Seiganji Temple: Ullambana Service - Origin and History

JAPAN, Fukuoka; Heian period

Listed as a National Treasure of Japan in 1953, this work was written by Zen Master Eisai at the Ullambana Service in 1178. The scroll, which recounts the origins of the Ullambana Service, was created in response to a solicitation for contributions from Master Kanchi of Seiganji Temple.
The calligraphic style observed in this work features elongated brushstrokes and traces of running script among the predominantly regular script characters which are similar to those by Huang Tingjian. However, Eisai has abandoned Huang’s style in favor of characters that are more even and balanced, exhibiting a preference for simplicity over meticulous sophistication.
Eisai, also known as Minnan or Patriarch Senko, was one of the earliest Zen masters of the late Heian (794–1185) to the early Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. He is honored as a patriarch of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, as well as the originator of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. He studied Linji school teachings under Chan Master Xu’an Huaichang of Wannian Temple on Tiantaishan in China. He later returned to Japan to propagate the teachings of the Linji school and spearheaded the expansion of Zen Buddhism.