Chan stories convey Buddhist teachings through images, parables, and metaphors. The gentle suggestion of the intended meaning, the detour, the circling around, and the intricate approach to the hidden and to spiritual wisdom became new means of expression for the teachings in China, promoting their sustainable dissemination. In many ways, the Chan school was connected with Daoism, China's indigenous religion. Both share the belief that the highest reality cannot be authentically described with the words of language, as well as the emphasis on ethical and enlightened actions in everyday life. Mindful living, the walking of the path, is the true goal. The 535 stories in this collection span a period of over five hundred years. They are intended not only for religiously motivated readers, Zen followers, and sinological experts, but for anyone interested in Asian philosophy.