As one of the leading voices in the debate between the proponents of Kanhua Chan and Silent Illumination, Zhenxie Qingliao is a pivotal figure in the revival movement of the Caodong Tradition during the Song Dynasty. He contributed to the revival through the construction of monastic facilities, the management of monasteries, the raising of funds, the promotion of Sangha education, and his preaching. In light of the discovery of new materials and the lack of research on this important figure, this paper attempts to introduce these new sources, conduct a detailed biographical research through excavating all kinds of historical data, in order to reconstruct historical facts, bring attention to this key Chan master and lay the foundations for future research.
Keywords:
Caodong Tradition, Song Dynasty, Zhenxie Qingliao, Zhenxie Qingliao's Fourteen Poems on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, Inscription on the Bell in Yizhong Baoci Temple