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Korean Seon Master Taego Bou (1301-1382) visited Yuan China from the spring in 1346 to the spring in 1448. After he spent time at the Grand Sight Temple in Beijing, the great capital of the Yuan empire, for meeting and preaching people including imperial family, Taego headed for South China in 1347 to call on Ch'an (Zen) masters there. Taego went to see an eminent Ch'an master Shiwu (1272-1352), the Ch'an Patriarch of Linchi School. When Taego showed him Taegoamga, a poem of his enlightenment at Primordial Hermitage, Shiwu was greatly impressed and questioned him closely. After he was made certain of Taego's enlightenment, Shiwu transmitted his Dharma to Taego. The meeting between Taego and Shiwu has had the historical significance in Dharma Transmission of Zen traditions both in China and Korea. A half month later, Taego returned to Beijing, where he was invited to Eternal Peace Zen Temple as abbot by emperor and given a golden robe as a mark of honor. Taego gave a Dharma Talk there were attended by imperial family and high nobility, whom he prayed for their long lives and then reminded of their obligations to society and to Buddhism.
Taego returned to Korea in 1348 with bring Admonishment for Buddhist Monastic Community, a collection of writings for Buddhist practitioners, that has been used as a basic text in the traditional Buddhist seminaries in Korea. Taego served his country as a Royal Preceptor and National Preceptor. He established a Department of Integrity and Harmony for syncretizing and cooperating Buddhist schools in Korea. He has been recognized as a religious model for people who respect and aim the open-minded personality and universalism beyond the sectarian views and exclusive manners. Nowadays in the age of globalization, Taego should be appreciated as a religious giant in terms of spiritual leader not only in Korea but also in the East Asia and the world.