Yishan Yining

Yishan Yining (一山一寧, in Japanese: Issan Ichinei; 1247 – 28 November 1317) was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to Japan.

He was a monk of the Linji school during the Yuan dynasty of China, and subsequently a Rinzai Zen master who rose to prominence in Kamakura Japan.

After changing a number of tutors, he became the Dharma heir of Wanji Singmi (頑極行彌, Japanese Gankyoku Gyomi), the fourth lineage holder of Mi'an Xianji (1118–1186).

In 1313[3] the resigned emperor Go-Uda invited him to Kyoto to become the abbot of Nanzen-ji, the most influential Zen center of the time.

[6] Among his students there werу such key figures of the subsequent development of Zen as Muso Soseki,[7] Sesson Yubai and Kokan Shiren.