Lord Ye was famously fond of dragons. He had dragons carved on his walls, dragons painted on his pillars, and dragons engraved on every vessel in his house. Even his robes and curtains bore intricate dragon patterns.
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…