Myoshinji Temple: Hanshan and Shide

JAPAN, Kyoto; Momoyama to Edo period

This picture on a six-paneled gold folding paper screen was painted by Kaiho Yusho during the 17th century. It was listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Hanshan and Shide were poets who lived on Tiantaishan in China during the Tang dynasty (618–907). They were known for their carefree, eccentric behavior and spontaneous wisdom. The two figures stand in the center of the painting. Both wear wide-sleeved robes and have unkempt hair. Smiling widely, Hanshan spreads his arms to open a long scroll. Shide, holding a broom, looks over Hanshan’s shoulder, appearing to laugh at what he reads. The joyful facial expressions of the figures might have been inspired by paintings of Hanshan and Shide by the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) artist Yan Hui. Trees, rivers, and rocks are painted in the background. The dark ink used to depict the figures and trees contrasts with the blank gold spaces in the background.