The so-called “seven generations of poet-monks” 七代詩僧, which refers to the generations of poet-monks who lived on Wanfeng Mountain in Nanping from the Wanli (1573-1619) to Jiaqing (1796-1821) eras, can first be attributed to a horizontal tablet inscribed with the moniker by Ruan Yuan 阮元 (1764-1849). The final ripples of this movement were felt during the Xianfeng (1851-1861) era, altogether lasting for ten generations and over three hundred years, which would become one of the longest lasting Buddhist-inspired poetry movements of any period in Chinese history. One reason for this literary phenomenon owed to the long-established poetic traditions of the Nanping mountain region, and another was the prevalence of poetry societies as well as poetry in general being the essence of the times during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The poetry of the poet-monks itself was regarded as not only coexisting with Chan Buddhism but also pure and elegant; moreover, their paintings, carvings, sculptures, and other various works were highly appreciated within artistic circles. When Ruan Yuan coined the term “poetic light” 詩燈, it therefore can be seen as a key moment in the cultural history of Chan poetry.