Ordained by Master Sheng Yen (1931-2009), the founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, Guo Xing Bhikshuni (Yu-Chen Tsui) is an assistant professor at the Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts in the Department of Buddhist Studies. She holds a Master’s degree in Religion from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Her research focuses on Chinese Buddhism, particularly Chan Buddhism throughout history. Her interests include Chan doctrine and practice, specifically huatou (contemplating critical phrases) of the Linji lineage and Silent Illumination of the Caodong lineage during the Song dynasty. She studies their development from the Yuan to Qing dynasties and their transmission beyond China, especially in Japan. Additionally, she examines how monastics conveyed Buddhist teachings to laypeople through written forms, including verses, epistles, and dharma words, and investigates non-canonical Chan texts from the late Ming to Qing dynasties.

 
Her recent research examines how Master Sheng Yen integrated classical teachings and meditation methods from different traditions—including Theravada, Tibetan, Korean,  Japanese,  and Vietnamese—into practical meditation practices suitable for modern society. She also explores how Master Sheng Yen launched the “Purification of Spiritual Environment Movement,” using Chan teachings to address global issues like ethnic and religious conflicts, poverty, and environmental degradation.