Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism and originated in China during the 6th century CE as Chán. From China, Zen spread south to Vietnam, to Korea and east to Japan.

The word Zen is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Middle Chinese word 禪 Dzyen (Modern Mandarin: Chán), which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "absorption" or "meditative state".

Zen emphasizes the attainment of enlightenment and the personal expression of direct insight in the Buddhist teachings. As such, it de-emphasizes mere knowledge of sutras and doctrine, and favors direct understanding through zazen and interaction with an accomplished teacher.

The teachings of Zen include various sources of Mahāyāna thought, especially Yogācāra, the Tathāgatagarbha Sutras and Huayan . The Prajñāpāramitā literature and, to a lesser extent, Madhyamaka have also been influential.

Traditionally the origin of Chán in China is credited to the Indian monk Bodhidharma. The story of his life, and of the Six Patriarchs, was constructed during the Tang Dynasty to lend credibility to the growing Chán-school.

Masakazu Yoshizawa (吉沢 政和^?, September 10, 1950 – October 24, 2007) was a Japanese American flutist and musician, known for his mastery of the bamboo flute, specifically the shakuhachi. Yoshizawa also mastered several other traditional Japanese flutes, in addition to other Japanese and Western musical instruments. He was also considered a scholar of ancient and modern Japanese traditional music. Yoshizawa's work and music were featured in a number of major Hollywood studio films and soundtracks, including The Joy Luck Club and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Masakazu Yoshizawa was born on September 10, 1950, in Hida, Gifu, Japan. His mother was the only obstetrician in their village and his father was a veterinarian. Yoshizawa was required to play a musical instrument in his elementary school. He began playing the accordion when he was 9 years old, and soon moved to the piano, several woodwinds and the shakuhachi, which he was to become world famous for playing.

He soon became a proficient musician, especially with the shakuhachi. Yoshizawa began playing as both a studio musician and in orchestras in Tokyo by the age of 19. He studied Western music at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, where he earned a degree in the early 1970s.