![define zen define zen](http://www.artwallpaperhi.com/thumbnails/detail/20121028/zen%201599x1024%20wallpaper_www.artwallpaperhi.com_10.jpg)
China would only have a relationship with countries that accepted a China-centric world order this would mean recognizing the Chinese emperor as the ruler of the Universe, paying regular tributes to China, having leaders accept the title of vassal kings bestowed by the Chinese emperor, and adopting the Chinese calendar and reign names for international and domestic use. For centuries, Chinese diplomatic relationships with other countries had been handled within a concentric tribute system with China in the center. China and Japan did not have formal relationship at that time and had different visions of the political future of East Asia. This can also be said about the Chinese Zen master Yinyuan’s arrival in Japan in 1654.
![define zen define zen](http://cdn.artwallpaperhi.com/2560x1600/20121018/stones%20zen%20macro%202560x1600%20wallpaper_www.artwallpaperhi.com_73.jpg)
“Portrait of Yinyuan Longgi” by Kita Chobei at Kobe City Museum. This lack of formal connection necessitated an urge to manipulate ordinary civilian activities to achieve symbolic advantage for cultural and political gains. While it is still not clear what this will mean for American and North Korean relations, the common characteristic of these two events is that at the time when these groups of American civilians arrived, there was no formal diplomatic relationship between the United States and either China or North Korea. Similarly, in early 2014, in an event now referred to as ‘Basketball Diplomacy,’ a group of retired NBA players led by ex-star Dennis Rodman arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea to play basketball with a North Korean team. Nothing particularly extraordinary, right? And yet, today this event is now known as ‘Pingpong Diplomacy,’ which opened the door to President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, the first visit of a US President since China’s Communist Revolution of 1949. They were welcomed by the Chinese government and played table tennis with Chinese players. In 1971, a group of American table tennis players arrived in Beijing after competing in the 31 st World Table Tennis Championship in Japan. So why was Yinyuan’s arrival so important?īefore we address this question, let us first cover a few examples of similar seemingly ‘insignificant’ historical events that became hugely important in the long term. Before Yinyuan, there were already eminent Chinese monks who had established themselves in Japan, and Yinyuan was simply one among many. This claim gave him tremendous authority in China, as without it a Zen teacher cannot be considered for leading a Zen community.Ĭonsidering the long history of interactions between China and Japan, Chinese monks arriving in Japan with teachings, scriptures, relics and such were very common, and were welcomed by Japanese monks and rulers. His name was Yinyuan Longqi (1592-1673), a Zen master who claimed to have inherited the authentic dharma transmission-the passing of the Buddha’s teaching from teacher to student-from the Linji (Rinzai) sect in China. In 1654, a Chinese monk arrived in Japan.