Line from a Poem by Li Bai
As abbot of the prestigious Daitokuji Temple, Seigan Sōi saw himself as part of a distinguished lineage of Zen monk-calligraphers, including Ikkyū Sōjun and Motsurin Jōtō—both active in the fifteenth century. In Eighteen Principles of Tea, Seigan described the concepts behind wabi-cha, a tea practice in which unpretentious, rustic tea wares were favored. A tea master par excellence, he embraced the dictum of Sen no Rikyū (1522–1591) that “the most important ‘utensil’ in the tearoom was the hanging scroll”—in other words, a monk’s calligraphy.
Seigan’s quickly brushed line from a verse by the eighth-century poet Li Bai was no doubt intended for display during tea gatherings:
高殿坐幽人
In the lofty hall,
holy men sit in meditation.
—Trans. John T. Carpenter
Seigan’s quickly brushed line from a verse by the eighth-century poet Li Bai was no doubt intended for display during tea gatherings:
高殿坐幽人
In the lofty hall,
holy men sit in meditation.
—Trans. John T. Carpenter
Artwork Details
- 清巌宗渭筆 李白詩
- Title: Line from a Poem by Li Bai
- Artist: Seigan Sōi (Japanese, 1588–1661)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: early 17th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 48 11/16 × 11 1/4 in. (123.7 × 28.5 cm)
Overall with mounting: 75 3/16 × 13 11/16 in. (191 × 34.7 cm) - Classification: Calligraphy
- Credit Line: Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2024
- Object Number: 2024.412.6
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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