Wang Hongyuan 王弘願

Wáng Hóngyuàn 王弘願 (1876-1937)

Short bio.

• Style name 號: Layman Yuánwǔ 圓五居士
• Courtesy name 字: Mùhán 慕韓
• Dharma name 法名: Hóngyuàn 弘願

Biography

When young, he received a traditional Confucian education. He received the Xiùcái 秀才 degree when he was 23 (1899). He taught at the Cháozhōu Middle School 潮州中學堂 for eight years, becoming principle after the founding of the Republic, though he left this position soon thereafter. He eventually returned to the Cháozhōu Middle School to teach.

At age 40, Wáng began to read about Buddhism, and he began with the Huáyán Sūtra 華嚴經. He was unable to understand it, so he began to study under Yíguāng 怡光 at Kai1yuán Temple 開元寺.

Important Works

Notable Students

Notes

References:

• Yú Língbō 于凌波, ed. Xiàndài Fójiào rénwù cídiǎn 現代佛教人物辭典 (A Dictionary of Modern Buddhist Persons), 2 vols. Taipei: Foguang, 2004. Pp. 159c-162b.