Chan influence on Wang Yangming’s followers is significant. Many of them got into close contact and communication with Chan masters. To explore the meaning of these interactions, this paper takes both historical approach and textual analysis, with an attempt to clarify the contexts, and make in-depth analysis as well. The typical examples revealed in this article were the contacts between Wang’s followers, including Wang Ji, Luo Ru-Fang, Li Zhi, Zhou Ru-Deng, Zhou Yuan-Biao and Tao Wang-Ling, with Chan masters, such as Yuzhi Faju, Yunqi Zhuhong, Yunkong Changzhong, Zhenwen Zhixiu, Xiaoyan Debao, Wunian Shenyou, Miyun Yuanwu, Hanshan Deqing, Daguan Zhenke, Zhanran Yuancheng, Xuelang Hongen and Langmu Benzhi. These exchanges witnessed the emerging of close and warm connection between Confucian scholars and Chan monks during the Wanli reigns of Ming Dynasty, which had at least three levels of meaning. The first one was to facilitate the spread of Buddhism; the second one was the merging of Buddhist ideology with Confucianism; the last one saw the creation of the great Chan poems.
