Xuyun 虛雲

Xūyún 虛雲 (1840-1959)

Xūyún was a renowned Chán master whose long life spanned the Qing, Republican, and People's Republic periods of modern Chinese history.

• Born July 29, 1840 (Dàoguāng 道光 20) in Quánzhōu 泉州, Fújiàn 福建
• Died October 13, 1959 in Yunmen Temple 雲門寺, Guǎngdōng 廣東
• Lay surname 俗性: Xiāo 蕭
• Dharma name 法名: Gǔyán 古巖
• Name 名: Yǎnchè 演徹
• Courtesy name 字: Déqīng 德清

Biography

Xūyún's family was originally from Xiāngxiāng 湘鄉 in Húnán 湖南, but his father moved to Quánzhōu to take up an official position. His mother is said to have died in childbirth, and his grandmother died when he was 13. In 1858 he became a novice at Yongquan Temple 湧泉寺 on Drum Mountain 鼓山 in Fúzhōu 福州, and the following year he took the full monastic precepts.

Over the next few decades, Xūyún traveled widely, visiting different temples in China, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

In 1949 Xūyún traveled to Běijīng 北京 to help organize the creation of the Chinese Buddhist Association 中國佛教協會. When the association was established in 1953, he was chosen as its honorary chairperson. He spent his final years at Yunmen Temple 雲門寺, where he passed away in 1959.

Important Works

• 虛雲和尚法匯
• 虛雲和尚法匯續編
• 虛雲和尚事迹
• 虛雲和尚年譜
• 虛雲和尚畫法集

Notes

References:

Yú Língbō 于凌波. Zhōngguó jìnxiàndài fójiào rénwù zhì 中國近現代佛教人物志. Beijing: Zongjiao wenhua chubanshe, 1995. Pp. 2-9.