Shūhō Myōchō 宗峰妙超 (Kōan 5 → 1282; Engen 2 / Kenmu 4 / 1337-12-22 (= 1338-01-13 NS)), Late-Kamakura Japanese Rinzai-Zen master, founder (開山) of Daitoku-ji 大徳寺 in north Kyoto and the originator of one of the two most influential Japanese Rinzai-Zen sub-lineages. Posthumous title Daitō Kokushi 大燈國師 (“Great-Lamp National Master”); the full court title bestowed during life and at death is Kōzen Daitō Kōshō Shōtō Kokushi 興禪大燈高照正燈國師. Style-name (字) Shūhō 宗峰; dharma-name Myōchō 妙超. Native of Harima 播磨 province (modern Hyōgo).
Tonsured under Kennichi Daikaku at Daikaku-ji 大覚寺; received transmission from 南浦紹明 Nanpo Jōmyō (Daiō Kokushi 大應國師, 1235–1308) at Sūfuku-ji 崇福寺 in Hakata, becoming the principal heir of the Yángqí / Sòngyuán Chong-yuē / Xū-tang Zhìyú Xūtáng Héshàng yǔlù line that Nanpo had imported from Sòng China — one of the very few continental transmissions to reach Japan that bypasses the Wúzhǔn Shīfàn route. After certification, Shūhō spent twenty years in obscurity in the Goji-an 五條庵 hermitage in Kyoto.
In Karyaku 1 / 1326-12-31 he opened Daitoku-ji at Murasaki-no 紫野 in northern Kyoto under imperial patronage from Emperor Go-Daigo 後醍醐天皇 (who became his lay-disciple) and Retired Emperor Hanazono 花園法皇. He died at Daitoku-ji in 1337. The Ō-Tō-Kan 應燈關 lineage descending from him through 義玄 Kanzan Egen 関山慧玄 (1277–1361) — founder of Myōshin-ji 妙心寺 — became the dominant trunk of all later Japanese Rinzai-Zen, every one of the present-day fourteen Rinzai sub-schools deriving their dharma-line through Daitoku-ji or Myōshin-ji. The famous “death-poem” 我這裏祖師關 (“Here in my place is the patriarchal barrier”) and his deliberately broken-leg posture at death are central iconographic motifs.