Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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— Wang Wei Dismounted, I drink with you And ask what you’ve in view. “I can’t do what I will; So I’ll do what I will; I’ll ask you no more, friend, Let clouds drift without end!”
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Fu Dashi (497–569 CE), dharma name Shanhui, was a devoted Buddhist practitioner who, throughout his life, never became a monk but cultivated the path as a lay follower (upāsaka). At the age of twenty-four, he received guidance from Master Bodhidharma, which inspired him to vow deep commitment to spiritual practice. He later achieved great…
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National Teacher Huizhong (Imperial Preceptor Huizhong), a renowned Tang Dynasty Chan master who studied under Huineng, was revered by three emperors.
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Master Dao Lin (735 – 833 CE), also known as the Chan Master in Bird’s Nest, was a unique and notable figure in the history of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Known for his unconventional lifestyle and profound teachings, he earned his nickname “Bird’s Nest” due to his habit of residing in an abandoned bird’s nest…
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The venerable Master Yinzong was a significant figure in Buddhist history. Renowned during the Tang Dynasty for expounding sutras, he specialized in teaching the Nirvana Sutra and served as abbot of Guangzhou’s Faxing Temple (present-day Guangxiao Temple). After leaving Huangmei, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng once visited Faxing Temple to attend Yinzong’s lectures on the…
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Master Sengguang Huike (487–593 CE), often simply known as Huike, was the second patriarch of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism and a direct disciple of Bodhidharma, the founder of the school. His life and teachings played a pivotal role in establishing Chan Buddhism in China.
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Chan Master Nanquan Puyuan (748–834 CE) was a respected disciple of Mazu Daoyi, one of the great figures in Tang Dynasty Chan Buddhism.
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Master Wude (947–1024 CE), also known as Master Shan Zhao, was a prominent Chan (Zen) master of the Song Dynasty and a key figure in the Lingji (Rinzai) lineage. Born in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, he became a disciple of Master Shoushan Xingnian and played a crucial role in shaping Chinese Chan Buddhism during the…
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Chan Master Wuxiang was originally a prince of the Silla Kingdom (modern-day Korean Peninsula). He later took monastic vows at Gyeongnam Temple in Silla. In 728 CE, he journeyed across the sea to Tang China to seek Buddhist teachings. At Dechun Temple in Zizhou (present-day Ningguo Temple in Zizhong County, Sichuan Province), he became…