Jigong, surnamed Li and named Xiuyuan, was descended from a branch of the Tang Dynasty royal family Li Shimin. In the Song Dynasty, Jigong’s great-great-grandfather seemed to be called Li Chongxu. He was the general in front of the imperial palace personally named by Taizu of the

Jigong Living Buddha, everyone knows that he was an eminent monk in the Song Dynasty! But he has royal blood, you know?

Jigong, surnamed Li, given name Xiuyuan, his ancestors were a branch of the Tang Dynasty royal familyLi Shimin. In the Song Dynasty, he was Jigong's great-great-grandfather. He seemed to be called Li Chongxu. Married Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi's daughter, Princess Wanshou.

By the generation of Jigong's father Li Maochun, they were already in the Southern Song Dynasty . They were far from the glory of their ancestors, so they had to move to the fiefdom of Tiantai County, Zhejiang, and live on the rent of the fiefdom. Although it was not a prosperous family, it was still a wealthy family.

Li Maochun was almost fifty and had no children yet, so he was very anxious. One day, the couple went to Guoqing Temple to worship Buddha and ask for a child. By coincidence, an Arhat fell to the ground in the hall. Soon, Mrs. Li Maochun became pregnant!

After Jigong was born, he liked reading very much, especially Buddhist teachings, and he almost never forgot them.

The great monk of Guoqing Temple liked little Jigong very much when he saw him, and he often chatted with Jigong about Buddhist interpretations! Jigong had a very good understanding and could not let go of the teachings of Buddhism. He gradually faded away from the ordinary world and devoted himself to cultivating Buddhism, and became an eminent monk...