Important Art Object
Calligraphy
Data
| Artist | By the priest Qingzhuo Zengcheng |
|---|---|
| Period | Kamakura period, 14th century |
| Materials and techniques | Hanging scroll, ink on paper |
| Size | 25.8×49.5 |
Explanation
Seisetsu Seichō arrived in Japan in 1326 during the last years of the Kamakura period when he was 53 and preached the strictly disciplined authentic Chinese Zen teachings. He gained patronage of Regent Hōjō Takatoki and served as the abbot of the Nanzen-ji and Ken’nin-ji temples in Kyoto after his tenure at temples (Kenchō-ji, Jōchi-ji, Enkaku-ji) in Kamakura. This poem, written during his years at Nanzen-ji Temple for the memorial service of a deceased senior priest, extols the latter’s achievements.