Teachers
Our teachers gives regualr video classes and come to the UK to lead retreats and give talks.
Venerable Chang Wu
Venerable Chang Wu is the Director of Dharma Drum Vancouver Center in Richmond, B.C., a branch monastery of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM), founded by Chan Master Sheng Yen.
In 1993, Venerable Chang Wu began practicing with Master Sheng Yen in New York while she was a business professional holding an MBA. She started her teacher’s training with Master Sheng Yen in 1999 and entered monastic life the next year. In 2003 she started teaching as Dharma and meditation instructor and a few years later leading 1-day to 3-day retreats. In 2009, she moved to Taiwan and initiated a translation project of Master Sheng Yen’s Complete Work. A few books on meditation practice have been published now. While working on translating books, she was active in leading meditation activities and teaching classes in Dharma Drum Sangha University. Currently, she teaches meditation and Dharma classes, gives public lectures and leads retreats at Dharma Drum centers, meditation groups and Dharma centers in west coast North America, London, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Other than meditation practice, Chinese Buddhism, inter-religious dialogue, she also enjoys being in nature, walking in the woods and artworks.
She visits us annually.
Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu)
Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder and teacher at the Tallahassee Chan Center. He first learned meditation as a child in 1972 with master Guangqin (1892-1986), one of the most respected Chinese meditation masters and ascetics who lived in Taiwan. In 1980, Guo Gu moved to the United States and began studying with master Sheng Yen (1931-2009). In 1991, Guo Gu was ordained as a monk and became Master Sheng Yen’s first personal attendant and assistant. In 1995, he was given permission by the master to teach Chan independently; his experiences were later recognized by other teachers as well. Wanting to bring Buddhism beyond monastic walls, Guo Gu left monkhood and re-entered the world in 2000. In 2008 he received his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Princeton University and is currently a professor of Buddhist studies at Florida State University.
Guo Gu is our primary teacher, and offers monthly online teachings and visits us annually.