Master Xu Yun 1839-1959 (?)

[Shi Da Dao]

This is the biographical stone tablet celebrating the life of Master Xu Yun situated in the grounds of the Zhenru Ch'an Temple on Mount Yunju, Jiangxi province. I was asked 'why' the Western dating states '1839-1959'. This is a good question. If a person is born around Chinese New Year - then these types of disputes often arise - as Chinese New Year spans two Western years. Remember, China only started using the Western Calendar on January 1st, 1911 (the Chinese year was '4609') - the date of the Nationalist Revolution - but most Chinese people did not understand this dating system. Therefore, although China today uses the Western (Gregorian) calendar - the Traditional Chinese Dating System runs side by side with it. Within Chinese culture, when a baby is born, as it has been in the womb for aroubd a year - it is considered '1' years old. When a Western baby is born it is considered '0' despite having been in the womb and 'alive', etc.

As Master Xu Yun was born half-way through the Lunar Year - an event nowhere near the Chinese New Year - there is NO dispute as to the Western year of his birth. Master Xu Yun was definitely born in 1840. I suspect that out of respect of the fact that Master Xu Yun was considered '1' when he was born - this was taken into account on his Death Certificate, so-to-speak, and a year taken-off from 1840, making his birth '1839'! Normally, traditional Chinese dating also includes a single year being added out of respect to age over-all. Therefore, Xu Yun could have been recorded as living between 1839-1960 - but I have never seen this designation! The Local Authorities at the time seem to have allowed the birth year to be considered '1' - but not the adding of a single year at the end of his life. Generally speaking, neither approach would be allowed in official documents.