Among people’s sufferings, illness is considered one of the most profound. During the early days of Taiwan, poverty frequently stemmed from illness. Dharma Master Cheng Yen, feeling inspired to make a difference, committed to a mission of medicine. Through years of relentless effort and generous public donations, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital opened to the public in 1986, an institution embodying reverence for life and dedication to healthcare.

However, Dharma Master Cheng Yen quickly realized that while there was no shortage of physicians, a dearth of humanity and compassion prevailed. In response, the Dharma Master sought to cultivate medical professionals who blended their expert skills with compassion, ready to dedicate themselves to their patients and patients’ families. This vision led the Dharma Master to establish Tzu Chi Medical College. Despite numerous obstacles encountered during the planning and inception phase, the college was successfully inaugurated in 1994. It was designed to enhance healthcare quality in eastern Taiwan, prepare healthcare professionals instilled with both skills and compassion, and bolster public well-being. In August 1998, it was renamed Tzu Chi College of Medicine and Humanities.

Subsequent additions of the College of Life Sciences and the College of Education and Communication set the stage for the institution to be renamed Tzu Chi University in August 2000. The University's ambit was broadened over time to include affiliated senior high, junior high, and elementary schools, providing an educational platform for learners across all age groups, from preschoolers and kindergarteners to college, master’s, and doctoral students. Tzu Chi University emphasizes the integration of its school motto – “kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity” – into the daily lives of its faculty, staff, and students. Moreover, it instills educational principles centered around a humanistic culture, a spirit of great love, gratitude, respect, and loving care, reflective of Tzu Chi Foundation’s founding philosophy.