BC414 - Zen and Its Impact on Japanese Culture

A historical survey of Zen Buddhism and its impact on Japanese Culture with the following aspects form an integral part of the study: The origin of Chan school in China; the Five Houses and Seven Sects of Chan Schools; from China to Japan; Rinzai school and its method of practice; Soto school and its method of practice; Zen during the 16th century in Japan; Neo-Confucianism and Zen; Zen priests and politics; Zen and cultural life; Zen literature, arts; tea cult, the theatre; Zen in modern Japan; Zen in Western countries.