Xuedou Zhijian

Xuedou Zhijian was a Caodong school master who taught at Mount Xuedou. He maintained the tradition's contemplative approach and contributed to the school's presence in the Zhejiang region. His teaching continued the Caodong emphasis on the direct experience of Buddha nature through seated meditation and the investigation of everyday reality.

Zhijian's community at Xuedou added to the rich tapestry of Chan practice centers in Song dynasty China. The Caodong school's network of monasteries and hermitages provided practitioners with alternatives to the more verbally dramatic Linji style, offering a path grounded in stillness, subtlety, and the recognition of awakening in the midst of the ordinary.