Legend of Zen founder

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Legend of Zen patriarch

Applicant: Huangmei County, Hubei Province

Project No.: 1040

Project No.: i-96

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: Folk Literature

Region: Hubei Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Huangmei County, Hubei Province

Protection unit: Huangmei County Cultural Center

A brief introduction to the legend of Zen patriarch:

Applicant: Huangmei County, Hubei Province

The legend of Huangmei Zen patriarch is a folk version of Buddhist literature, most of which originated in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Since the Tang Dynasty, Huangmei has been the holy land of Zen. There are two Zen ancestral halls, namely "the fourth patriarch Zhengjue Temple" and "the fifth patriarch Temple". The two temples stand side by side and are the best in the world. For thousands of years, there have been a series of legends about their birth, growth, becoming a monk, practicing and preaching Dharma. These legends originated from Huangmei and spread all over the world. There are selected works in both Japan and South Korea, which are "Legends" with world influence. Similar legends have been quoted in such authoritative historical and literary works as biography of Tang Wude, biography of continued eminent monks, dream of Red Mansions, and Jin Ping Mei. It can be seen that folk literature has a great influence on writers' literature. A large number of Huang's stories have been included in selected articles such as collection of Chinese Folktales Hubei volume, Chinese Chan Temple (edited by Ji Xianlin), and Chinese Buddhism There are more than 100 legends, such as "the immortal tries the fourth ancestor's Daoxin", "Emperor Taizong gives purple clothes", "the fifth ancestor becomes a monk", "the fifth ancestor Renxian", "Liu Gongquan's inscription", "the sixth ancestor Huineng" and so on.

For more than 1300 years, the legend of Huang Mei's Zen patriarch, which is based on living, civilian, idealization and the interpretation of its local color, has left behind folk customs such as "March 3 temple fair", "washing nine dynasties" and "eating mustard cake"; it permeates each other in music, painting, dance, craft and other forms of folk art expression; it is also found in calligraphy and painting, film and television, "hundred forum" and other folk art forms It is vividly reflected in drama and other fields.

As an important event in the history of Buddhism, the legend of Huangmei Zen patriarch is an important evidence for the establishment of "Dongshan Famen". Around the real historical figures of Zen patriarch, the significance of the story itself goes beyond the scope of Buddhism and has a great influence on both the Buddhist and secular circles. It has had a profound impact on the world's value orientation, thoughts and feelings, and the way of thinking. In Chinese Zen, there are several biblical differences The important position of Christianity is of potential significance in the construction of spiritual civilization, moral education and harmonious society, and it gives people profound enlightenment in the innovation of current affairs and the creation of current situation.