Zen Sanctuary of Purple Robes

A fascinating look at a Zen convent throughout its history. Zen Sanctuary of Purple Robes examines the affairs of Rinzai Zen's Tōkeiji Convent, founded in 1285 by nun Kakusan Shidō after the death of her husband, Hōjō Tokimune. It traces the convent's history through seven centuries, including the early nuns' Zen practice; Abbess Yōdō's imperial lineage with nuns in purple robes; Hideyori's seven-year-old daughter-later to become the convent's twentieth abbess, Tenshu-spared by Tokugawa Ieyasu a