American Zen College was an institution originally founded in 1976 by Zen Master Goshun Shin on a 7-acre site in Germantown, Maryland for the purpose of studying and practicing Zen Buddhism. The founder, Zen Master Goshun Shin, is a Ph.D. who was ordained a priest of the Jogye Order in 1956. He had served as the abbot of three Zen monasteries in South Korea before arriving in the United States in 1969. He founded new Zen institutions in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington D.C. before establishing the college. In the past few decades, Master Shin made enormous effect to teach and practice Zen Buddhism.

The property of American Zen College includes a 7,000-square-foot Buddha Hall building, which contains a Buddha hall, a library, a kitchen, a dining room, an office, and meditation quarters. The pre-existing old farm buildings on the site were renovated and served as dormitory. The college also houses a 30-foot pagoda of carved Indian limestone which houses Buddha Sakyamuni's Saria, pearl-like remains of the historic Buddha Sakyamuni. The Saria were donated to the college by the national treasury of South Korea.

Upon Master Shin's retirement, our non-profit organization Dizang-Qi Buddhist Association of America, founded by Sheng Ran, Ph.D., purchased the entire property in October 2016 and preserved the name and spirit of American Zen College.

Currently, American Zen College finished its transformation and started various activities again. It will continue to serve the society with the spirit of Zen Buddhism and bring the teachings of compassion and wisdom.