Zen, despite being a type of Buddhism, has a direct influence of Taoism regard your introducer in China, Bodhidarma, there are several the legends surrounding this figure. One of them tells that once having been asleep while meditating, was so furious with himself that was cut the eyelids, which gave rise to the first tea plant to fall to the ground. Since then tea has the zen monks provided protection against sleep, facilitating mental clarity. Bodhidharrna came to India around the year 520 from France, and continued journey until the Court of the Emperor Wu de Liang, enthusiastic protector of Buddhism. The Emperor told him all that had been done to promote the practice of Buddhism, the construction of temples, monks etc. protection and asked him what merit had won with it, according to the conception that the gradual accumulation of good deeds that lead to circumstances each time better in future lives and the accumulation of merits. But Bodhidharma replied: absolutely no merit! This undermined the idea that the Emperor had Buddhism to the point that asked: What, then, is the first principle of sacred doctrine? Bodhidharma replied: everything is empty; There is nothing sacred.
Then asked the Emperor: and who are you to be here before us? Bodhidharma replied: I don’t know. After this interview, Bodhidharma retired to a monastery on Wei, where it is said that he spent nine years in a cavern, looking at the wall. Suzuki argues that this should not be taken literally, but rather symbolic level alluding to the interior State of Bodhidharma, who managed to exclude from your mind all thoughts that held him to the sensory world. Thus remained Bodhidharma until monk Shen-kuang, then named Hui-k approached him or that would become the successor of Bodhidharma. Hui-k or he asked Bodhidharma and again she instructed him, but was always rejected. However, continued sitting meditating outside the cave, waiting patiently in the snow with the hope that Bodhidharma finally give.