出世悲時事，忘情念友生：吳梅村與臨濟宗三峰禪僧交遊詩文映現的心靈圖景

Wu Meicun's (1609-71) last words on his deathbed, ＂Bury me in sangha clothing,＂ have attracted significant attention. Most believe that Wu was absolving himself from having deserted to serve the Qing dynasty and was thus likely ashamed of being buried in court uniform of the dynasty he had formerly served. However, this interpretation undermines his Buddhist cause and subjective will. Existing scholarship on Wu Meicun's relationship with Zen Buddhism rarely looks at his ethical dilemma and his reflections on the debates amongst different Buddhist schools. This essay aims to elaborate on these two points by focusing on the poems that Wu exchanged with the Sanfeng Sect of the Linji School, with whom he was closely associated. First, I will analyze how Wu Meicun's broken promise to enter into monasticism with Huishan Jiexian reflects a clash between his feelings of familial and patriotic duty, and his mental proclivities. Next, I will argue against Yuan Mei's (1716-97) remark, ＂None of Meicun's poems for the hermits are noteworthy,＂ by pointing out that although Wu Meicun had never interacted with Hanyue Fazang of the Sanfeng Sect, the poems he gifted Hanyue's disciples Poshi Hongbi, Jiqi Hongchu, Jude Hongli, and others, reveal his admiration for Hanyue time after time, as well as the deep bond he shared with the Sanfeng sangha that was both instructive and friendly. Finally, this essay observes that the poems Wu Meicun exchanged with refugee monks of the previous dynasty, Jiqi Hongchu and Boan Zhengji, convey the poet's regrets and reflections on the declining political status of temples and quarrels among the schools of Zen thought. By interpreting discrepancies amongst Buddhist methods, Meicun simultaneously wished to fortify his belief that abandoning all that was worldly was sure to bring peace of mind. While overly hopeful, this affirms that his final wish to be buried in sangha clothing was a choice informed by enlightenment.