58

‪The ‪‪kan huatou‪‪ (“inspecting the critical phrase”) method of meditation represents one of the many examples of the sinicization of Buddhism. Many studies exist on the formulation of this method and its spread in China since the 12‪‪th‪‪ century, as well as on how it fared in Japan, Vietnam and especially Korea, where it remains the main form of meditation to this day. However, its legacy in modern and contemporary China has never been considered. After outlining the history and functioning of the ‪‪kan huatou‪‪ method, this article will briefly show its continuity and importance in China in the 20‪‪th‪‪ and 21‪‪st‪‪ centuries. The annotated translation of the religious instructions on ‪‪kan huatou‪‪ delivered by Master Xuyun (ca. 1864‪‪-1959) in 1950 will complete this overview by providing a first-hand account of the use of this method of practice in monasteries of the Chan tradition.‪