Insects and Bamboo(detail)
Attributed to Zhao Chang, China Southern Song dynasty, 13th century (Important Cultural Property)
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 8
November 18, 2025 (Tue) - December 21, 2025 (Sun)
This exhibition on “The Essence of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting” is an annual affair that introduces masterpieces of calligraphy and painting from China every autumn. On display in this year’s exhibition are select works from the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties, which came to Japan long ago and are still admired by many even today. These works flourished in the emperor’s imperial court, where scholar-officials and non-governmental literati formed interest groups, as well as Chan Buddhist temples, which shared a close connection to these intellectuals. The present exhibition introduces the allure of these unique works of calligraphy by scholar-officials and Chan Buddhist monks, and the charms of minutely colored paintings of landscapes, people, and birds and flowers.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | National Treasure | Summer Landscape | Attributed to Hu Zhifu (dates unknown), China | Southern Song dynasty, 12th–13th century | Lent by Kuonji Temple, Yamanashi | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Insects and Bamboo | Attributed to Zhao Chang (dates unknown), China | Southern Song dynasty, 13th century | TA-342 | ||
| Important Cultural Property | Lotus Pond and Swimming Birds | By Yu Ziming (dates unknown), China | Southern Song dynasty, 13th century | Lent by Chion-in Temple, Kyoto | |||
| Important Cultural Property | Lotus Pond and Waterfowl | Attributed to Gu Deqian (dates unknown), China | Southern Song dynasty, 13th century | TA-142 | |||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Bamboo Grove and Wild Geese | By Unknown Artist, China | Northern Song–Southern Song Dynasty, 12th century | TA-489 | ||
| Important Cultural Property | Five Dragons | Attributed to Chen Rong (dates unknown), China | Southern Song dynasty, 13th century | TA-363 | |||
| Highlight | National Treasure | Colophon for a Painting Scroll by Yi Yuanji | By Feng Zizhen (born 1257), China | Yuan dynasty, 14th century | Lent by the Tokiwayama Bunko Foundation, Tokyo | ||
| Highlight | Gravestone Epitaphs for Mr. Wang and Mr. Shi in Running Script | By Huang Tingjian (1045–1105), China | Northern Song dynasty, 11th century | TB-1457 | |||
| Highlight | Three Works of Calligraphy in Running Script | By Mi Fu (1051–1107), China | Northern Song dynasty, 11th–12th century | TB-1458 | |||
| Ten Poems and Five Letters in Running and Cursive Scripts | By Xianyu Shu (1246–1302), China | Yuan dynasty, 13th century | Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujirō, TB-1214 |