Yūbai Sesson

Background

Yūbai Sesson was born in 1290, in Echigo, Japan.

Education

At an early age began Zen study under I-shan I-ning (Japanese: Issan Ichinei), a Chinese monk who had come to Japan and was residing at the Kencho-ji in Kamakura.

Career

In 1307, at the age of eighteen, he went to China, which was then under the rule of the Yuan, or Mongol, dynasty. Earlier, in 1274 and 1281, the Mongols had dispatched large numbers of troops in two attempts to invade and conquer Japan, but both had ended in failure and, unable to forget their resentment against the Japanese, in 1312 they arrested Sesson and held him in confinement.

In 1326 he was at last released and resided in Ch’ang-an for three years. Because of his great learning, he won the respect of the Yuan ruler, Emperor Wen-tsung, who bestowed on him the title Pao-chiieh Chen-k’ung on the occasion of his departure. He returned to Japan in 1329 after a stay of twenty-two years abroad and took up residence in a succession of temples.

Works

• Other Work

  • His works are preserved in a collection entitled Bingashii.

Personality

He was particularly skilled in the writing of Chinese verse and prose and is regarded as one of the founders of the Gozan literary movement.