Chāokē 超珂, zì Yìgōng 義公 (“Righteous Sir”); also styled Kuíyīng 揆英 (a biéhào given by Jìqǐ 繼起 at Língyánshān 靈巖). One of the major female LínjìYángqí Chán masters of mid-17th-century Jiāxīng. LínjìYángqí dharma-heir of Qíyuán Xínggāng 行剛 (1597–1654), and second abbess of Fúshī chányuàn 伏獅禪院 at Méixī (Jiāxīng). Lifedates 1615 – 順治十八年二月初二日 = 1661-03-02, age 47, fǎlà 39 (per the xíngzhuàng in juan 1 of her yǔlù). Native of Méilǐ 梅里 (Jiāxīng).
Formation. Tonsured at age 8. 順治三年 = 1646 invited her dharma-master Qíyuán 祇園 to Méilǐ to take residence at Dǒngān 董庵 (renamed Fúshī chányuàn on her arrival). At 34 began intensive cān-fǎng: visited Shíyǔ 石雨 at Gāotíng 皋亭 and Jìqǐ 繼起 at Língyán 靈巖 (where she received the secondary name Kuíyīng). 順治七年 = 1650 at Nánxún Bōrěān 南潯般若庵 during an intensive qī retreat, on the 9th day, kneeling before the Buddha-image, broke through on the zhúbìzǐ 竹篦子 gōngàn — “the bottom of the bucket fell out, and her whole body felt at ease.” Returned as jiānyuàn of Fúshī, then sealed herself in guān 閉關 again at Bōrěān. 順治十一年 = 1654 received final fùfǎ from her teacher just before the latter’s death and succeeded as second abbess.
Sole fǎsì. Yīkuí Chāochēn 一揆超琛 超琛 參同一揆.
Works.
- KR6q0552 《伏獅義公禪師語錄》 1 juan, J39 B435, recorded by fǎsūn (dharma-grandson, more likely fǎsì) Míngyuán 明元 jìlù; preface by Gāo Yǐyǒng 高以永 dated 康熙戊午桂月 = 1678 (8th lunar month); bá (postface) by Yīkuí Chāochēn dated 康熙拾柒年蒲月 = 1678 (5th lunar month).
- Co-compiler / editor of her teacher’s yǔlù KR6q0428 《伏獅祇園禪師語錄》 2 juan, J28 B210.
Buried at Cāntóngān 參同庵 (Méixī).
Sources. 《伏獅義公禪師語錄》 vol. 1 〈行狀〉; 《伏獅祇園禪師語錄》 vol. 1.
Secondary literature. Beata Grant, Eminent Nuns: Women Chan Masters of Seventeenth-Century China (University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2009).