“The Tsung Tsai historic monk-house “ a hand-built Buddhist-recluse museum house.
A sustainable purpose should be able to endure eventuality :
Project to include:
display poetry ,paintings , calligraphy, artifacts , zen-tea-joy, audios,
architectural synchrony : space/nature ,minimalistic style of living ;
appreciate grace in simplicity ,
Reflect Attributes of Patience , perseverance , persistence &
Noble silence to remind us how to make the world a better place :
meditate, contemplate in quiet bliss .
Essaying talks & special exhibits

( integrating,entrusting this collective cultural & spiritual platform may inspire beyond Time – perpetually benefit ,& provide balance & therapy for contemporary moral injuries)

一善消百灾，多善解‭‮难千‬.
宗才老和尚明春策仗回山
宗才禪林 重修整建工程 募化通啟
「禪宗文化才藝博物坊」
上宗下才老和尚今年一百零二歲。身體非常健康 ,思維敏捷。
50 年代在中國「大躍進」期間，老和尚（當時是小和尚；9歳依止續燈法師于蒙古山洞廟䉜度）以一年時間，從內蒙古出發，在饑荒動盪之際，備嘗亂離之苦，逃難到香港。
在港期間，群策道友⋯和尚得蒙欣允「洛克斐勒基金」獎助，致美國進修；（長老于峽西、由太虛大師創辦的巴利文佛學院首界的畢業生）；後给社區資深華人應金玉堂夫人提名二位高僧：日常法師与仁俊法師從香港來美纽约大覚寺主持法務；
宗老以低眉之心、啟建纽约唐人街福慧寺（即现在的觀音寺 ）幸遇与应金玉堂夫人、將寺換交Woodstock 5 acres ,遠離塵囂喧鬧、木陀深山、閉關修持、森林中發揮禪僧本色，用雙手斗量打造阿蘭若⋯宗才禪林，一木一石均來自信施供養，以一人之力，拼湊堆疊。當時由於募化不易，此蘭若時蓋時停，前後費時九年才完工。

 老和尚在此蘭若/禪林隱居二十多年。涵養純粹。期間，認識詩人作家George Crane，相約回到蒙古探尋’先師續燈和尚’的遺骨。
George Crane將這段奇異旅程，寫成Bones of the Master（梁永安中譯《師父還在沙漠裡：蒙古禪師與美國嬉皮的狂沙之旅》大塊出版，2001年）。龍壇好評。意者請自行參閱。

網路資料：
http://poieinkaiprattein.org/beyond-images/literature/george-crane-author-of-bones-of-the-master
 此蘭若/禪林建築經數十年風雪，已有多處滲漏，亟需修繕，一物不嫌 ,則群象畢具、世界咸同、
設建「禪宗文化才藝博物坊」
“The TsungTsai Monk-House “
a hand built Buddhist-recluse museum house .

預估所需經費$15萬美元，敬請隨喜。
宗才禪林 釋慈德 ( 演道） 合十

Ch’an Temple

163 Upper Byrdcliffe way ,
Woodstock, NY 12498

宗才禪林 重修整建工程 募化通啟
「禪宗文化才藝博物坊」