Venerable Pu Liang
Venerable Pu Liang was the 10th Abbot of Shuang Lin Monastery from 1917 to 1942 when he was executed by the Japanese during the Sook Ching.
In 1912, Venerable Pu Liang left Xi Chan Si in Fuzhou, china for Singapore. He served in the Shuang Lin Monastery and in 1918, he was appointed as the Abbot.
The Venerable served as the Abbot for 25 years making him one of the longest serving Abbot in the history of Shuang Lin Monastery.
From 1937 till 1942, Venerable Pu Liang served as the chairperson of Chinese Buddhist Association (星洲中华佛教会), a Buddhist charity and social association.
In 1918, Venerable Pu Liang initiated a restoration of Shuang Lin Monastery. A pair of steles erected in 1920 to commemorate the restoration can still be seen in the front hall of the monastery (天王殿Tian Wang Dian).
A second restoration was planned in 1935 but put on hold because of the Sino Japanese War that broke out in 7 July 1937.
Sino-Japanese War and Shuang Lin Monastery
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Overseas Chinese in South East Asia founded the China Relief Fund to support China in the war against Japan.
Venerable Pu Liang supported the China Relief Fund in may ways and was described by the Chinese press as ”very active in relief work “.
Two of the programs he supported were especially significant.
“Shuang Lin Monastery Vesak Day Vegetarian Meal Fund Raising Event”
On the Vesak Day of 1939, he worked with China Relief Fund to host the “Shuang Lin Monastery Vesak Day Vegetarian Meal Fund Raising Event” (双林寺释迦佛祖诞辰斋筵助赈会).
The event was launched on 28 May 1939 and in one day, about 10 000 dollars was raised for China Relief Fund.
This event was reported extensively in the Chinese papers.
Training center for Nanyang Volunteers
As the Sino Japanese War developed, the Japanese advanced southwards capturing the Chinese seacoast and establishing control over Chinese seaports. It was an attempt to hasten Chinese surrender by cutting off China’s foreign aid through the ports.
The Chinese government responded by developing various land supply routes. One of the supply routes was The Burma Road （滇缅公路）built from 1937 to 1938.
China Relief Fund was asked by the Chinese government to recruit drivers and mechanics known as Nanyang Volunteers to serve on the Burma Road.
Venerable Pu Liang allowed China Relief Fund to establish a training school to train the less experienced drivers before they left for China.
One of these volunteers was Mr. Wu Hui Min.
The training school helped to increase the number of qualified drivers for service in china but also caught the attention of the Japanese.
Japanese Occupation
On 15 Feb 1942, the Japanese occupied Singapore and Singapore became Syonan (昭南岛). On 21 February 1942, the Japanese launched the “Sook Ching” (肃清, 大检证), (Purification by Extermination), to eradicate anti Japanese elements in Singapore.
A group of Japanese soldiers arrived at the Shuang Lin Monastery to arrest Venerable Pu Liang. Venerable Pu Liang and his two disciples were taken to the Jalan Besar stadium inspection point and executed at Changi Beach.
Aftermath
In 1947, two years after the Japanese surrender, the Singapore Buddhist Association (新加坡中华佛教会) held a memorial service for Venerable Pu Liang. The commemorative banner paid tribute to Venerable Pu Liang’s sacrifice;
卫法捐生，是能无畏施，
证真断感，不入有余依
Venerable Pu Liang's history has been documented and published as a book titled "Light on the Lotus Hill"
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