Changes

Thus Chán Buddhism reached the heights of its popularity in China during the [[Southern Song Dynasty]] ([[1127]]-[[1279]]), and was first introduced to Japan at that time. The Japanese monk [[Eisai]], who traveled to China in [[1168]] and again in [[1187]], first introduced [[Rinzai]] Zen (C: ''Línjì Chán'') to Japan in [[1191]], along with powdered tea. Establishing himself first in [[Kamakura]], his teachings included, notably, the introduction of the concept of the ''[[koan|kôan]]'', a riddle, often unanswerable, which forces the adept to think outside of normal modes of thought, potentially in this way discovering enlightenment. Encountering difficulty in having these new, heterodox, Zen ideas accepted in Kyoto, Eisai accommodated some elements from [[Tendai]] and [[Shingon]] teachings into his school's Zen practice.<ref name=schiro81>Conrad Schirokauer, David Lurie, and Suzanne Gay, ''A Brief History of Japanese Civilization'', Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 81.</ref> A few decades later, in the 1220s, the Japanese monk [[Dogen|Dôgen]] returned from China to introduce [[Soto Zen|Sôtô Zen]] (C: ''Cáodòng Chán''), a school which focused more chiefly on ''[[zazen]]'' meditation. Unlike Eisai, who promoted his school in the major political centers, Dôgen retreated to the mountains, establishing his temple of [[Eihei-ji]] in a remote area of [[Echizen province]].

Thus Chán Buddhism reached the heights of its popularity in China during the [[Southern Song Dynasty]] ([[1127]]-[[1279]]), and was first introduced to Japan at that time. The Japanese monk [[Eisai]], who traveled to China in [[1168]] and again in [[1187]], first introduced [[Rinzai]] Zen (C: ''Línjì Chán'') to Japan in [[1191]], along with powdered tea. Establishing himself first in [[Kamakura]], his teachings included, notably, the introduction of the concept of the ''[[koan|kôan]]'', a riddle, often unanswerable, which forces the adept to think outside of normal modes of thought, potentially in this way discovering enlightenment. Encountering difficulty in having these new, heterodox, Zen ideas accepted in Kyoto, Eisai accommodated some elements from [[Tendai]] and [[Shingon]] teachings into his school's Zen practice.<ref name=schiro81>Conrad Schirokauer, David Lurie, and Suzanne Gay, ''A Brief History of Japanese Civilization'', Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 81.</ref> A few decades later, in the 1220s, the Japanese monk [[Dogen|Dôgen]] returned from China to introduce [[Soto Zen|Sôtô Zen]] (C: ''Cáodòng Chán''), a school which focused more chiefly on ''[[zazen]]'' meditation. Unlike Eisai, who promoted his school in the major political centers, Dôgen retreated to the mountains, establishing his temple of [[Eihei-ji]] in a remote area of [[Echizen province]].

Rinzai Zen was strongly patronized by the [[Hojo clan (Hojo Regents)|Hôjô clan]] during the [[Kamakura period]]; many of the most prominent Zen temples in [[Kamakura]] have a connection to the Hôjô. [[Kencho-ji|Kenchô-ji]] was the first temple to be established in Japan as a Zen temple,<ref>It is not the first Zen temple to be established in the country, temples founded under a different sect having previously been converted to Zen use.</ref> being founded in [[1253]] by the [[Song Dynasty]] monk [[Lanxi Daolong]], who was invited by [[Hojo Tokiyori|Hôjô Tokiyori]] for that purpose. Lanxi Daolong then became the first monk to be recognized as a Zen master by a Japanese emperor, and Kenchô-ji is regarded as the first among the Five Mountains (Five Zen Temples) of Kamakura (''[[Kamakura Gosan]]'').<ref>Plaques on-site at Kenchô-ji; and "[http://www.kamakura-burabura.com/meisyokitakamakurakentyouji.htm Kenchô-ji]." Kamakura-Burabura.com　鎌倉ぶらぶら.</ref> Many of these temples were founded with the aid of Chinese Chán masters who fled to Japan from a China in the process of being conquered by the [[Yuan Dynasty|Mongols]]. Settling in Kamakura, they brought a cosmopolitanism that the warrior city had theretofore lacked, but even as the Hôjô and others built what remain today some of the most famous and prominent Zen temples in the country, Eisai and Dôgen had only limited impact during their lives, and Zen only really began to catch on a generation or two later.

Rinzai Zen was strongly patronized by the [[Hojo clan (Hojo Regents)|Hôjô clan]] during the [[Kamakura period]]; many of the most prominent Zen temples in [[Kamakura]] have a connection to the Hôjô. [[Kencho-ji|Kenchô-ji]] was the first temple to be established in Japan as a Zen temple,<ref>It is not the first Zen temple to be established in the country, temples founded under a different sect having previously been converted to Zen use.</ref> being founded in [[1253]] by the [[Song Dynasty]] monk [[Lanxi Daolong]], who was invited by [[Hojo Tokiyori|Hôjô Tokiyori]] for that purpose. Lanxi Daolong then became the first monk to be recognized as a Zen master by a Japanese emperor, and Kenchô-ji is regarded as the first among the Five Mountains (Five Zen Temples) of Kamakura (''[[Kamakura Gosan]]'').<ref>Plaques on-site at Kenchô-ji; and "[http://www.kamakura-burabura.com/meisyokitakamakurakentyouji.htm Kenchô-ji]." Kamakura-Burabura.com　鎌倉ぶらぶら.</ref> Many of these temples were founded with the aid of Chinese Chán masters who fled to Japan from a China in the process of being conquered by the [[Yuan Dynasty|Mongols]]. Settling in Kamakura, they brought a cosmopolitanism that the warrior city had theretofore lacked, but even as the Hôjô and others built what remain today some of the most famous and prominent Zen temples in the country, Eisai and Dôgen had only limited impact during their lives, and Zen only really began to catch on a generation or two later. Though often mistakenly represented as enjoying a grand blossoming and widespread following almost immediately, along with the other new Buddhist sects of the Kamakura period - [[Nichiren Buddhism]] and [[Jodo-shu|Pure Land Buddhism]] - Zen initially had to compromise with the dominant Buddhist establishment, or establish itself out in remote areas, in order to gain traction, and did not see considerable success for several generations at least.

The [[Ashikaga shogunate|Ashikaga shoguns]], like the Hôjô before them, were great patrons of Zen. [[Tenryu-ji|Tenryû-ji]], today considered first among the Five Mountains (Five Zen Temples) of Kyoto (''[[Kyoto Gozan]]''), was founded by the first Ashikaga shogun, [[Ashikaga Takauji]], in [[1339]]. [[Kinkaku-ji]], originally built by [[Ashikaga Yoshimitsu]] in [[1397]] as his private retirement villa, and [[Ginkaku-ji]], built by his grandson [[Ashikaga Yoshimasa]] in the 1480s, both later became Zen temples. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu also employed Zen monks as envoys to China; in this capacity, they played a key role in establishing [[tribute]]/[[kango boeki|tally trade]] relations between Japan and [[Ming Dynasty]] China.

The [[Ashikaga shogunate|Ashikaga shoguns]], like the Hôjô before them, were great patrons of Zen. [[Tenryu-ji|Tenryû-ji]], today considered first among the Five Mountains (Five Zen Temples) of Kyoto (''[[Kyoto Gozan]]''), was founded by the first Ashikaga shogun, [[Ashikaga Takauji]], in [[1339]]. [[Kinkaku-ji]], originally built by [[Ashikaga Yoshimitsu]] in [[1397]] as his private retirement villa, and [[Ginkaku-ji]], built by his grandson [[Ashikaga Yoshimasa]] in the 1480s, both later became Zen temples. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu also employed Zen monks as envoys to China; in this capacity, they played a key role in establishing [[tribute]]/[[kango boeki|tally trade]] relations between Japan and [[Ming Dynasty]] China.