Yuanwu Keqin was born into the Le family of Pengzhou, Sichuan, in 1063. His family was well educated in Confucianism, a sign of acquaintance with the Chinese civil service.[2] Nevertheless, Yuanwu Keqin choose a Buddhist monastic path and entered Miaoji Monastery (Chinese: 妙寂禪院; pinyin: Miàojì Chányuàn,a Buddhist monastery in Pengzhou. He ended his formal studies under Wuzu Fayan (1047-1104) when he was in his forties.[2] Yuanwu Keqin was closely involved in the literati circles.[3]
Starting from the year 1112 on, Yuan-wu started to lecture on the One Hundred Old Cases and Verses [to the Cases][5] compiled by Xuedou Zhongxian (980–1052). These lectures resulted in the Blue Cliff Record.[6][1]
The Blue Cliff Record gives clear instructions about the correct approach to kōan. Yuanwu went as far as to annotate the poems line by line[7] to make clear the correct reading of Xuedou's appended verses,[6] which are complex, because of the rich use of symbolism and the allusions to Chinese secular literature and to Chan history.[7]
According to the Chán-tradition, the Blue Cliff Record gained such a popularity, that Dahui Zonggao burned all the copies he could lay hands on, and the wooden printing blocks.[4]
Cleary, J. C.; Cleary, Thomas (1994), Zen Letters: Teachings of Yuanwu, Shambhala Publications
Hsieh, Ding-Hwa Evely (Summer 1994), "Yuan-wu K'o-ch'in's (1063-1135) Teaching of Ch'an Kung-an Practice: A Transition from the Literary Study of Ch'an Kung-an to the Practical K'an-hua Ch'an", Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, 17 (1){{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
Schlütter, Morten (2008), How Zen became Zen. The Dispute over Enlightenment and the Formation of Chan Buddhism in Song-Dynasty China, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, ISBN978-0-8248-3508-8
