Pen Yuan

TAIWAN, Keelung

Pen Yuan had an original family name of Shen and his Dharma name was Yin-Ti. He was a monk who was adept in calligraphy and painting. Pen renounced at the age of 15 under Master Yuanjing, the abbot of Qingning Temple in Keelung, and in 1900, he was fully ordained at Yongquan Temple in Fujian. After returning to Taiwan, he assisted Master Shan-Huei in establishing Lingquan Temple in Keelung. He was later invited to Lingyun Temple in New Taipei City, where he eventually became the abbot and expanded the complex. Pen constructed the main hall, meditation hall, dining hall, founder’s hall, and Surangama Pavilion, resulting in Lingyun Temple being recognized as a magnificent example of Buddhist architecture.
In order to cultivate Buddhist talents, Pen founded Zhennan Academy at Linji Temple in Yuanshan, Taipei in 1918. In addition, he established the organization, Taiwan Friends of the Buddhist Way, to provide guidance for young people. The Guanyinshan school established by Pen became one of the four great Buddhist schools during the Japanese rule (1895–1945).
Pen Yuan was well-versed in sinology, architectural design, calligraphy, and painting. His ink painting of Bodhidharma, drawn in bold and slender strokes, exhibits the essence of Chan painting during the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties, and is now kept at Miau Sim Temple in Tainan.