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{{Disambig|note=Not to be confused with the Japanese, Heian 平- period Tendai 天台 monk Kūya 空也.}}
{{Bio_infobox
|name-date=Kōngyě 空也 (1885-1946)
|names=* Lay surname: Xiàng 向
|image=
|birth=[[1885]] (Guāngxù 光緒 11) in Héngshān County 衡山縣, Húnán 湖南
|death=[[1946]] (Mínguó 民國 35) at Nányuè 南嶽
|associates=Notable Associates:
* Dàxǐng [[大醒]]
* Fǎfǎng [[法舫]]
* Shǐ Yìrú [[史一如]]
* Tàixū [[太虛]]
* Táng Dàyuán [[唐大圓]]
* Táng Shēngzhì [[唐生志]]
* Zhāng Huàshēng [[張化聲]]
|editor-name=Erik Hammerstrom
}}

'''Kōngyě 空也 (1885-1946)''' was an important monk, based primarily in Nányuè 南嶽. He was one of the first teachers at the Wǔchāng Buddhist Seminary when it opened.

==Biography==

Once, in his youth, Kōngyě's family had a monk recite a repentance ritual. Kōngyě was able to chant along, and they sent him to be tonsured at Nányuè 南嶽, where he studied under Old Man Mòān [[默庵老人]]. Kōngyě received the full precepts at age 20, after which he began studying the scriptures in greater detail.

In [[1911]], a Tiāntái School [[天台宗]]學校 was started at Zhùshèng Temple [[祝聖寺]] on Nányuè. Kōngyě was asked to lecture there. In [[1918]] and [[1919]], he lectured at Lùshān Ancient Temple [[麓山古寺]] and Kāifú Temple [[開福寺]] in Chángshā [[長沙]]. His students at Kāifú Temple included Guānkōng [[觀空]] and  Yándìng [[嚴定]], and they followed him in [[1922]]. In that year Tàixū [[太虛]] asked Kōngyě to lead the new Wǔchāng Buddhist Seminary [[武昌佛學院]] as ''dūjiǎng'' 都講. He taught there for two years. In [[1924]], he went to Běijīng [[北京]] to be chief lecturer at the Hóngcí Buddhist Seminary [[弘慈佛學院]], returning to Nányuè in [[1926]].

In [[1927]], Táng Shēngzhì [[唐生志]] tried to get Kōngyě to lead the Hú'nán Buddhicization Association [[湖南佛化會]], which was part of his Buddhicization Movement [[佛化運動]] that sought to train soldiers using Buddhism. Kōngyě refused to participate and fled to Běijīng where he became abbot of Fǎyuán Temple [[法源寺]]. He finally returned to Nányuè in [[1933]] to lecture at the request of the Chángsha Lay Association 長沙居士林. 

In [[1934]], he moved to Xiāngtán 湘潭. The following year, he held ordinations at Qīngliáng Temple [[清涼寺]], transmitting the precepts to over one hundred monastics and laity. 

Because of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Kōngyě fled to Chóngqìng [[重慶]] in [[1942]]. There he met Xūyún [[虛雲]], before returning to Nányuè around [[1944]].

==Major Works==
* 金剛般若波羅蜜經講義
* 首楞嚴經講義
* 盂蘭盆經講義

==Notable Students==
* Guānkōng [[觀空]]
* Yándìng [[嚴定]]

==References==
* {{ZFJS}} P. 2.834.
* {{XFRC}} Pp. 1.698c-699c

[[Category:Biography]]