Xutang Zhiyu
Xutang Zhiyu
c. 1185 – c. 1269
Xutang Zhiyu was one of the most influential Chinese Chan masters in the history of Japanese Zen. He was the teacher of Nanpo Jomyo (Daio Kokushi), through whom the Daio-Daito-Kanzan lineage—the backbone of modern Rinzai Zen—descends. His portrait and his calligraphic works became treasured objects in Japanese Rinzai temples, revered as embodiments of the Chan spirit.
Xutang's teaching was characterized by a fierce intensity and a refusal to compromise. His collection of verses and his recorded sayings demonstrate a master of extraordinary depth and literary skill. Through his Japanese students, his influence shaped the entire subsequent development of Rinzai Zen, making him one of the most consequential Chinese masters for the Japanese tradition despite his relative obscurity in China.
Teachings
- dialogueThe Essence of Chan
A student asked Xutang, "What is the essence of Chan?" Xutang said, "The cypress tree withers, the stone bridge flows." The student said, "I don't grasp your meaning." Xutang said, "The autumn wind has no fixed direction."
- sayingThe Barrier of Words
Xutang said: "Words are a painted cake that cannot satisfy hunger, yet without words there is no way to point to the moon. The one who clings to words is lost; the one who abandons words is equally lost. Tell me—where do you stand?"
Master Record Sources
- nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Xutang Zhiyu
- teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Wuzhun Shifan