Kanzan, Gako Tangen Chiben

Archive Label 2003 (version 1):
So Gakō (1737-1805) was a Zen monk famous for both his preaching and paintings.. He is best known for dynamic depictions of the Zen eccentrics Kanzan and Jittoku, which he composed both as diptychs and single scrolls and painted in a distinctive cursive style. Considering the placement of the inscription and seals this image was probably one of a pair.

Kanzan and his companion Jittoku are popular subjects in Zen Buddhist painting. According to legend Kanzan was an odd hermit who lived near a temple in ancient China. Jittoku was a kitchen worker from the temple who befriended and brought food to the strange fellow. The men spent a great deal of time together composing poetry and moon viewing.Their unusual personalities and understanding of Buddhism caused them to become identified as boddhisattvas. The inscription on this painting is from a famous poem by Kanzan:

My heart is like the autumn moon, pure and unsullied on the blue green pool...

That mention of the moon and Kanzan’s pointing finger refer to a Zen injunction not to mistake the finger pointing at the moon (Zen) for the moon (truth).

Exhibition Label:
Asian Gallery, Spring 2003, Youmi Efurd:
So Gakō (1737–1805) was a Zen monk famous for both his preaching and paintings. He is best known for dynamic depictions of the Zen eccentrics Kanzan and Jittoku, which he composed both as diptychs and single scrolls and painted in a distinctive cursive style. The placement of the inscription and seals suggest that this image is one of a pair.

Kanzan and his companion Jittoku are popular in subjects in Zen Buddhist painting. Here Kanzan is singing his most famous poem:

My heart is like the autumn moon, pure and unsullied on the blue green pool…

This mention of the moon and Kanzan’s pointing finger refer to a Zen injunction not to mistake the finger pointing at the moon (Zen) for the moon (truth).