(XINHUA)

Buddhist master Hsing Yun was awarded a "person of the year in spreading Chinese culture" award at a ceremony hosted by China Central Television on December 20, 2013.

Hsing Yun, who was born in Jiangsu Province in 1927 and arrived in Taiwan in 1949, is known for his humanistic Buddhism philosophy and credited by Buddhist scholars as one of the forefront leaders in the modern reformation of Buddhism. He has opened monasteries, universities and schools around the world, as well as engaging in religious dialogue with other Buddhist sects and religious faiths.

He is the founder of Buddha's Light International Association, one of the largest international Buddhist organizations in the world.