Eight Eminent Masters - Huike Meeting Bodhidharma
Ink and color on silk
Eight Eminent Masters - Hongren Meeting Daoxin
Eight Eminent Masters - Niaoke Teaching Bai Juyi
Eight Eminent Masters - Zhixian Achieving Sudden Realization
Eight Eminent Masters - Yuanze and Li Yuan Meeting a Pregnant Woman
Eight Eminent Masters - Guanxi Requesting Water
Eight Eminent Masters - Shibei Riding a Boat
Eight Eminent Masters
CHINA; Southern Song dynasty
This scroll is made up of eight sections depicting eight eminent monks from the Liang (502–557) and Tang (618–907) dynasties. It was painted by Liang Kai, an official of the Imperial Painting Academy during the Southern Song dynasty who specialized in the illustration of Buddhist figures and landscapes. This set is one of his earlier works.
There are added inscriptions beside each illustration that explain the content. They depict Huike meeting Bodhidharma, Hongren meeting Daoxin, Niaoke teaching Bai Juyi, Zhixian achieving sudden realization, Yuanze and Li Yuan meeting a pregnant woman, Guanxi requesting water, Louzi achieving sudden realization, and Shibei riding a boat. The clothing, postures, and expressions of the figures in the illustrations are carefully drawn and realistic. There are seal imprints on the scroll indicating appreciation by the Emperors Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795) and Jiaqing (reigned 1796–1820).
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting A-H, page 210.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Youlu and Wilson, Graham and Manho and Mankuang and Huntington, Susan,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting A-H},
pages = 210,
title = {{Eight Eminent Masters}},
volume = 14,
year = {2016}}