宋高僧傳 4.27

4.27

Śramaṇa Yancong was of unknown origin. At the end of the Zhenguan reign era, he traveled to inspect the capital and sought the Dharma at the gate of the Tripiṭaka Master. However, his talent did not match Shengguang and Fabao; he only excelled extensively in composition and study. In the undertakings of the Daoist mysteries and Confucianism, he displayed considerable subtlety. His ability in literary prose far surpassed his peers. There was a śramaṇa of the Western Temple of the State of Wei named Huili, who was spirited and vehement, taking the protection of the Dharma as his personal responsibility. He authored a biography in five scrolls, specifically recording the Tripiṭaka Master's glorious teaching career starting from the Zhenguan era and the perils and hardships he traversed in the Western Regions, entitling it the Cien zhuan, deriving it from the temple's name. When he finished paring the bamboo slips, fearing that many virtues might be omitted, he concealed it in an underground cavity. When his illness became critical, he ordered his disciples to excavate the earth, take it out, and then passed away. Its copies were scattered elsewhere for several years, only obtained after searching and purchasing. The disciples ordered Yancong to arrange the sequence and compose a preface; where the wording was inadequate or events somewhat missing, he elucidated them anew, which was called "annotating and relating" (jianshu). This was modeled on the Agricultural Minister Zheng's commentary upon the glosses of the Mao edition. Someone bantered with him, saying: "How far are you from Yancong of the Sui?" He replied: "As for Ci [Zigong], how could he dare hope to equal Hui [Yan Hui]? Though Changqing [Sima Xiangru] admired Lin [Xiangru], 'Xincong's' admiration for 'Yucong' likewise has its reason." The Book of Songs says: "When I think of the gentleman, he is gentle like jade"; he also considered himself a man like Yan Hui. The person assented. It is not known where Cong ended his days.