Northern and Southern dynasties Buddhist monks

Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and is regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. He is also popularly regarded as the founder of Shaolin kung fu, an idea popularized in the 20th century, but based on the 17th century Yijin Jing and the Daoist association of daoyin gymnastics with Bodhidharma.

Faxian (337–), formerly romanized as Fa-hien , Fa-hsien, and Hiuen Tsang was a Chinese Buddhist monk and translator who traveled on foot from Jin China to medieval India to acquire Buddhist scriptures. His birth name was Gong Sehi. Starting his journey about age 60, he traveled west along the overland Silk Road, visiting Buddhist sites in Central, South, and Southeast Asia. The journey and return took from 399 to 412, with 10 years spent in India.

Zhiyi (; 538–597 CE) also called Tiantai Dashi () and Zhizhe (, "Wise One"), was a Chinese Buddhist monk, philosopher, meditation teacher, and exegete. He is considered to be the founder of the Tiantai Buddhist tradition, as well as its fourth patriarch. Śramaṇa Zhiyi is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of East Asian Buddhist thought and practice. As the first major Chinese Buddhist thinker to construct a comprehensive religious system based primarily on Chinese interpretations, Zhiyi played a crucial role in synthesizing various strands of Mahayana Bud

Chinese monk, politician and writer (c.465–522)

Bodhiruci () was a Buddhist monk from North India (6th century CE) active in the area of Luoyang, China. He was appointed as master translator at Yongning (永寧寺) temple by emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei. In his translations, Bodhiruci was assisted by the central Indian monk Ratnamati (勒那摩提).

Chinese Buddhist monk, traveler, and writer during the Northern & Southern dynastic period

Tanluan (, 476–554) was a Chinese Buddhist monk who wrote on Pure Land Buddhism.

Chinese Buddhist monk (515-577)

Sengyou (; 445–518 AD) was a Buddhist monk and early medieval Chinese bibliographer and noted chiefly for being the author of Collected Records Concerning the Tripitaka (出三藏記集 Chu sanzang ji ji, T 2145), which includes a catalogue of Buddhist texts translated into Chinese, and the Collection on the Propagation and Clarification of Buddhism (弘明集 Hong Ming Ji, T 2102)

thumb|Traditional portrait of Patriarch Daochuo Daochuo (; J. Dōshaku, c. 562–645) was an eminent Chinese Buddhist master of Pure Land Buddhism. He was also known as Chan Master Xihe (Meditation Master of the West River).

Sanghapāla (466–524 CE) was a famous Khmer monk who traveled to Southern and Northern Dynasties China.

Chinese Buddhist monk