As two great monks in the history of Chinese Buddhism, Xuan-zang and Zhi-yi developed different styles in their respective Buddhist practice: while the former went to India to study Indian Buddhism, finally becoming an expert in learning of Vij?ānamatravāda and a translator of Sūtra, the latter practised as a hermit in Tian -tai mountain located in eastern China seashore to seek a religious way suited to Chinese people, finally establishing Tian-tai sect, the first Chinese-style Buddhist sect. Zhi-yi displayed great creative power in Chinese Buddhism , yet Xuan-zang only copied Indian Buddhism mechanically. It is by following Zhi-yi’s style not Xuan-zang’s style that Chinese Buddhism expands itself unceasingly. In this sense, we say that Zhiyi is more important than Xuan-zang in Chinese Buddhism, though Xuan-zang is known to more people than Zhi-yi.
