A Line from the Chinese Poem “Grasses” by Bai Juyi
A scroll with boldly inscribed Chinese characters by or attributed to a prominent Zen monk such as Motsurin Jōtō would have been used for display in an alcove during a tea ceremony. Motsurin Jōtō, or Bokusai, was a close disciple of the famous Zen monk Ikkyū (1394–1481) of Daitokuji. Because of this close connection, Motsurin’s briskly brushed calligraphy closely resembles that of his master, though in this case we can assume that this was a forgery created roughly in the style of these famous monks.
The calligrapher has brushed a couplet by the Tang poet Bai Juyi (772–846):
Wild grasses spread out
far across the plains.
Each year they wither,
only to flourish again.
—Trans. John T. Carpenter
The calligrapher has brushed a couplet by the Tang poet Bai Juyi (772–846):
Wild grasses spread out
far across the plains.
Each year they wither,
only to flourish again.
—Trans. John T. Carpenter
Artwork Details
- 伝没倫紹等筆 白居易詩「離離原上草一歳一枯榮」
- Title:A Line from the Chinese Poem “Grasses” by Bai Juyi
- Artist:Traditionally attributed to Motsurin Jōtō (Bokusai) (Japanese, died 1492)
- Date:probably 17th–18th century
- Culture:Japan
- Medium:Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions:Image: 46 3/4 × 10 3/8 in. (118.8 × 26.4 cm)
Overall with mounting: 74 11/16 × 10 15/16 in. (189.7 × 27.8 cm)
Overall with knobs: 74 11/16 × 12 1/2 in. (189.7 × 31.8 cm) - Classification:Calligraphy
- Credit Line:Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015
- Object Number:2015.300.239
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
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Motsurin Jōtō (Bokusai) (Japanese, died 1492)
ca. 1480–92
Motsurin Jōtō (Bokusai) (Japanese, died 1492)
late 15th century
Motsurin Jōtō (Bokusai) (Japanese, died 1492)
15th century
Kano Tan'yū (Japanese, 1602–1674)
mid-17th century
late 17th century
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