Shokokuji Temple: Buddhist Verses Presented to Ichio Ingo

JAPAN, Kyoto; Kamakura period

This work is comprised of four fascicles, joined together to create a larger hanging scroll. Each fascicle is 36.4 cm high by 86.3 cm wide each. It was a gift to Ichio Ingo, abbot of Chorakuji Temple, from the Chan master and calligrapher Wuxue Zuyuan. During the Song dynasty (960–1279), Ichio traveled to China and studied alongside Master Wuxue under Master Wuzhun Shifan of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism. The scroll, which resulted from this journey, was listed as a National Treasure of Japan in 1951.
Wuxue Zuyuan, who is commonly known in Japan as Mugaku Sogen, was a Chan master from the Yangqi branch of the Linji school. He studied calligraphy under Zhang Jizhi, and his teacher’s influence can be observed in the square and upright characters of this particular work. Brushstrokes are clear, light, and often rounded to express simplicity. The right and left-falling diagonal strokes are straightforward, presenting a dense, yet restrained style. Overall, the scroll is a thought-provoking and eloquent work of calligraphy.