Gido Shushin (義堂周信)
Shushin GIDO (February 8, 1325 - May 18, 1388) was a priest of the Rinzai sect who was active from the period of the Northern and Southern Courts to the Muromachi period. Donin KUGE.
He was born in Takaoka of Tosa Province (Tsuno-cho, Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture). At Mt. Hiei, he became a disciple of Soseki MUSO who was closely acquainted with the Ashikaga Shogun family. In 1359, he moved to Kamakura in response to the invitation of Motouji ASHIKAGA, then the Kamakura kubo (Governor-general of the Kanto region), the position which bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) established for the purpose of governing the Kanto region, and taught the Zen sect to Motouji as well as the Uesugi clan of Kanto Kanrei (A shogunal deputy for the Kanto region). In 1379, he went up to Kyoto and became something similar to a private tutor for the 3rd shogun Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA. He exhorted the construction of Shokoku-ji Temple, served as the chief priest of Kennin-ji Temple, became the chief priest of Nanzen-ji Temple in 1386 and further served as the chief priest of Toji-ji Temple.
Along with Myoha SHUNOKU and Chushin ZEKKAI, he is well-known for his familiarity with Chinese culture and is considered as a representative Kyoto Gozan (Five Great zen Temples of Kyoto) academic priest.