Important Korean ancestors are:

Chinul who shaped Korean Buddhism in the 11thcentury. Tracing Back the Radiance is an extensive selection from his work.

Taego was the first Korean to receive formal transmission (from a Chinese teacher); all Korean lineages trace back to him. He was a major Buddhist teacher in both Korea and China. A Buddha from Korea is a compilation of his writings.

So Sahn whose Mirror of Zen is a distillation of 17th century Korean Soen still used in monastic training. He is famous for organizing a monk’s army which successfully defeated a Japanese invasion.

Kyong Ho the great reformer of Korean Buddhism in the late 19th/early 20th century; he is the great great grandfather of our school; our temple rules are a modification of his.

Man Gong the great grandfather of our school.

Ko Bong the grandfather of our school.

Seung Sahn the father of our school.

The best introduction to Korean Zen is (of course) Zen Master Seung Sahn’s books. Richard Shrobe’s Don’t Know Mind: The Spirit of Korean Zen is also an excellent resource.