The Hongwu Emperor and Buddhism: The Incident in Which Jitan Zongle Was Dispatched to the Western Regions

Abstract

Although Buddhism was strictly controlled by the policies of the Hongwu emperor （Ming Taizu 明太祖） during the early Ming dynasty, Chan monks were also quite influential during this time. One of the most prominent of them was Jitan Zongle 季潭宗泐 （1318-1391）, a member of the Dahui 大慧 lineage of the Linji 臨済 order. As a result of the Hongwu emperor’s administrative policies toward Buddhism, Zongle’s life was marked by ups and downs, with the most notable example being Zongle’s dispatch to the Western Regions. Nevertheless, there are different theories regarding the timing, duration, and reasons for the dispatch, with no conclusion having yet been reached. Based on the existing historical documents, this paper presents the most plausible view at this point and attempts to resolve these issues.