【Master Yuan Ying (1878―1953)】

Master Yuan Ying (1878―1953) was from Gutian, Fujian Province, his family name is Wu, first name Hongwu, and style Tao Guang or the Owner of Yihou Hall. He is an expert of Chan study, especially on Leng Yan (surangama), and was praised as an outstanding scholar of the sutra. He was elected the director-general of Chinese Buddhist Association for seven times. He founded Yuanming Sermon Hall in his old age and Leng Yan (surangama) Religious Institute, his disciples are now all over the world. There are about twenty of his main works, such as Explanation to Surangamasutra, Comments on The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, Collected Essays of Yihou Hall, etc. Later they are edited into Collected Works of Master Yuan Ying.

In December 1952, an assembly was held in the Jade Buddha Monastery to pray for world peace. It was presided over by renowned elderly Chan Master Xu Yun. Masters such as Yuan Ying, Ying Ci, Chi Song, Wei Fang and six others offered their commentary on sutras. The assembly lasted for 49 days, which was unprecedented in the history of Shanghai Buddhism.

He was the first chairman of China Buddhist Association after the PRC was founded (1949).