Ven. Ben Huan

Ven. Benhuan was born in 1907 in Hubei Province of China. In 1930, he was ordained as a monk at Baotong Monastery in Wuchang City. In the same year, he went to Gaomin Monastery located in Yangzhou, Jiangsu. Having been a student of Ven. Laiguo until September, 1939, he went to Bishan Monastery to serve the abbot there. He remained as the abbot there for 10 years and during that time made a manuscript copy in blood of the Chinese translation of Samantabhadra-carya-pranidhana ("Practices and Vows of Universal Worthy"), which comprised of 19 volumes of over 200,000 words.

In February, 1947, Ven. Benhuan made a visit to several well-known temples in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. In December, 1948, he left Wutai Mountain for Nanhua Monastery in Guangdong and became a student of Ven. Xuyun. In January 1949 he became the abbot of Nanhua Monastery, and in April, 1980 of the Bichuan Monastery. Furthermore, in January, 1987, he became the abbot of Guangxiao Monastery as well. From 1992 till to date, he holds the concurrent post of abbotship of Hongfa Monastery in Shenzhen. Now Ven. Benhuan serves as Director of the Buddhist Association of China, the Chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association's Consultative Committee, Honorary President of the Buddhist Association of Hubei Province, Honorary Vice President of the Buddhist Association of Guangdong Province, President of the Buddhist Association of Shenzhen City, Honorary President of the Buddhist Association of Shaoguan City as well as member of the Guangdong Provincial Consultative Committee.