The Hongzhou School of Chan Buddhism in Eighth- Through Tenth-century China2006

"This book provides a wide-ranging examination of the Hongzhou school of Chan Buddhism - the precursor to Zen Buddhism - under Mazu Daoyi (709-788) and his successors in eighth- through tenth-century China, which was created with creating a Golden Age or classical tradition. Jinhua Jia uses stele inscriptions and other previously ignored texts to explore the school's teachings and history. Defending the school as a full-fledged, significant lineage, Jia reconstructs Mazu's biography and resolves controversies about his disciples. In contrast to the many scholars who either accept or reject the traditional Chan histories and discourse records, she thoroughly examines the Hongzhou literature to differentiate the original, authentic portions from later layers of modification and recreation."...