Muso Soseki

• Mengchong Shushi was a renowned Zen monk during the Ming Dynasty in China. He was also a prominent figure in the Rinzai school of Zen in Japan. Born in Ise, Japan, his family name was Gen, and his courtesy name was Mengchong. He was a ninth-generation descendant of Emperor Uda. He was honored with the title of "Seven Great National Masters" by the imperial court, known as the "Seven Imperial Teachers." He founded Tenryū-ji, a temple located at the base of Mount Arashiyama in Kyoto.