Yanguan Qian
Yanguan Qian
c. 750 – c. 842
Yanguan Qi'an (鹽官齊安, c. 750–842) was a Dharma heir of Mazu Daoyi who taught at Haichang-yuan in Yanguan (modern Hangzhou region), the salt-administration town from which his sobriquet derives[1]. The lamp records preserve a number of his exchanges in the characteristic Hongzhou-line style and document his relatively long abbacy in the second half of the eighth and the first half of the ninth century[2].
His best-known dialogue is the "rhinoceros fan" exchange preserved as Case 91 of the *Bìyán Lù*: a monk asks Yanguan to fetch the rhinoceros-horn fan, and on being told it is broken, asks Yanguan to bring the rhinoceros itself; Yanguan's response — silence in some recensions, a gestured assent in others — became one of the most contemplated koans on the relation between the symbol and the symbolised[3]. Yanguan also gave Dharma transmission to the Korean monk Pŏmil (Beomil), founder of the Saguelsan school in the Nine Mountain Schools of Korean Seon, adding to the Mazu line's role in seeding the Korean tradition[4].
Names
Disciples of Yanguan Qian
Teachers and lineage of Yanguan Qian
Teacher / root master:
Teachings
- dialogueThe Rhinoceros Fan
One day Yanguan called to his attendant, "Bring me the rhinoceros-horn fan." The attendant said, "The fan is broken." Yanguan said, "If the fan is broken, then bring me the rhinoceros!" The attendant had no reply. Xuansha later commented: "I can bring the rhinoceros. But the trouble is, there is only the horn, and there is no rhinoceros." Yunmen held up his staff and said, "Here is the rhinoceros."
- sayingThe One Who Has No Rank
Yanguan Qian said: "There is one who has always been present in your own house, who has no rank and no title, who does not appear on any genealogy. Do you know this one? If you know this one, all the Buddhas and patriarchs become your servants. If you do not know this one, you will wander through the three worlds seeking what was never lost."
Other masters in Nanyue line
Master Record Sources
c. 750-842
Yanguan Qian
Linji
- koan_refsChart of the Chan Ancestors
91 25
- datesZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
c. 750-842
- nameZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Yanguan Qian
- teachersZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation
Mazu Daoyi