Priest Zhiyi, the 4th person who established Tiantai Buddhism, is called Tiantai Zhiyi or Pries Zhiyi as the actual founder(開祖) of Chinese Tiantai Buddhism. He was from Zhigzhou and his last name is Jin(陳) and his first name(字) is Deanxian(德安). He completed Tiantai teaching and learning.

He was born in 538 and became a Buddhist after losing his parents. His Buddhist name is Zhiyi. After that, he received Upasampada from Hyegwangyulsa, obtained Saddharma- pundariika-samadhi by practicing asceticism under Priest Hyesa in Dasushan(大蘇山) of Guangzhou (光州), China and obtained authorization from his teacher in 560.

He preached the Sutra of the Lotus, Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra, and Ci-di-chan-men staying in Waguansi, Jinling after parting with his teacher when he was 31 years old. He trained dhuta hard in Huazheng entering Tiantai Mt. when he was 38 years old and established Suseonsan Temple. Originally, Tiantai Mt. was the shrine of Taoism. But it became the headquarters of Tiantai Buddhism since Priest Zhiyi had stayed in it. And he is so much involved with Tiantai Mt. as he is called Tiantai Zhiyi.

He preached Buddhist sermon words and received the Buddhist name of Priest Zhiyi from King Chin in the Qin Dynasty in 591 by giving bodhisattva. After that, he returned Priest Hyesa's favor going to Nanyue. And he found Okcheonsa Temple after going to Jingzhou. He preached Fa-hua-xuan-yi in Okcheonsa Temple in 593 and did the Great Calming and Contemplation next year. After that, he went to Yangzhou (楊州) and gave Zhengmingso to King Chin and he returned to Tiantai Mt. in 595. He repaired the abandoned temple and built Zhifashitiao (制法十條). He passed away as a Buddhist monk getting a disease. After he passed away, King Chin established Gukcheongsa Temple honoring Zhiyi's wish. And the temple became Tiantai Buddhism‘s basic place to cultivate yourselves morally or religiously.

Priest Zhiyi established Tiantai teaching and learning including Osagyopan and became the prop for the people by doing the activity to reform people in 'Waguansi (瓦官寺)' for 8 years. And he practiced enlightenment education for the people like Priest Hyesa, his teacher. And he preached the Sutra of the Lotus, Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra, and Ci-di-chan-men. These are called 삼대부 of the Sutra of the Lotus or Tiantai 삼대부. After Jangangwanjeong (장안관정) recorded these, they became writing that became the center of thoughts of the Lotus Sutra.

Priest Zhiyi is the 4th founder. However, Tiantai Buddhism can be considered as being practically established Priest Tiantai Zhiyi. Then, North and South Buddhism were in conflict in each other as the South was theoretical Buddhism and the North was practical Buddhism. Priest Zhiyi revised Tiantai Buddhism by combining them with each other. The biased cultural differences were combined with each other.

Priest Zhiyi's completion of Tiantai Buddhism by the teaching and learning system affected other religious orders in China and played the decisive role in establishing Buddhism in India to be independent. Priest Zhiyi who prepared a ideal human character of Buddhism through the foundation of teaching and learning and practiced benefiting both Oneself(having priority) and Others in his life is called Little Sakyamuni in China.