Career

In 2000, he left monasticism to pursue academia. His Dharma name is Guo Gu. He practiced with the late Chan Master Sheng Yen from 1982 until the latter died in 2009.

Guo Gu was Sheng Yen"s translator, attendant, and assistant in leading intense Chan retreats.

He first received inka, a seal of approval for his experience of Chan, in 1995 by Sheng Yen and subsequently received several inkas from him--the last one being in 2007. He is currently the Dharma teacher of the Tallahassee Chan Group in Tallahassee, Florida.

Additionally, Jimmy Yu is also the author of Sanctity and Self-Inflicted Violence in Chinese Religions. This book explores the religious aspects of self-inflicted violence, such as texts written in blood and the occasional practice of cannibalism during times of famine in late Ming and early Qing China.