Ji Gong

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This article is about a Buddhist monk who became a minor Taoist deity. For the Liu Song general, see Tan Daoji.
A statue of Daoji
A statue of Daoji

Daoji (simplified Chinese: 道济禅师; traditional Chinese: 道濟禪師; pinyin: dào jì chán shī) (1130 – 1207), commonly known as Ji Gong (simplified Chinese: 济公; traditional Chinese: 濟公; pinyin: Jìgōng, Master Ji) or (simplified Chinese: 济公活佛; traditional Chinese: 濟公活佛; pinyin: Jìgōng huófó, Living Buddha Ji Gong), was a Buddhist monk during the Southern Song Dynasty in China. He was born with the name of Li Xiuyuan. (李修元) Dao Ji was also called Hu Yin (Recluse from the Lake) and Elder Fang Yuan (Square Circle). Dao Ji was a monastic in the Linji Chán school.

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[edit] History

Born Li Xiuyuan to a former military advisor, Li Maochun, Daoji was born after his parents, who could not have children, entered a temple. Upon reaching the Hall of the Five Hundred Arhats, the statue of Mahakasyapa was knocked off its lotus throne, a sign that the arhat had descended to earth.

After his parents' death, he went to Hangzhou and became a monastic at the famous Ling Yin Temple near Hangzhou. Even though his eccentric behavior broke the rules of the vinaya (traditional code for monastics), it is said that Daoji was kind hearted and was always ready to lend a helping hand to ordinary people. Unlike a traditional Buddhist monk, he ate meat and drank wine. The monks, bewildered and fed up with his behavior, expelled Daoji from the monastery. From then on, Daoji roamed the streets and helped people whenever he could.

According to legends, while cultivating in the Buddha's teaching, Daoji was said to attain magical powers. Many who noticed his eccentric yet benevolent and compassionate nature began to think that he was an incarnate of a bodhisattva, or as a reincarnate of an arhat. He was recognized by the public as the incarnate of the Taming Dragon Arhat (simplified Chinese: 降龙罗汉; traditional Chinese: 降龍羅漢; pinyin: Xiánglóng Luóhàn), one of the eighteen legendary arhats.

When Daoji died at the Jing Ci monastery on the 14th day of 5th Lunar month (17 June 1207), Syncretic Taoism began to revere Daoji as a god from heaven and later adopted him as a deity. Not long after that, even Buddhism began to respect his benign and compassionate nature and is involved in many classic koans from Chán Buddhists.

The I Kuan Tao has also adopted him into their pantheon of deities.

[edit] Depiction

Daoji can usually be seen smiling in his tattered monastic robes, and usually carries a bottle of wine in his right hand, and a fan (believed to be magical) in his left hand. He wears a hat with the Chinese character Fo（佛）, meaning "Buddha". He can also be seen holding his shoes in his right hand.

[edit] Daoji in popular culture

Cover to one of the Ji Gong Chinese television series.
Cover to one of the Ji Gong Chinese television series.
Stephen Chow as Ji Gong (right).
Stephen Chow as Ji Gong (right).
  • The life of Daoji has also been popularized in a TV series which aired in 1993 called (in English) "Legends of Ji Gong."
  • Comedic actor and director Stephen Chow portrayed Ji Gong in his 1993 movie The Mad Monk.

[edit] External links

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