Tracing Chan’s lineage feels a bit like following a winding mountain trail—each turn reveals a new face whose teachings still resonate on meditation cushions worldwide.

• Bodhidharma (5th–6th century)
Legend credits this Indian monk with planting the seed of “direct transmission” in China, emphasizing wall-gazing meditation over sutra scholarship. His silent stare remains an icon of Zen’s emphasis on direct experience.

• The “Sixth Patriarch,” Huineng (638–713)
A kitchen boy turned master, he shattered any notion that enlightenment depended on scholarly pedigree. His Platform Sutra champions sudden awakening, a concept that still thrills seekers craving a lightning-bolt insight.

• Mazu Daoyi (709–788) and Hongren’s heirs
Mazu’s eccentric methods—shouts, blows and paradoxical koans—broke disciples out of logical ruts. Across the Yangtze, Shitou Xiqian composed verses later woven into the Blue Cliff Record, a koan anthology that’s still cracked open in Zen halls today.

• Baizhang Huaihai (720–814)
Often remembered for “a day without work is a day without eating,” he institutionalized “Zen monks must work for a living.” That down-to-earth attitude laid groundwork for integrating practice into daily life—a principle echoed in modern mindfulness retreats from California’s Redwood forests to Tokyo’s urban dojos.

• Dongshan Liangjie (807–869) and Linji Yixuan (d. 866)
Founders of the Caodong (Sōtō) and Linji (Rinzai) schools, they refined koan and silent-illumination methods. Today’s silent retreats (��sesshin��) and vigorous koan practice trace directly back to their innovations.

• Dahui Zonggao (1089–1163)
Revived koan introspection with relentless intensity. His emphasis on “kanhua” practice still fuels rigorous Rinzai training halls from Kyoto to New York.

These figures forged Chan’s rich tapestry, blending spontaneity and discipline. Their echoes ripple through the mindfulness apps and global meditation festivals popping up everywhere—proof that a whisper in an ancient Chinese monastery can still ripple like a stone dropped into today’s fast-paced world.