In the fast-paced, material-driven landscape of Hong Kong, Helen Chow (周玉蓮) chose a different path. For 33 years, she dedicated herself to planting seeds of compassion across the city. On February 26, 2026, the veteran Tzu Chi volunteer passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 72. Her life was a journey from personal struggle to the realization of great love, serving as a testament to the Buddhist principles of kindness, compassion, joy, and giving.
A mother’s awakening
Chow’s journey with Tzu Chi began in the early 1990s during a period of intense family conflict. Her relationship with her teenage son had reached a breaking point, leaving her feeling defeated and anxious.
A breakthrough came when a friend, Grace Chan (陳恩妮), discovered a book titled Deliverance (渡) by Dharma Master Cheng Yen. Although Chow was initially uninterested in religious texts, Chan insisted the stories mirrored Chow's own life. Reading a chapter about a parent nearly destroying their child forced Chow to confront her own behavior. She realized that her high expectations for her son’s academic success had blinded her to his emotional well-being.
When she first met Master Cheng Yen in August 1992, Chow asked why religion was necessary if one was already a good person. The Master’s response—that a good heart is not enough if one's speech is harsh—struck a chord. Chow realized that "love" expressed through hurtful words could be toxic. This encounter transformed her approach to parenting; she replaced commands with understanding, and the atmosphere in her home began to heal.
Pioneering the path of humanities
In the 1990s, Tzu Chi was largely unknown in Hong Kong. Chow and fellow volunteer Yin-Shan Li (李燕珊) faced frequent rejection as they carried boxes of books to schools and organizations. They were driven by the belief that every person who read the Master’s teachings was a heart purified.
LEFT: Helen Chow (first right) visits the Jing Si Abode in Hualien for the first time in 1992. RIGHT: Since November 1992, Tzu Chi volunteers in Hong Kong have provided long-term care for residents with disabilities. | Photos: Tzu Chi Foundation
Chow’s persistence led to Tzu Chi’s first independent appearance at the Hong Kong Book Fair in 1997. She stood at the booth from morning until night, distributing bookmarks and connecting with the public. By 2011, she expanded these efforts into the city's streets. Noticing the stress faced by professional drivers, she worked with minibus operators to post Jing Si Aphorisms on vehicles. Her initiative eventually saw these words of wisdom placed in taxi cabs and even guest rooms at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis hotel.
Beyond words to action
Chow’s compassion extended into direct relief and medical care. In 1993, she took the deposit she had saved to renovate her modest 600-square-foot home and donated it to build Great Love Homes for flood survivors in Nepal. This act of selflessness helped establish the foundation of Tzu Chi’s charitable work in Hong Kong.
In the medical field, she focused on the elderly. Starting in 1994, she led volunteers to Shatin Hospital. One patient, an elderly woman named Chan, had arrived silent and was refusing to eat. Chow and her team visited daily, bringing home-cooked porridge and gently massaging Chan’s limbs. After two weeks, Chan began to speak, sharing her life stories before eventually passing away peacefully. Touched by this dedication, the hospital designated the last Sunday of October as "Tzu Chi Day."
LEFT: During the SARS outbreak, the Hong Kong branch distributed 40,000 masks and blessing cards to healthcare workers. RIGHT: In 2008, the Hong Kong branch held a community health check-up event. | Photos: Tzu Chi Foundation
During the 2003 SARS outbreak, Chow supported frontline medical staff with blessing cards. Even when she suffered from facial nerve issues in 2018, she insisted on traveling to Taiwan for the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) annual conference, eager to continue strengthening the bond between medicine and humanity in Hong Kong.
A lifetime of giving
Even in her later years, Chow remained active. In 2011, she began picking up plastic bottles at a local sports ground while out for exercise. What started as a solo effort eventually inspired other volunteers and even her family’s domestic helper to join her, bringing environmental awareness into the neighborhood.
LEFT: In 2008, the "Good Words on Every Street" campaign began, placing posters in estates and shops. RIGHT: Through Chow’s efforts, Jing Si Aphorisms were displayed on taxis and minibuses. | Photos: Tzu Chi Foundation
Following a major fire at Wang Fuk Court in November of 2025, the 72-year-old Chow was on the front lines, coordinating distributions and communicating with residents. She often remarked that while physical comforts are fleeting, the fulfillment found in volunteering remains vivid.
Enjoyment passes, but the scenery along the volunteer path remains clear in my mind.
—Helen Chow
LEFT: The Harbour Plaza Metropolis hotel responded by placing 500 copies of Jing Si Aphorisms in guest rooms. RIGHT: Chow was a constant presence at disaster relief sites and charitable events. | Photos: Tzu Chi Foundation
Helen Chow dedicated her life to the service of others, finding her practice not in distant temples, but in gentle words and the act of reaching out to those in need. Her transition from a struggling mother to a pillar of the community continues to inspire volunteers across Hong Kong.
Written by Hsiang-Hui Huang (黃湘卉)
