Chejing, a successor of Doui, developed the Borim Temple into a central temple of the Kaji-san School when holding the headship of it. later, it was authorized as a main temple of Eastern Zen Buddhism by the Court after Chejing entered into Nirvana. Thus, we can hardly ignore the importance of Chejing and the Kaji-san School in the history of Zen Buddhism in the late Shilla period.
Chejing joined the priesthood of the time of Kim hun-chang’s rebellion (822). He studied the Flower Garland sect first from monk Kwon in Hwasan and then he moved to Uksungsa Temple in Kangwon province, a Zen Buddhist temple where Yeomgu was holding a chief position. Why he changed his attention from Flower Garland to Zen was mostly to get out of the Court’s eye and to study Zen as well. After receiving Dharma from Yeomgu and also succeeding in getting free from the Court, he went to China to study. However, he realized there that the Zen of Shilla and that of China were not much different to each other. Thus, he did not decide on a certain master. He traveled to several places in China and then suddenly returned to Shilla after three years.
After his return, he preached Zen Buddhism in Jangkogsa Temple, that had been newly built near his hometown, for about 20 years. However, he was not very successful. He had to turn over his position to Nanghye, a Zen priest who played an active role at Sungju in Temple Ungcheon-ju around 847. He then left there, and stayed and taught at Hwanghak Temple in Muju. During this period, he attracted King Hunan’s attention By the request of the King, he took a position of chief of Borim Temple and was elevated in his status in Zen Buddhist society.
In fact, Borim Temple was famous for its Rower Garland sect. Nonetheless, why he accepted the position was that he needed a place where he could teach his Zen-thoughts and reside for the rest of his a whole life. Secondly, it was because Borim Temple was exempted from taxation and labor. He taught Doui’s Zen-thoughts there.
He organized genealogy with Doui as the first ancestor and Yemngu as the second to distinguish the Kaji-san School as well as himself. These efforts of emphasizing genealogy describe the condition of Zen Buddhist society at that time. His purpose was to stress the fact that they were the main line of descent even though initiation was late. Moreover, since monks from Jinjeon Temple and Uksung Temple suggested themselves as successors of Doui, it was urgent to elevate the status of Borim Temple.
However, his efforts faded after he entered into Nirvana. It corresponds that few records of Borim Temple have been found from the early to middle eras of the Koryo dynasty. However, this does not suggest there be any underestimation of the status of Chejing and Kaji-san School in Zen Buddhist society in the late Shilla period.