International Taoist Forum, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

The event was held at Dewan Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang in Penang, organized by Lean Wah Thong Chinese Temple as part of the 115th anniversary celebration of the temple, coinciding with the feast festival of Tai Shang Lao Jun, the founder of Taoism.

Taoist priests and residents from Penang, along with representatives from six countries, attended the forum. The forum's theme was ' Harmonious Society, Dao in the Heart‘ 和諧社會，道在人心. According to Malaysian speaker Professor Yan, every human being has an ego. If we can balance our ego with the Great Dao, people can maintain peace and harmony without being bound by worldly knowledge and desires.

Master Cheng from Malaysia asked the audience to shake hands with each other. He observed that many people smiled and showed friendliness during the handshake. This positive gesture aligns with the Taoist belief “萬物負陰而抱陽” (All things carry yin yet embrace yang). During the handshake, our inner palms, which represent 'yang' or positive energy, come into contact, while our outer palms, representing 'yin' or negative energy, do not meet. Master Cheng urged Taoist followers to strive for unity and reform within Taoism, ensuring our cultural roots can continue to progress.

During the forum, a question was raised about declining faith in Taoism due to financial reasons. According to Hong Kong speaker Master Ceng, the organization of the forum and the scheduled float procession the following day were already planned and executed. This demonstrated that Taoism followers, especially those involved, had successfully fulfilled their aspirations to make both events a greater success. Master Ceng rejected the notion that financial obstacles significantly hinder the pursuit of Taoist beliefs and practices.

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