Escape from Zen refers to the escape from Zen and Buddhism, which is the meaning of "Mencius" "Fleeing Mo will return to Yang, fleeing Yang will return to Confucianism". The use of the word "flee" to express departure from a certain ideological proposition has been used by Confucians for a long time. The famous ones are the so-called "fleeing Mo" and "fleeing Yang". Zhu Xi explained that the reason why Mencius said so about the connection between fleeing Mo and Yang and returning to Confucianism was because "Both Yang and Mo are heresies, of no great importance. But Mo's theory is especially hypocritical and inhumane. It is difficult to do, so what Mencius said is not suitable for Yang." Therefore, fleeing from Mohism and Yangzhi refers to abandoning Mohism and Yangzhi and returning to Confucianism, which means "getting rid of evil and returning to righteousness". Therefore, later on, those Confucians who got involved in the teachings of Buddhism and eventually abandoned Buddhism and returned to Confucianism were called escape from Zen. "Escape from Zen to return to Confucianism, and become false in order to seek truth." This is the true usage of "escape from Zen", that is, escape from Zen. And returned to Confucianism.
It also refers to a person who fasts for a long time but does not like Zen Buddhism on the other hand, and often says words contrary to Zen Buddhism in drunken dreams. Du Fu's poem "Song of the Eight Immortals" of the Tang Dynasty: "Su and Jin Changzhai often loved to escape from Zen when they were drunk before embroidering the Buddha." Later, there was an annotation: "Escape from Zen is like clouds fleeing from ink or Yang. They are escaping out, not escaping in." "Drunken and disobeying his teachings, it is a mistake for later generations to think that those who practice Buddhism are practicing Zen." "Who can unravel the golden seal and be free and easy to be in peace". Ancient Neo-Confucianism, Neidan, and Zen Buddhism have a great influence, so some fanatics oppose Zen Buddhism as much as they oppose Neo-Confucianism, so they often call themselves or are called "escape Zen" to show that they are different from ordinary people in the world.
For example, when Zhu Xi was young, he "tried to pay attention to Zen" and "read Confucianism, thinking that he was in harmony with Buddhism." However, what Zhu Xi finally made was the choice to escape (leave) Zen (return) to Confucianism. As his poem says: "Don't rush away from Zen Buddhism, and stay in the middle of the area." Therefore, in this kind of learning journey in and out of Buddhism, at least from the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Song and Yuan Dynasties, those who avoided Buddhism and fled from Zen Buddhism were called "Escape Zen".
In order to eliminate the influence of escaping Zen and confuse Confucian ideas, the Later Zen sect described escaping Zen as studying Buddhism. The usage of describing escape Zen as the study of Buddhism is a relatively later usage, which mainly appeared in the late Ming Dynasty and thereafter.