RELIGIOUS FIGURE

Eisai

1141 - 1215

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Myōan Eisai or Yōsai (明菴 栄西; Japanese pronunciation: [eꜜi.sai, eꜜː-, joꜜː-], 27 May 1141 – 1 August 1215) was a Japanese Buddhist priest, credited with founding the Rinzai school, the Japanese line of the Linji school of Zen Buddhism. 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 Japan's first Zen temple Shōfuku-ji and Kennin-ji. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Eisai is the 1,238th most popular religious figure (down from 1,147th in 2019), the 502nd most popular biography from Japan (down from 439th in 2019) and the 12th most popular Japanese Religious Figure.

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Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES

Among religious figures, Eisai ranks 1,238 out of 3,187Before him are Maurizio Malvestiti, Antipope Adalbert, George Hamartolos, Jürgen Moltmann, Nicholas of Japan, and Felix of Valois. After him are Clement Mary Hofbauer, Saint David, Jacob Baradaeus, William Levada, Margaret of Cortona, and Jebtsundamba Khutuktu.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1141, Eisai ranks 4Before him are Nizami Ganjavi, Gerard de Ridefort, and Malcolm IV of Scotland. After him are Floris III, Count of Holland, and Azalais de Porcairagues. Among people deceased in 1215, Eisai ranks 3Before him are Bertran de Born, and Gottfried von Strassburg. After him are Michael I Komnenos Doukas, and Hōjō Tokimasa.

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In Japan

Among people born in Japan, Eisai ranks 502 out of 6,245Before him are Fumihiko Maki (1928), Kunisada (1786), Takeo Takahashi (1947), Mōri Terumoto (1533), Saitō Hajime (1844), and Seki Takakazu (1642). After him are Kenzō Takada (1939), Fusajiro Yamauchi (1859), Emperor Go-Reizei (1025), Takijirō Ōnishi (1891), Ōkuma Shigenobu (1838), and Takeo Fukuda (1905).

Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES In Japan

Among religious figures born in Japan, Eisai ranks 12Before him are Benkei (1155), Abe no Seimei (921), Sen no Rikyū (1522), Mikao Usui (1865), Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659), and Ikkyū (1394). After him are Saichō (767), Shinran (1173), Dom Justo Takayama (1552), Shunryū Suzuki (1904), Kōdō Sawaki (1880), and Hōnen (1133).