Zizhou Zhishen

Zizhou Zhishen was a master in the Jingzhong school of Chan who taught in the Zizhou region of Sichuan. He maintained the school's distinctive practices and contributed to the transmission of Chan in the Sichuan region during the Tang dynasty.

Zhishen's role in the Jingzhong lineage represents the tradition's geographical diversity. Chan Buddhism in the Tang dynasty was not a single, unified movement but a collection of regional traditions, each with its own character and emphasis. The Jingzhong school's Sichuan-based tradition was one important strand in this diverse tapestry.