Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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Puhua, a Tang Dynasty Chan master (847–859 CE), was renowned for his eccentric ways. A disciple of Panshan Baoji, he roamed streets by day and slept in graveyards by night, ringing a hand bell while singing verses or wailing. Later, he aided Master Linji in propagating the Linji school.
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Master Yaoshan Weiyan (751–834 CE) was a prominent Chan (Zen) master during the Tang Dynasty. Born in Guizhou Province, Weiyan became a monk at an early age and studied under several masters before ultimately becoming a disciple of Master Shitou Xiqian. He founded Yaoshan Temple, from which he got his name, in Hunan (now…
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Huangbo Xiyun was an influential Chinese Chan Buddhist master from Fujian province, renowned for his role in developing the “sudden enlightenment” approach and mentoring Linji Yixuan (founder of the Linji/Rinzai school). As a disciple of Baizhang Huaihai, he became famous for his uncompromising teaching style — using shouts, strikes, and paradoxical dialogues to awaken…
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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 Wu De refers to Master Fenyang Shanzhao, a renowned Chan master of the Song Dynasty and a monk of the Linji school. In Chan practice, Shanzhao pioneered innovative forms such as Dai-Bie (substitute phrases and critical amendments—revising interpretations of koan dialogues) and Song-Gu (eulogizing antiquity—praising ancient koans through poetic verses). He compiled…
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Chan Master Yaoshan Weiyan (751–834), also known as Weiyan, was a significant Chinese Chan (Zen) master during the Tang Dynasty. He is disciple of Shitou Xiqian, one of the key figures in the evolution of Chan. Master Weiyan’s monastic life was spent primarily at Yaoshan (Medicine Mountain), where he taught numerous students who went…
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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. Master Zhaozhou Congshen was a highly influential Chinese Chan Buddhist master of the Tang Dynasty. A key disciple of Master Nanquan Puyuan, he is celebrated for his profound yet unconventional wisdom…
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Chan Master Dazhu Huihai, a prominent Tang Dynasty monk, was ordained under Master Daozhi at Dayun Temple in Yuezhou. After reading Huihai’s writing (The Essential Gateway to Truth by Sudden Awakening), Master Mazu Daoyi praised him as “Great Pearl” — a Buddhist symbol of awakening and wisdom — hence later generations also referred to…
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During the Tang Dynasty, Chan Master Baizhang Huaihai was renowned for his strict adherence to monastic rules and his profound teachings.