PART 1 | A Bird’s-Eye View of Zen History
Origins and Development in China
Zen (Chán, 禪) traces its roots to India, where followers of the Buddha emphasized dhyāna, a state of effortless focus. This word would later give rise to the name ‘Chán’ in Chinese. The Indian monk Bodhidharma (5th–6th century CE) is traditionally credited with bringing this teaching to China. His approach—later summarized in the well-known “Four Statements,” which first appeared in written form centuries after his time—emphasized direct realization of true nature through the mind-heart, rather than reliance on scriptures.
A pivotal figure in the development of Chán was Huineng (638–713 CE), the Sixth Patriarch, whose teachings emphasized sudden awakening (dùnwù, 頓悟). As recorded in the Platform Sutra, he taught that realization of one’s true nature is immediate and direct, not the result of gradual cultivation. This radical view shaped the foundation for later innovations in Zen teaching—especially “encounter dialogue” (Chánjī, 禪機) and “direct pointing” (Zhízhǐ, 直指)—methods that emerged to provoke insight through direct, often unconventional interaction.
During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), Huángbò Xīyùn (黃檗希運, d. 850) emerged as a key transmitter of this radical, non-conceptual approach to awakening—grounded in the direct recognition of mind as Buddha, beyond words and forms. His student, Línjì Yìxuán (臨濟義玄, d. 866), went on to establish the Linji school, which became one of the most influential Chán lineages. Linji was known for his use of shouting (hè, 喝), striking, and paradoxical methods to break through conceptual thinking—challenging reliance on intellectual understanding.
During the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), Dàhuì Zōnggǎo (大慧宗杲, 1089–1163) of the Linji lineage redefined kōan (gōng’àn, 公案) practice into a structured training method known as kanhua Chán (看話禪, “observing the phrase” meditation). This approach emphasized meditative inquiry into a single critical phrase (huàtóu, 話頭) and became the hallmark of Song-era Linji Chán.
Dahui's teachings marked a turning point in the history of Zen, as he strongly critiqued the practice of silent illumination (默照禪, mozhao chan) emphasized by the Caodong (曹洞) school—establishing a defining distinction between Linji and Caodong methods that would influence both Korean Seon and Japanese Rinzai Zen for centuries to come.
Korea’s Seon Tradition and Linji’s Influence
During the Unified Silla period (668–935 CE), Chán Buddhism entered Korea, where it developed into Seon (선, 禪). Doui (道義, d. 825 CE) was the first recorded Korean monk to study Chán in China and bring it back to Korea. Later, during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392 CE), the Seon master Jinul (知訥, 1158–1210 CE) refined Korean Zen by integrating Linji’s kōan methods (hwadu, 話頭).
The Linji lineage was formally brought into Korea through Tae-Ko Bo-Wu (태고보우, Taego Bou or Taego Bowu, 1301–1382), who received Dharma transmission from the Chinese master Shih-shih Ch’ing-kung (石室清珙, also romanized as Shishi Qinggong or Sekishitsu Seikō). After intensive training in China, Taego returned to Korea and played a pivotal role in unifying the Nine Mountain Schools of Korean Seon under the Imje (임제, Linji) tradition. He emphasized the hwadu method (화두, 話頭)—a focused inquiry into a critical phrase—as the heart of practice, continuing the radical, non-conceptual approach of his Linji-Chan predecessors.
His teachings, preserved in the Taego Eorok (태고어록, “Sayings of Taego”), consistently reject reliance on scriptural study or intellectual understanding, urging practitioners instead to throw their whole mind into the question until awakening breaks through. As he writes, “Do not seek the Dharma in words. Search instead for the place before thinking arises—where the hwadu turns your whole mind into a single question.”
By the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897 CE), Seon had become the dominant form of Korean Buddhism, with Linji-style hwadu (話頭, koan introspection) practice at its core. This method, rooted in the teachings of Taego Bou and transmitted through Whan-Am Hon-Su, continued into the modern era.
A key figure in this transmission was Gyeongheo Seongu (경허 성우, 1849–1912), a renowned Seon master who revitalized rigorous hwadu practice after centuries of decline. Known for urging practitioners to dwell deeply on the question “What is this?” (이뭣고?), he reestablished the spirit of direct inquiry central to the Linji tradition. This phrase appears frequently in the Sayings of Gyeongheo (경허어록, Gyeongheo Eorok), a collection compiled by his disciples after his death.
Gyeongheo’s lineage became foundational to the modern Jogye Order (조계종), which, though originally established in the 14th century, was formally reorganized in the 20th century and remains the primary institution preserving Linji-based Seon today.
Seon Buddhism began to spread globally in the 20th century, largely through the efforts of Seung Sahn (1927–2004), a Korean Seon master in the Jogye Order and a Dharma heir in the lineage of Mangong and Ko-Bong. He founded the Kwan Um School of Zen, which brought Linji-style hwadu practice and direct-pointing methods to a Western audience.
Through his teachings and the establishment of Zen centers across the United States, Europe, and beyond, Seung Sahn played a key role in transmitting the Korean Seon tradition to a new generation of practitioners worldwide.
Seon Buddhism spread globally in the 20th century, largely due to Seung Sahn (1927–2004), a Korean Seon master in the Jogye Order. He founded the Kwan Um School of Zen, bringing Linji-style hwadu training and direct teaching methods to the West. His influence helped establish Korean Zen centers in the United States, Europe, and beyond.
Among Seung Sahn’s Dharma heirs was Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim, who received formal transmission after years of intensive training. In 1971, he founded the Shim Gum Do School of Zen, based in Boston, Massachusetts—a tradition that integrates Korean Seon with the martial art of “Mind Sword” practice. The headquarters, known as Shim Gwang Sa (“Mind Light Temple”), continued the Linji-Seon transmission with an emphasis on clarity of mind and disciplined action.
From 2005 to 2021, I trained in residence under Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim at Shim Gwang Sa, becoming a Zen Master under his guidance in 2014—the 80th teacher in our lineage. You can find my complete lineage in my Bio. (Link bio)
Later Developments and Influence
By the Yuan (1271–1368) and Ming (1368–1644) Dynasties, the Linji school had become firmly institutionalized, forming the backbone of monastic Chán practice in China. During this time, Japanese monks traveled to China to study Chán and brought the Linji teachings back to Japan, where they established what became known as Rinzai Zen (臨済宗).
Alongside Linji, the Caodong school (曹洞)—which later became known in Japan as Sōtō Zen (曹洞宗)—also remained influential, emphasizing silent illumination (默照禪, mozhao chan) rather than hwadu or kōan introspection. While the two schools differ in method, they share common roots in the Chán tradition of direct awakening.
Today, the Linji lineage remains one of the most influential streams of Zen, shaping practice across East Asia and beyond—manifesting as Chán in China, Seon in Korea, Rinzai in Japan, and forming the basis for many Zen traditions in the West. As Zen entered new cultural contexts, traditional methods such as hwadu and kōan introspection were often adapted to meet the needs of modern practitioners—balancing rigorous inquiry with accessible forms of daily awareness.
While this first entry has focused primarily on male patriarchs within the recorded transmission lines, future posts will also highlight the often-overlooked contributions of women in the Zen tradition—from early Chán adepts like Miaozong in China, to influential nuns and laywomen in Korean and Japanese practice.
In these history blogs, I will focus closely on the teachers within my lineage, as well as those just outside of it who had a significant influence on the development of Zen practice within each cultural context. My aim is to honor the living spirit of this tradition by tracing its evolution through direct transmission and lived experience.
Thank you for reading. I hope these explorations support your practice and offer something of value along the way.
In the near future, I plan to explore the origins of Zen in India, the story of Bodhidharma, the Four Statements, the origin of the word Zen (dhyāna) and the teachings of several influential Zen Masters from China. If there are other topics you’d like to see covered in future articles, feel free to send us an email [hot link: contact@mindlightway.org, Subject: Zen History Blog]—I’d love to hear from you.
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