Eigenji Temple: Deathbed Testament

JAPAN, Shiga, Higashiomi; Nanbokucho period

This calligraphy was written by Zen Master Jakushitsu Genko during his later years. He was given the Dharma name “Jishi” by Chan Master Zhongfeng Mingben, with whom he studied Chan teachings during his travels in China. Although he spent most of his time after his return to Japan living as a recluse, shortly before his passing, he vowed to spread Chan teachings and encourage his disciples to be self-disciplined and cultivate good conduct. In this notation, he left instructions that his funeral affairs should be conducted simply. This testament of Jakushitsu’s was listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1964.
The spacious cursive script strokes of this piece bring to mind the influential calligraphic style of Yan Zhenqing, however, the free and expansive brushwork is evocative of Master Jakushitsu’s personal character. This particular work is a superior example of his exceptional skill in calligraphy.
Master Jakushitsu was a patriarch of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism in Japan. He renounced when he was just 13 years old and at the age of 31, he traveled to China to pursue the Dharma, visiting several Chan masters to pay his respects and obtain teachings.