The monk-Imperial Prince Gyonen (尭然法親王)
Monk-Imperial Prince Gyonen (November 16, 1602 - October 15, 1661) was a member of the Imperial Family and a monk during the early Edo period. A monseki (a head priest of a temple who is born of a noble family) of the Myoho-in Temple, a branch monseki (in this case, a temple of which the head is of noble birth) temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, the Enryaku-ji Temple. He was the 6th prince of Emperor Goyozei. His mother was a daughter of Mototaka JIMYOIN, Takako JIMYOIN who was a shoji (a title of court ladies). He was called Rokunomiya (the 6th prince). His shigo (okurina, a posthumous title) is Jion-in.
In 1603, he became a 資 of monk-Imperial Prince Join and entered the Myoho-in Temple, and received an Imperial order to become an Imperial Prince in 1613. In 1616, he became a monk and was named Gyonen, and he was appointed to nihon (the second rank for an Imperial Prince) in 1623. In 1640, he was designated as the head priest of the Tendai sect, and later he received the appointments twice, however, he resigned the post at the third appointment offered in 1655. He was a man of calligraphy, and was also well versed in the paintings, flower arranging, incense burning, and the way of tea (Sekishu school).