Daoist Master Fei Zhangfang with a Dragon
Sesson Shūkei Japanese
Not on view
Talismanic images of Daoist figures were frequently seen alongside Buddhist icons in medieval Zen. Sesson, a monk and painter who traveled widely in Japan’s eastern provinces in the mid-sixteenth century, created numerous images of Daoist figures based on older Chinese pictures that had been collected at Zen temples across the region. This painting, from the 1550s, describes a moment from the biography of the semilegendary figure Fei Zhangfang, a failed disciple of the immortal Hugong. Unable to complete his studies of Daoist methods and sent home, Fei tossed the staff from his master into a nearby pond and transformed magically into an auspicious blue dragon.
On display for rotations 3 and 4.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
