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Dôgen was the son of ''[[Naidaijin]]'' [[Fujiwara no Michichika]] and Ishi, a daughter of [[Fujiwara no Motofusa]]. Following his mother's death when he was quite young, Dôgen was raised in his father's mountain villa, or in the [[Horikawa-in|Horikawa mansion]] (in Kyoto) of his older half-brother [[Minamoto no Michitomo]], who had adopted him. Young Dôgen took the tonsure and became a monk at the age of 13.  

Dôgen was the son of ''[[Naidaijin]]'' [[Fujiwara no Michichika]] and Ishi, a daughter of [[Fujiwara no Motofusa]]. Following his mother's death when he was quite young, Dôgen was raised in his father's mountain villa, or in the [[Horikawa-in|Horikawa mansion]] (in Kyoto) of his older half-brother [[Minamoto no Michitomo]], who had adopted him. Young Dôgen took the tonsure and became a monk at the age of 13.  

Dôgen was adopted by his samurai half-brother [[Minamoto no Michitomo]] in [[1205]]. In [[1227]], after traveling to China, he introduced the Sôtô (C: Caodao) school of Zen to Japan. In contrast to the [[Rinzai]] Zen advocated by [[Eisai]] around the same time, which emphasized the contemplation of ''[[koan|kôans]]'', Dôgen's Sôtô Zen emphasized ''[[zazen]]'' - seated meditation.

Dôgen was adopted by his samurai half-brother [[Minamoto no Michitomo]] in [[1205]]. After traveling in China from [[1223]]-[[1227]],<ref>Robert Morrell, "Zeami's Kasuga Ryûjin (Dragon God of Kasuga), or Myôe Shônin," ''Early Kamakura Buddhism: A Minority Report'', Asian Humanities Press (1987), 103.</ref> he introduced the Sôtô (C: Caodao) school of Zen to Japan. In contrast to the [[Rinzai]] Zen advocated by [[Eisai]] around the same time, which emphasized the contemplation of ''[[koan|kôans]]'', Dôgen's Sôtô Zen emphasized ''[[zazen]]'' - seated meditation.

Dôgen distanced himself from centers of religious and secular authority, building a small temple in a remote, mountainous area in [[Echizen province]] (today, [[Fukui prefecture]]); this temple later came to be known as [[Eihei-ji]], and is today one of two head temples of Sôtô Zen in Japan.

Dôgen distanced himself from centers of religious and secular authority, building a small temple in a remote, mountainous area in [[Echizen province]] (today, [[Fukui prefecture]]); this temple later came to be known as [[Eihei-ji]], and is today one of two head temples of Sôtô Zen in Japan.

The 2009 film ''Zen'' features [[kabuki]] actor Nakamura Kankurô as Dôgen, and relates a fictionalized version of Dôgen's life.

The 2009 film ''Zen'' features [[kabuki]] actor Nakamura Kankurô VI<ref>Then known as Nakamura Kantarô II, he took the name Kankurô in 2012.</ref> as Dôgen, and relates a fictionalized version of Dôgen's life.

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*Conrad Schirokauer, et al, ''A Brief History of Japanese Civilization'', Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 81.  

*Conrad Schirokauer, et al, ''A Brief History of Japanese Civilization'', Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 81.  

*Plaques on-site at the former site of the [[Horikawa-in]] in Kyoto.

*Plaques on-site at the former site of the [[Horikawa-in]] in Kyoto.

[[Category:Kamakura Period]]

[[Category:Kamakura Period]]

[[Category:Religious Figures]]

[[Category:Religious Figures]]