Gidō Shūshin, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetGidō Shūshin
Japanese monk and writer
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Tosa Province, Japan
About Gidō Shūshin
- Gido Shushin (?? ??), 1325–1388), Japanese luminary of the Zen Rinzai sect, was a master of poetry and prose in Chinese (Literature of the Five Mountains).
- Gido’s own diary (Kuge Nikkushu (?????)) relates how as a child he discovered and treasured the Zen classic Rinzairoku in his father’s library.
- He was born in Tosa on the island of Shikoku and began formal study of Confucian and Buddhist literature.
- His religious proclivities were encouraged when he witnessed the violent death of a clan member.
- Like many others he took his first vows on Mt.
- Hiei near the capital.
- Gido’s life was changed with a visit to the prominent Zen master Muso Soseki (1275–1351) in 1341.
- He would become the master’s attendant after his own unsuccessful pilgrimage to China.
- He would become a principal disciple.
- Gido was born with eyesight difficulties.
- His choice of a literary name was Kugedojin or Holy Man who sees Flowers in the Sky.
- Kuge was from Sanscrit khpuspa and indicated illusory sense perceptions.
- Gido would play a role of conciliator between rival courts in the nation’s civil war.
- His loyalty was with the northern court and its Ashikaga supporters.
- After taking residence in the city of Kamakura, Gido would become the personal advisor to the Ashikaga rulers there.
- Gido encouraged Confucian political values such as centralized rule and social stability.
- Likewise Gido became an advocate of Sung period Chinese Neo-Confucian humanistic values, both political and literary.
- In 1380 Gido was asked by the reigning shogun, Yoshimitsu (1358–1408), to reside with him in Kyoto.
- Gido’s last years were spent personally instructing Yoshimitsu in Confucian and Buddhist subjects.
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