Caodong zong; one of the five major schools of Chan Buddhism in Tang China. The school was founded by the Chinese Chan master Dongshan Liangjie 洞山良价 and his student Caoshan Benji 曹山本寂. Along with the Linji school， this line of transmission became one of the most popular in East Asia， enjoying great success in Japan where its teachings were spread by Do^gen 道元， as the So^to^ shu^ school.