Hongzhi studied with Dhyana Master Dan Xia ("Red Cloud")**

After a famous poem by Hongzhi, the practice of "Method of No-Method", that is also known as the "Silent Illumination", became widely known in China.

The full text of the "Expanded Record of Chan Master Hongzhi" (Hongzhi chan shi guanglu***) is arranged in 9 fascicles, and is currently available online (thanks to "CBETA Chinese Electronic Tripitaka", the online version of the modern East Asian Buddhist canonical collections).

* For more info about the Master, see: Vajra Bodhi Sea Journal published by DRBA, under "Biographies", "Lives of the Patriarchs", No. 440, 441: "Patriarch of the Forty-seventh Generation: Dhyana Master Honh Zhi of Tiantong".

** For more info about the Master Dan Xia, see: Lives of the Patriarchs: Patriarch of the Forty-sixth Generation: Dhyana Master Zi Chun of Danxia, (Vajra Bodhi Sea Journal # 433 and # 434).

*** Hongzhi chan shi guanglu, or Hongzhi guanglu, or simply Hongzhi lu (Japanese: Wanshi koroku), is also refered to as: Hungzhi yulu, Mingzhou Tiantongshan Jue heshang yulu (Recorded Sayings of the Venerable Jue of Mount Tiantong in Mingzhou), Tiantong Zhengjue Chanshi Yulu (Quotations from the Zen Priest Tiantong Zhengjue).

Caodong School Ancestors Chart
Red indicates the House of Caodong (Soto)
Parentheses indicate Japanese name.
Quotes indicate alternate name.

Chan Magazine Spring 2007 / Chan Magazine Summer 2007
Hongzhi’s Silent Illumination Chan: Excerpts from the Extensive Record of Chan Master Hongzhi, translation and foreward by Guogu, Part I, Part II.

http://books.google.com/books?isbn=0804832404
Cultivating the empty field: the silent illumination of Zen Master Hongzhi, translated by Dan Leighton
A complete translation of volume 6, and a selection from volume 8.

www.ancientdragon.org/dharma/dharma_books/cultivating_the_empty_field_book_excerpt
Excerpts from the book: Cultivating the Empty Field: The Silent Illumination of Zen Master Hongzhi (see above)

http://books.google.com/books?isbn=1590305752
The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination.
Mainly, talks by Master Sheng Yen, translated by Guogu, one of Master Sheng Yen’s main translators

www.upaya.org/uploads/pdfs/shikantazanreadergen.pdf Page 15
Excerpts from Practice Instructions: Dharma Words of Monk Hongzhi Zhengjue of Mount Tiantong in Ming Province, Compiled with a Preface by Monk Puqung, a selection from volume 6.

Also: Zen Teachings of Hongzhi Zhenjue / and some More here

And here posted five translations of the "Friendly Advice for Seated Meditation by Zen Master Hongzhi"

http://books.google.com/books?isbn=0195150686
The Zen canon: understanding the classic texts
(Go to page # 181 for: "The Record of Hongzhi and the Recorded Sayings Literature of Song-Dynasty Chan" by Morten Schlütter)

A brief biographical note here in this book also.

The Bright Field of Spirit: The Life and Teachings of Chan Master Hongzhi Zhengjue
(by Matthew Gindin 2008)

See also: Chishi Hongzhi chanshi xingye ji in Hongzhi lu, T48.119b–121a