This book tells about the "History of Zen" in China and Japan. It has altogether 16 chapters. The first eight chapters are about Zen in China and the later eight chapters about Zen in Japan. It is mainly concerned with a detailed account of inheriting lineage and sermons of different Zen schools and sects in China and Japan as well as the specific facts of Chinese monks crossing over to Japan for preaching and Japanese monks coming to China for studying. Chan (Zen) Buddhism first arose in China some fifteen hundred years ago, with Bodhidarma or Daruma being the First Patriarch. It would go on to become the dominant form of Buddhism in China in the late Tang Dynasty, absorbing China's local culture to form a kind of Zen Buddhism with Chinese characteristics. Zen Buddhism has not only exerted considerable influence on Chinese society and culture throughout its history, but has also found its way into Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The lineage charts at the end of the book, collected by the author from different corners of the world, represent an invaluable resource. Further, the works and views on Zen of Western scholars introduced in this book are of great reference value for the Zen world.

Inhalt
Chapter 1  From Daruma to Gunin.- Chapter 2 The Sixth Patriarch and His Disciples.- Chapter 3 The Nangaku Branch and the Igy School .- Chapter 4 The Rinzai School.- Chapter 5 The Ory and Ygi  Sects.- Chapter 6 The Seigen Branch.- Chapter 7 The St School.- Chapter 8 The Ummon School and the Hgen School.- Chapter 9 The Rinzai Scholl in JapanEisai.- Chapter 10 The Era of Five Mountains.- Chapter 11 The Era of Daio, Dait, and Kanzan.- Chapter 12 Hakuin Ekaku and His Disciples.- Chapter 13 The baku School in JapanIngen.- Chapter 14 The St School in JapanDgen.- Chapter 15 Keizan and His Disciples.- Chapter 16 Shinetsu Kch and Forty-Six Sects.