Our story
The journey of the Enlightened Heart Cultural Foundation (EHCF) began with a shared vision: to promote traditional Chinese wisdom, foster spiritual exploration, and build intercultural understanding through education and the arts.
🕯 Key Milestones
📅 24–30 January 2024
✨ Tiangu Culture Tour 2024
The first Tiangu Culture Tour was held by the founding members of what would later become EHCF. This heartfelt initiative marked the beginning of our journey—bringing together communities to reflect on the depth of spiritual teachings and traditional Chinese values through art, theatre, and public dialogue.
📄 12 June 2024
📘 Legal Incorporation
The Enlightened Heart Culture Foundation was officially incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957, establishing our commitment to cultural and spiritual enrichment with a formal structure.
📅 19–26 January 2025
🌏 Tiangu Culture Tour 2025 / Enlightened Heart Culture Week
Expanding on the spirit of our first tour, EHCF will host the second Tiangu Culture Tour in early 2025. This week-long series of events aims to deepen public engagement in traditional philosophy, contemplative practice, and cultural exchange—serving as a cornerstone for our outreach.
✅ 11 March 2025
📜 Official Charity Registration
EHCF received its registration from Charities Services with charity number CC63119, formally recognizing our Foundation as a registered charitable organisation in New Zealand. This milestone empowers us to further serve the community with transparency and public trust.
Our vision
At the heart of the Enlightened Heart Cultural Foundation is a shared aspiration:
to cultivate a more compassionate, connected, and harmonious society through cultural exchange, interfaith dialogue, and community service.
🧭 Guided by Founding Values
Three founders—a businessman, a scholar, and a doctor—each from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, came together with a common purpose:
To build a platform where spiritual wisdom, cultural heritage, and social goodwill could intersect for the betterment of all.
🤝 A Platform for Dialogue and Understanding
Motivated by empathy and mutual respect, they envisioned an organisation where:
- People from all walks of life could participate in interfaith and cultural exchange
- Communities could bridge divides and learn from one another
- Spiritual values could guide collective action for the greater good
❤️ Serving with Compassion
Through the commitment of its members and volunteers, EHCF actively organises:
- Charity events that uplift those in need
- Community service projects that strengthen neighbourhood ties
- Outreach initiatives that foster connection and care
These acts are not just gestures of goodwill—they are reflections of our core belief in love, compassion, and shared humanity.
🌍 A Ripple of Kindness
The Foundation’s long-term vision is to create a ripple effect of empathy—where every event, every act of service, and every moment of understanding contributes to a more peaceful world.
By nurturing hearts, minds, and relationships, EHCF strives to inspire lasting harmony across communities.
Our team
Huibing Zhao – Chairperson & Trustee
Huibing Zhao – Chairperson & Trustee
From humble beginnings, I rose to become a distinguished professor and industry leader, achieving great academic honors and corporate success. However, life's unpredictability and the fragility of existence made me realize true value lies in spiritual growth and compassionate service. This epiphany sparked an eight-year journey of philosophical exploration, embracing Yangming's School of Mind, Daoist health practices, Pure Land Buddhism, and eventually, meditation and Shingon Buddhism.
My spiritual practice has fostered increased awareness, focus, and inner strength, positively transforming my family life, academic pursuits, and professional endeavors. The appearance of supporters, including Rex and Leo, has reinforced my conviction in this path. The tangible benefits of greater self and altruism continue to astound me, manifesting as growing wisdom and positive energy in all aspects of life.
In our era of unprecedented challenges and uncertainties, I've observed the transient nature of worldly concerns. I firmly believe that promoting a culture of genuine enlightened hearts is the key to addressing global issues and fostering true well-being for individuals and nations alike. By making the profound wisdom of Chinese spiritual traditions accessible to modern seekers, we can guide people towards mindfulness, clarity, and ultimate freedom, enabling them to navigate life's complexities with greater purpose and harmony.
Rex Wang – Secretary & Trustee
Huibing Zhao – Chairperson & Trustee
“Exploring the meaning of life, constantly improving oneself, and uniting like-minded partners to spread love and make the world a better place” has always been my belief and the direction of my relentless efforts.
I am very fortunate to have met Huibing Zhao and Leo Zhou, who share the same vision, and together we founded EHCF. This platform allows us to leverage our strengths, promote culture, and give back to society.
Over the years, my active participation in various religious activities (Taoism, Christianity, Buddhism, Vipassana) and exchanges of traditional Chinese culture has given me a deep understanding and comprehensive insight into various religious groups. These experiences will help EHCF make significant contributions to cultural promotion and religious exchange.
With 20 years of experience in management and marketing, I have developed excellent operational management and interpersonal communication skills,which will enable me to contribute to EHCF by organizing human and material resources, expanding outreach, and coordinating various relationships.
Leo Zhou – Treasurer & Trustee
Leo Zhou – Treasurer & Trustee
As a professional businessman, I found my real interests are not just making money but seeking the ultimate purpose of life. After almost 20 years of profit-driven hard work, I finally made up my mind that I should stop the hunting gear-related business. It was profitable, but it always made me feel bad when I thought about the innocent lives killed by the equipment I sold.
After going to the Vipassana meditation center three times, I realized how important it is to purify our minds of ourselves. Once your mind is pure enough, then the meaning of your life will be revealed clearly to you.
Luckily, I met Huibing and Rex, who share the same vision as me. So, we decided to set up a non-profit organization like the Vipassana Center to help people enlighten their hearts and find their true ultimate destination.
I have good confidence that with my 30 years of international and local New Zealand business experience, I can help our organization to be run successfully and sustainably.