Grand Master JING Hui is Dharma successor to Grand Master XU Yun, the most famous Ch'an master of the 20th century, who died in 1959 at the age of 120 years. His lineage from the Lord Buddha Shakamuny is shown in detail below. (This chapter has been prepared in response to several questions put to me by E-mail, asking for details justifying my master's succession from Grand Master XU Yun.)

My previous declarations were based on widely known, and generally accepted, facts. However in view of these inquiries, I made an investigation, worthy of my legal training, during a recent trip to China (21.9.2543 [1999] to 3.10). During an interview with my Master at the Guangji Temple in Beijing, headquarters of the Chinese Buddhist Association, of which he is Vice-Chairman (as well as Editor-in-Chief of the principal Chinese periodical devoted to Zen, The Sound of Dharma), he confirmed his lineage both orally and in writing (text below). In addition, he provided me with several copies of the widely distributed descriptive brochure on Bai-lin Ch'an Monastery, which also contains that information.

May I add that my Master was the leader of the delegation of Buddhist monks which, to mark this year's anniversary of 2000 years of Buddhism in China, carried precious relics to visit countries which had played a role in spreading the Dharma to China. Recently has assumed the direction of a second monastery in the Beijing area.

Here's the text contained in the referenced brochure:

". . . When he was still a young novice monk, he had studied and practiced the teaching of Zen Tradition directly under the guidance of his guru, Ven. Abbot XU Yun, and was one of the closest disciples of this great Zen teacher. Having received the entire transmission from Abbot XU Yun, he became the succeeding lineage holder of both Linji (Rinzai) and Caodong (Soto) Schools of Zen" (emphasis added).

This is a paraphrased statement by my Master, concerning his lineage, made to me on 30.9.2543 (1999 A.D.):

In February 2494 B.E. (1951 A.D.) I went to the Yun Men Temple in Guangdong province and obtained the (Monks') precepts from Grand Master XU Yun (Empty Cloud), Thereafter I practiced Ch'an there. In March 2495 B.E. (1952 A.D.) I received the Dharma Transmission from Grand Master XU Yun and became one of his closest disciples. I continued to practice Ch'an with Him until His death in 2502 B.E. (1959 A.D.).

I believe that all of the above is more than sufficient to answer the queries I have received.

MING Qi

Geneva, 4.10.2543 (1999),

The 2000th year of Chinese Buddhism