Ji Gong: Legendary Ancient Monk Who Defended People Against Injustice

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Ji Gong was a legendary ancient Chinese monk with an intriguing and controversial personality. He has been credited with supernatural powers, which he used to help the poor and stand up to injustice.  Ji Gong violated several Buddhist monastic rules and was expelled from his monastery.

However, his benevolent and compassionate nature made him loved by people, and in time he became worshipped as a deity.

Hupao ("Dreaming of the Tiger") Spring (Hupaomengquan) in Hangzhou, China. Image credit: Sh1019 - CC BY-SA 3.0

The legend of Ji Gong takes root in a historical figure. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the legend of Ji Gong has been extensively spreading across China as a widely known folk tale. There also exist abundant folk customs and stories related to him.

Ji Gong (February 1130 – 16 May 1207), born Li Xiuyuan, was also known as "Chan Master Daoji." He was the son of former military advisor Li Maochun. When Ji Gong was 18 years his parents died, and he was sent to Hangzhou, the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in eastern China.

He was mentored by the master Huiyuan and was known as Daoji.

Ji Gong broke the rules and was expelled from the monastery

Ji Gong had difficulties accepting the monastery's rules. His robes were often tattered and dirty from traveling from place to place and stumbling while intoxicated. However, Daoji had a good heart and was always ready to lend a helping hand to ordinary people. He would often treat the sick and fight against injustice. He had a penchant for openly eating meat and drinking wine.

From then on, Daoji roamed the streets and helped people whenever he could. He defended people against injustices.

The monks disapproved of his bewildering behavior and expelled Daoji from the monastery.

Ji Gong and his supernatural powers

An ancient legend tells that while cultivating the Buddha's teaching, Daoji attained supernatural powers.

One famous story tells of Ji Gong using supernatural powers to pull logs out of a well. A temple was to be built in Hangzhou, and wood was needed. However, the best timber was found only in Sichuan province, some 900 miles away. The monks were desperate, but that did not stop Ji Gong. He used his powers to bring the logs over one after another. The other monks piled them up until the monk charged with counting them shouted: "Enough!" Ji Gong had already beckoned another log, but hearing the monk yell, he stopped it.

Ji Gong known as "Chan Master Daoji". Image credit: Shizhao2005 - Public Domain

That last log remained half-submerged in the well, and later generations built a pavilion over it, naming it the "Divine Teleportation Well."

Another story tells he possessed the gift of prophecy. One day he "saw" that a mountain peak was about to come crashing down on a nearby village. Alarmed, Ji Gong began shouting to the townspeople, warning them to run for their lives. But they just laughed and dismissed him as "that crazy monk talking nonsense again."

Jo Gong understood he must do something drastic to save the people in the village. When he spotted a wedding procession in the village, he quickly snatched the bride, threw her over his shoulder, and ran. Alarmed, the groom and wedding guests called all of their family and friends to chase after the kidnapper. Before long, the entire village was chasing after them.

As soon as people had passed the village gate, a giant mountain peak nearby collapsed, landing on the village with a crash. Huge rocks flew everywhere, shattering roofs and flattening buildings in an instant.

Ji Gong becomes worshipped as a deity

 Many who noticed his eccentric yet benevolent and compassionate nature began to think that he was incarnate of a bodhisattva.

People widely recognized him as the incarnate of the Taming Dragon Arhat, one of the Eighteen Arhats.

When Ji GOng died, he was buried in Running Tiger Spring Area, and a unique monastery named Jigong Tayuan was built in memory of him.

Ji Gong is remembered as a legendary monk who helped people with a magic fan. Over the years, the legend of Ji Gong has been serving as inexhaustible material for literature and art.

Written by - Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

Updated on May 29, 2024

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