Huanglong Huinan (1002–69) was a disciple of Shishuang Chuyuan.He came from Xinzhou (located east of the modern city of Nanchang in Jiangxi Province). He founded the Huanglong branch of Linji Zen, whose successive generations of teachers resided on Mt. Huanglong for more than 150 years until the line died out.186 Despite the relatively short existence of the school, its influence on Chinese society was widespread. The Japanese monk Myōan Esai, who is often regarded as the founder of Zen in Japan, studied with this school while visiting China.

　

According to the Wudeng Huiyuan, Huanglong first studied under a Zen master named Letan Chenggong, a teacher of the Yunmen school.

　

Huanglong was traveling with Zen master Yunfeng Yue*. One night they were talking about Yunmen’s Dharma and Yunfeng said, "Although Chenggong came after Yunmen, his Dharma is different.

　

Huanglong asked, “What’s different about it?”

　

Yunfeng said, “Yunmen’s Dharma is like making cinnabar with nine turns of the grinder, or touching iron and turning it to gold. But Chenggong’s medicine is old hat to the disciples, and if you stick it in the forge it melts away.”

　

Huanglong grew angry and threw a cushion at Yunfeng.

　

The next day Yunfeng apologized and said, “Yunmen’s bearing is like that of a king. Are you willing to die beneath his words? Chenggong also imparts a Dharma to people. Death words. But these death words, can they also give people life?”

　

Yunfeng then turned to leave, but Huanglong pulled him back, saying, “If that’s so, then what teacher now lives up to your meaning?”

　

Yunfeng said, “Shishuang Chuyuan’s methods are known everywhere and all the disciples can see that he’s unsurpassed.” Huanglong thought to himself, “Master Yue is a student of [Dayu Zhi], but he’s sending me to see Shishuang. How can this be?”

　

Huanglong then went to seek out Shishuang. While on the way he heard that Shishuang was not taking students, so he went instead to Mt. Heng, where he visited the teacher Fuyan Xian. Fuyan gave Huanglong the job of temple secretary. Shortly thereafter Fuyan died, and the governor appointed Shishuang to replace him.

　

When Shishuang arrived, he disparaged everything at the temple, ridiculing everything he saw as wrong. Huanglong was deeply disappointed with Shishuang’s manner.

　

When Huanglong visited Shishuang in his abbot’s room, Shishuang said, “Chenggong studied Yunmen’s Zen, so he must surpass Yunmen’s teaching. When Yunmen spared Dongshan Shouchu three blows with the staff, did Dongshan suffer the blows or not?”

　

Huanglong said, “He suffered the blows.”

　

Shishuang said fiercely, “From morning till night the magpies cry and the crows caw, all of them in response to the blows they’ve suffered.”

　

Shishuang then sat in a cross-legged position, and Huanglong lit incense and bowed to him.

　

Shishuang later asked, “Zhaozhou said, ‘The old lady of Mt. Tai—I’ll go check her out for you.’ But where was the place he checked her out?”

　

Huanglong sweated profusely but he couldn’t answer.

　

The next day, Huanglong went to Shishuang’s room again. Shishuang berated him unceasingly. Huanglong said, “Is cursing a compassionate way of carrying out the teaching?”

　

Shishuang yelled, “Try cursing and see!”

　

At these words Huanglong experienced a great awakening. He then wrote the following verse:

　

The eminent adept Zhaozhou

　

Had his reasons for checking out the old lady.

　

Now the four seas are like a mirror,

　

And a pilgrim no longer hates the road."