first generation; founder of a family, school, or sect
Rare term used for the earliest ancestor of a family or the originator of a school of thought or religious sect. More common alternatives include 始祖 (しそ) or 開祖 (かいそ).
The founder of this temple is said to have been a monk of the Kamakura period.
He is respected as the founder of that school.
Composed of 初 (first) and 祖 (ancestor, founder). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of 'first ancestor' or 'original founder'.