Jiaoran

Jiaoran (Chinese: 皎然; pinyin: Jiǎorán; Wade–Giles: Chiao-jan; 730–799), also known by his courtesy name Qingzhou (Chinese: 清昼), was a Tang dynasty Chinese poet and Buddhist monk.^[1] Jiaoran has written more than 470 poems and was one of the three major Tang dynasty poet-monks (诗僧), along with Guanxiu (832-912) and Qiji (863-937). He was the 12th generation grandson of Xie An (320-385), a Jin dynasty (265–420) statesman who, despite his lack of military ability, led Jin through a major crisis—attacks by Former Qin (351-394).^[2] His friend, Lu Yu, is venerated as the Sage of Tea for his contribution to Chinese tea culture and the writer of The Classic of Tea.^[1]

Biography

Jiaoran was born in 730 in Wuxing District of Huzhou city, Zhejiang province. During the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763), he dwelt in seclusion and studied Taoism. When he was about forty, the Yuan-Chao Rebellion broken broke out. He received ordination as a monk in Tianzhou Temple (天竺寺) in Hangzhou, in 767, the 2nd year of the Dali period (766-779) of the Tang dynasty (618-907). He studied Risshū school at first and then converted to Chan Buddhism. He was the abbot of Miaoxi Temple (妙喜寺).^[2]

Works

• Shishi (《诗式》)

References

External links

• Li Zhuangying (李壮鹰) (2003). 《诗式校注》 [School Notes of Shishi] (in Chinese). Beijing: People's Literature Publishing House. ISBN 9787020042524.
• Xin Wenfang (辛文房) (2010). 《唐才子传笺证》 [The Biographies of the T'ang Talents] (in Chinese). Zhonghua Book Company. ISBN 9787101075816.