Letter from Master Wuzhun Shifan to Enni Ben’en

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

This calligraphy is a letter of correspondence between Chan Master Wuzhun Shifan and his Japanese disciple Enni Ben’en, who was studying in China. Enni once donated timber for the reconstruction of Xinsheng Wanshou Temple in Zhejiang after a fire. However, due to various reasons, Wuzhun was not able to receive the donated timber all at once. This letter records the delivery status in detail, and it ends with well wishes for Enni on his return to Japan, a feature which further demonstrates their close teacher-disciple relationship. The undated letter is estimated to have been written in 1243, a year after the fire at Wanshou Temple. It was listed as a National Treasure of Japan in 1952.
The piece is composed of simple character strokes in running-cursive script. There is an overall clean and bright ambiance with no redundant brushwork. On close examination, the strokes tend to be sparse and clear, which one may consider a reflection of the honest character of the calligrapher.
Wuzhun Shifan was a master of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279). He taught the Dharma at Jingshan for over 20 years and had numerous disciples. Due in part to his close relationship with Enni Ben’en, he was a major influence on Zen teachings.