“Painting of Monk Jigong” by Master Wan Ko Yee.
Crazy Ji, as the monk was known, was an unconventional and uninhibited Chinese Buddhist hermit and poet from the 12th century. A sort of Chinese Robin Hood, this well known figure from ancient China was known for his supernormal powers and compassion for the poor and disenfranchised as well as his eccentric or “deliberate” behavior. He was revered by the Taoists who adopted him as one of their deities, a god from heaven. The Buddhists recognized him as an incarnate bodhisattva or as one of the legendary arhats. He was involved in many of the classic koans of the Zen sect. He has been popularized in a TV series and various movies.