Hanshan and Shide

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

These paintings are thought to be the work of the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) artist Yan Hui. After they were brought to Japan, they were owned by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, and later, by Oda Nobunaga. This pair of paintings was listed as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1931.
Hanshan was a hermit who lived on Tiantaishan during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Considered strange or even mad by many, he liked to recite verses and wrote poems on rocks and trees. Shide, a friend of Hanshan and a fellow poet, was an orphan who was brought to the Guoqing Temple on Tiantaishan by Chan Master Fenggan. During the Song (960–1279) and Yuan dynasties, Hanshan and Shide became popularly associated with eccentric, spontaneous wisdom, and were often portrayed in Chan art.
In the paintings, Shide holds a broom, while Hanshan has his hands hidden inside his sleeves. Both figures have wide, joyful smiles. Their faces are painted with fine brushstrokes, while their robes are depicted with thick, jagged lines.