ticketsMember | Make a donation

Poem on the Theme of Snow

Musō Soseki Japanese
14th century
Not on view
Musō Soseki, the expert calligrapher of this verse, was one of the most influential Zen priests of the fourteenth century, having trained under the Chinese émigré Yishan Yining (Japanese: Issan Ichinei; 1247–1317). This poem on the theme of snow describes the experience of watching the sun rise over a winter landscape:

Icy flowers fall, obscuring the color of the sky.
Jade dust buries the earth, masking the blue mountains.
As the sun rises over the peak—
Bone-chilling silence.

Written by a clumsy old stutterer
—Translation after Edwin A. Cranston

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 夢窓疎石書　墨蹟 「因雪」
  • Title: Poem on the Theme of Snow
  • Artist: Musō Soseki (Japanese, 1275–1351)
  • Period: Nanbokuchō period (1336–92)
  • Date: 14th century
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 11 3/4 x 32 1/2 in. (29.8 x 82.6 cm)
    Overall with mounting: 48 7/8 x 38 in. (124.1 x 96.5 cm)
    Overall with knobs: 48 7/8 x 40 1/4 in. (124.1 x 102.2 cm)
  • Classification: Calligraphy
  • Credit Line: Gift of Sylvan Barnet and William Burto, in honor of Maxwell K. Hearn, 2011
  • Object Number: 2011.534
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Letter to Suwa Daishin, Officer of the Shogun , Musō Soseki Japanese, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, Japan

Letter to Suwa Daishin, Officer of the Shogun

Musō Soseki
ca. 1339–51
”Abiding nowhere, the awakened mind arises”, Musō Soseki Japanese, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, Japan
”Abiding nowhere, the awakened mind arises”
Musō Soseki
early to mid-14th century
Three Poems from the Later Collection of Japanese Poems (Gosen wakashū), Monk Saigyō Japanese, Page from a booklet, mounted as hanging scroll; ink on paper, Japan
Three Poems from the Later Collection of Japanese Poems (Gosen wakashū)
Monk Saigyō
late 12th century
Three Poems from the Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern (Kokin wakashū), one of the Araki Fragments (Araki-gire), Fujiwara no Yukinari (Kōzei) Japanese, Page from a booklet mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on paper, Japan
Three Poems from the Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern (Kokin wakashū), one of the Araki Fragments (Araki-gire)
Fujiwara no Yukinari (Kōzei)
11th century
Portrait of Shun'oku Myōha, Unidentified artist Japanese, Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk, Japan
Portrait of Shun'oku Myōha
Unidentified artist
ca. 1383

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.