Eisai
Japanese monk · Japan · On the map · Lived 1141 to 1215 · aged 73
Myōan Eisai or Yōsai was a Japanese Buddhist priest, credited with founding the Rinzai school, the Japanese line of the Linji school of Zen Buddhism.
Eisai is read about 173 times a day, in 28 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 10 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 112 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?People around Eisai
Close ties
Media & music
About this person
In 1191, he introduced this Zen approach to Japan, following his trip to China from 1187 to 1191, during which he was initiated into the Linji school by the master Hsü an. It is also said that he popularized green tea in Japan, following this same trip. He was also the founding abbot of Shōfuku-ji and Kennin-ji, two of the earliest Zen temples in Japan. He is often known simply as Eisai/Yōsai Zenji (栄西禅師), literally "Zen master Eisai".