Zen and Ink Painting | 13th–16th century
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Letter (detail)
By Daxiu Zhengnian, Kamakura period, 13th century (Gift of Mr. Matsunaga Yasuzaemon, Important Cultural Property)Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 3
September 30, 2025 (Tue) - November 9, 2025 (Sun)Zen Buddhism was introduced from China, and had widespread influence on culture in Japan. Zen does not stress elaborate rituals or the study of sacred texts. Rather, it teaches that meditation and daily tasks, even cooking and cleaning, are the way to spiritual enlightenment. In the 13th century, monks brought Zen to Japan as a complete school of Buddhist thought.
These monks also brought the latest cultural practices from China. One of them was ink painting, which uses expressive lines and delicate gradations to portray nature and people. Ink painting spread beyond Zen temples and became a major artistic tradition in Japan.
Another practice was calligraphy by Zen masters, which was prized for its spiritual and aesthetic value. Along with the painting and calligraphy shown here, Zen Buddhism influenced tea ceremony, garden design, and many other forms of art.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | The Zen Monk Budai | By Kanō Masanobu; inscription by Keijo Shūrin | Muromachi period, 15th century | Lent by the Agency for Cultural Affairs | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Verse for the Zen Ritual for the Chongyang Festival | By Wuxue Zuyuan (1226–86) | Kamakura period, 1279 | Lent by the Tokiwayama Bunko Foundation, Tokyo | ||
| Important Cultural Property | Letter | By Daxiu Zhengnian (1215–89) | Kamakura period, 13th century | Gift of Mr. Matsunaga Yasuzaemon, B-2424 | |||
| The Four Elders of Mount Shang; The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove | By Kanō Motonobu | Muromachi period, 1553 | A-998 |