Daikakuji Temple: Name List for Rainy Season Retreat

JAPAN, Kyoto; Nanbokucho period

This scroll was joined using three thick sheets of paper and contains 30 lines. In 1335, a rainy season retreat was held at Daikakuji Temple in Kyoto. Names of the participating monks, together with the number of times each participated, were recorded to determine seating order. The list was displayed in the temple during the retreat. Although the calligrapher is not identified, it is widely considered to be the work of Prince Sonen, as there is a strong resemblance to his calligraphic style.
Prince Sonen was a Japanese monk of the Tendai school. His style reflects the Sesonji school of calligraphy, as well as the writing style of the Chinese Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279) , in which strokes are firm and strong. Nuances of Master Kukai’s signature can also be observed in the articulations. This particular work laid the foundation for the indigenous Japanese Wayo style of writing, and is generally regarded as an exemplary piece of Wayo-style calligraphy.