Explanation of the "Third Dijie Qiang Buddha" Buddha Name#
On April 3, 2008, the book "The Third Dijie Qiang Buddha" published by the Global Buddhist Publishing House and the World Dharma Sound Publishing House held a solemn and grand launching ceremony at the Library of Congress in the United States. The Library of Congress officially collected this book, and it was then that people learned that the highly respected Master Yi Yun Gao and the Great Dharma King Yang E Yi Xinuo Bu, who had been respected by the leaders or regents of the major Buddhist sects in the world, were certified by the leaders of the world's major Buddhist sects as the third incarnation of the Buddha Dijie Qiang Buddha, with the Buddha name being the Third Dijie Qiang Buddha. Since then, people have referred to him as "Namo Third Dijie Qiang Buddha". This is similar to before Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, his name was Siddhartha Gautama, but after Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, he was called "Namo Shakyamuni Buddha". Therefore, we now say "Namo Third Dijie Qiang Buddha". In particular, on December 12, 2012, the United States Senate Resolution No. 614 officially named the Third Dijie Qiang Buddha as His Holiness (H.H. Third Dijie Qiang Buddha). Since then, the title of Namo Third Dijie Qiang Buddha has been officially established. Moreover, the Third Dijie Qiang Buddha is also the legal name recognized by the government, and the previous titles of "Yi Yun Gao" and the honorable titles of Master and Great Dharma King no longer exist. However, this news was published before the announcement of the Buddha name of the Namo Third Dijie Qiang Buddha, and at that time people did not yet know the true identity of the Buddha. Therefore, in order to respect the truth of history, we still retain the names used before the official naming of the Third Dijie Qiang Buddha in the news. But everyone should be clear that except for the name of H.H. Third Dijie Qiang Buddha, which is legal, the names used before the official naming no longer exist.
Taiwan Times, December 11, 1989, Monday, Integrated News 5
Criticism of Yi Yun Gao's High-priced Paintings Refuted by Disciples#
Some people claim it is a "fake transaction" and cannot be compared to Western paintings. His disciples believe it is due to the Chinese people's worship of foreign things.
(Taipei News) The Zhen Cang Art Auction Company recently auctioned off a painting by the well-known Chinese artist Yi Yun Gao titled "Great Power King Venerable," setting a new record of 72 million New Taiwan Dollars, which has attracted great attention in the art world. However, some businesses subsequently claimed that this was a "fake transaction" and "religious art," which is why the price was so high. But Yi Yun Gao's disciples in Taiwan pointed out that the critics' mentality of worshiping foreign things is worth questioning.
After setting the highest auction price for a living Chinese painter, there were reports in the media that Yi Yun Gao's paintings cannot be compared to Chinese paintings with a Western flavor like those by Lang Shining, and some people even claimed that Chinese paintings made by Westerners can only sell for sky-high prices.
Yi Yun Gao's disciples in Taiwan pointed out that such remarks are pitiful. Purely in terms of painting, Chinese painting is not inferior to Western painting. On the contrary, due to its 5,000 years of history and culture, Chinese painting is far more expressive and profound than Western painting. Therefore, the collection value of Chinese painting is higher than that of Western painting.
One disciple pointed out that it is only because Western economic development has been faster in modern times that the current situation of greatly distorted prices for Chinese and Western paintings has occurred. Now, just when there are Chinese painters with outstanding performances, they are being criticized by some people who question how Chinese painting can surpass Western painting.
He asked in response, why can't Chinese painting surpass Western painting? Is it because of the Chinese people's mentality of worshiping foreign things? He also pointed out that Yi Yun Gao's calligraphy and painting collection encompasses various schools and techniques, integrating his own style, and he has published the "Master Yi Yun Gao's Collection of Paintings" and various other works, which have received high praise in mainland China and the United States.
Yi Yun Gao has served as the president of the Chinese Education and Research Association for Traditional Chinese Painting, and other important members of the association include Xie Zhiliu, Zhou Yingnan, Wu Zhangshu, Qian Quntang, Liang Shuming, Wan Laiming, and Zang Kejia, among other art masters.