Zen spread through China six generations later, thanks to Huei-Neng, who is considered one of the greatest Patriarchs of Chinese Zen. After Huei-Neng, a five-petalled flower blossomed. This Zen expression means that Zen opened up like a flower with five petals and spread throughout the whole country thanks to the five schools which came from Master Huei-Neng. These schools were Igyo, Hongen, Soto, Unmon, and Rinzai. In the mountains and forests of China, construction began on thousands of temples in which tens of thousands of people lived, devoting themselves to the study and practice of the Dharma of Buddha. In the course of time Zen would influence Chinese civilization, elevating its thinking, culture and art to great heights.
Of these five Chinese schools, only three reached Japan: Soto, Rinzai and Obaku (Obake is considered a branch of the Rinzai school). The other two died out in China.
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