Artists and Poets

In addition to their distinctive Buddhist practice, Ōbaku monks in Japan were admired for their depth of knowledge of the central Chinese intellectual tradition of the educated elite. As Chinese men of letters (literati), they gathered informally to participate in elegant leisure activities such as composing poetry and brushing paintings. The monks’ erudition was much admired in Edo period Japan where the government promoted the moral values of Chinese Confucianism among the populace. These monks and their followers synthesized aspects of Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian philosophies and expressed their individualistic spirits in poems and Buddhist phrases rendered in elegant calligraphy. They brushed informal ink paintings, most often of flowers and plants—pine, bamboo, chrysanthemum, orchid, and plum—symbolic of the purity and stalwart nature of the literati spirit. They also inscribed works by Japanese artists from a wide variety of artistic traditions with original or classic Chinese literati poems. Group participation in the literati arts was often accompanied by the drinking of sencha (steeped green leaf tea). Through the efforts of the Ōbaku monk, Chinese verse poet, and calligrapher Baisaō (popularly known as the Old Tea Seller), sencha grew to become a full-fledged tea ceremony to rival that of the more familiar chanoyu tradition, which featured bowls of whisked powdered tea.

UNIVERSE by Hōgen Dōin

Universe, 1726 Hōgen Dōin 法源道印 (1651-1730) Japan, Edo Period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 27.5 x 50 cm; 111.5 x 61.5 cm (mounted) Collection of Stuart Katz Not dependent on anything, not attached to anything: Just be yourself in the universe. —trans....

HANDSCROLL WITH SIX POEMS PRAISING PLANTS by Duli Xingyi (Jp. Dokuryū Shōeki)

Handscroll with six poems praising plants Duli Xingyi 独立性易 (Jp. Dokuryū Shōeki, 1596-1672) Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) Handscroll, ink on paper 29.5 cm x 539.5 cm Collection of Harald Conrad 題五色牡丹圖光風獨佔滿堂春夭矯輕拈五色塵寫生筆底何振振丹青地潑花間茵枝交葉接華無限歡如三之潛溪新玉樓春早迎曦晨紅若珠葉笑勻勻...

TURNING GOLD INTO IRON IS NOT BUDDHA(HOOD) by Jifei Ruyi (Jp. Sokuhi Nyoitsu)

Turning gold into iron is not Buddha(hood) Jifei Ruyi 即非如一 (Jp. Sokuhi Nyoitsu, 1616–1671) Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 129.1 cm x 27.3 cm, 210 cm x 39.6 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad 點金成鐵之無佛 Turning gold into iron is not...

KANNON ON A LOTUS PETAL by Shōzan Gen’yō

Kannon on a Lotus Petal Shōzan Gen’yō 照山元瑶 (1634-1727) Inscriptions by Yinyuan Longqi 隱元隆琦 (Jp. Ingen Ryūki, 1592-1673) and Muan Xingtao 木菴性瑫 (Jp. Mokuan Shōtō, 1611-1684), 1672 Japan, Edo period, 1615-1868 Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper 42 × 59.5 cm, 135.6 ×...

SPRING MOUNTAINS by Nanyuan Xingpai (Jp. Nangen Shōha)

Spring Mountains Nanyuan Xingpai 南源性派 (Jp. Nangen Shōha, 1631- 1692) Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 28.2 cm x 60.5 cm, 114.5 cm x 63 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad 青帝令下已再三春山染出色如藍亭前縱目歸雲暮雙鶴飛來作晚參 Following the decree of the Great...

SPRING COLORS by Quanta Xingan (Jp. Sengai Shōan)

Spring Colors Quanta Xingan 千呆性侒 (Jp. Sengai Shōan, 1636-1705) Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 63.7 cm x 29.2 cm, 67.8 cm x 121 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad 紫宸宮裡話禪機看彼靈雲更不疑空手牽牛天外去無邊春色燦龍鬚 The Buddhist wisdom was transmitted in...

BAMBOO by Dapeng Zhengkun (Jp. Taihō Shōkon)

Bamboo Dapeng Zhengkun 大鵬正鯤 (Jp. Taihō Shōkon, 1691- 1774) Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 25.2 cm x 110 cm, 37 cm x 170.5 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad Return...

BAMBOO IN SNOW by Dapeng Zhengkun (Jp. Taihō Shōkon)

Bamboo in Snow Dapeng Zhengkun 大鵬正鯤 (Jp. Taihō Shōkon, 1691-1774) Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 37.9 cm x 108.6 cm, 40.7 cm x 189.5 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad [button link="https://ingen.arizona.edu/artists-and-poets/"...

THE MOON OVER THE GREEN MOUNTAINS, A SINGLE JADE SPHERE by Tetsugen Dōkō

The moon over the green mountains, a single jade sphere Tetsugen Dōkō 鉄眼道光 (1630-1682) Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 125.6 cm x 26.5 cm, 208 cm x 38.2 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad 月上青山玉一團 The moon over the green mountains, a...

HAVE A CUP OF TEA AND TAKE A REST by Tetsugyū Dōki

Have a cup of tea and take a rest Tetsugyū Dōki 鉄牛道機 (1628-1700) Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) Hanging scroll, ink on paper 131 cm x 31 cm, 212 cm x 33 cm (mounted) Collection of Harald Conrad 喫茶珍重歇 Have a cup of tea and take a rest —trans. Harald Conrad [button...

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