Lin Zhao'en

In 1517, Lin Zhao’en was born into an elite family in Putian. His grandfather, Lin Fu (1474-1544), earned his Jinshi degree in 1502 and rose to become the Vice Minister of War and Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi. Lin was a child prodigy, passing the local civil service exam to become a Xiucai at age 15 in 1532. However, a pivotal shift occurred in 1546. At age 30, frustrated by his failure in higher-level imperial examinations and disillusioned by the rigid Neo-Confucianism of the time, he burned his scholar’s robes and abandoned the traditional career path. He turned his focus to Buddhist metaphysics and Taoist longevity practices, seeking truth outside the Confucian canon. ...