Ruyuan (, 700-775 CE) was a Chinese Buddhist abbess and master, ''lüshi''. She was a member of the

Li family Li, li, or LI may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Landscape Institute, a British professional body for landscape architects * Leadership Institute, a non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia, US, that teaches "political te ...

of Longxi, one of the five most important families under the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

. She became a novice at the age of nine, a nun at twenty, and an abbess at the temple convent of Zhenhua Temple (真化寺) in

Chang'an Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin Shi ...

. She was a master within the

Chan Buddhism Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and So ...

and famed as a lecturer and organizer of religious rituals with a great circle of followers. She was favored by Emperor Daizong of Tang, who enlisted her to officiate at religious ceremonies at court and give lessons to his empress, wives and concubines. In particular, Ruyuan was noted as the teacher of Consort Dugu.

References

{{reflist * Lily Xiao Hong Lee, Sue Wiles: Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women, Volume II: Tang Through Ming 618 - 1644 775 deaths Chinese Buddhist nuns 8th-century Chinese people 8th-century Chinese women 8th-century Buddhist nuns Buddhist abbesses