Master Zhongfeng Mingben
Ink and color on silk
Master Zhongfeng Mingben
CHINA; Yuan dynasty
In the 14th century, when the Japanese monk Enkei Soosu was preparing to return to Japan from China, he was given this portrait as a farewell gift from his teacher, Master Zhongfeng Mingben. The picture was listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1911. Zhongfeng Mingben was a National Master during the Yuan dynasty. He learned the Dharma from Gaofeng Yuanmiao and spent many years as a wandering monk, going by the name of Huanzhu (Illusory Abiding) and teaching a diverse group of students from several different countries including Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.
Zhongfeng sits in a chair with his legs tucked up beneath his robe and his hands forming the dhyana (meditation) mudra. He has a round face, dark hair, and a robust build. The inscription at the top of the painting was written by Zhongfeng.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting I-O, page 522.
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 I-O},
pages = 522,
title = {{Master Zhongfeng Mingben}},
volume = 15,
year = {2016}}