Danxia Zichun

Danxia Zichun was a student of Furong Daokai who contributed to the continued revival of the Caodong school during the Song dynasty. He was known for his emphasis on the practice of silent sitting and for his clear, unadorned teaching style. He maintained the Caodong tradition's characteristic restraint—preferring stillness to verbal pyrotechnics.

Danxia's lineage led through subsequent generations to Hongzhi Zhengjue and Tiantong Rujing, the teacher of Dogen. His role in the transmission chain was essential: he carried the revived Caodong spirit forward in its authentic form, ensuring that the contemplative depth of the tradition was not lost amid the institutional rebuilding. The Caodong school's eventual influence on Japanese Zen owes much to the faithfulness of transmitters like Danxia.