Characters - Above the Clouds

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

The works of Chan calligraphers are generally straightforward and unrefined. Perhaps because they often intentionally overlook minute details, their styles are bold, brisk, and fluent. As such, this Chan work is considered impressive despite its imperfection. This aspect can be observed particularly in the character “xiao” (clouds); because of its erratic structure, the upper portion is larger than the bottom radical.
Xutang Zhiyu was a Chan Master from the Yangqi sect of the Linji school. One of his disciples is the Japanese monk Minamiura Shomyo, who traveled to China to study under him. After he returned to Japan in 1267, Minamiura advocated Zen practice and contributed greatly to the development of the Rinzai school of Japanese Buddhism.