Muromachi Art Forms1333-1573

Historical Periods

• 1333-1336 = Kemmu Restoration

• 1336-1392 = Nambokucho Period

• 1392-1573 = Muromachi (Ashikaga)

Period

Historical Periods

• 1333-1336 = Kemmu Restoration

• 1336-1392 = Nambokucho Period

• 1392-1573 = Muromachi (Ashikaga)

Period

Historical Periods

• 1333-1336 = Kemmu Restoration

• 1336-1392 = Nambokucho Period

• 1392-1573 = Muromachi (Ashikaga)

Period

Ashikaga

Takauji

Zen IllustratedArt & Religion in Muromachi Japan

Bodhidharma

(Jpn., Daruma)

Daisen-inDaitoku-ji Monastery

• Mt. Meru

• Water of Life

• Kannon bosatsu

• Fudo-myo-o

Parable in

Stones

Turtle

BridgeCrane

Tiger

Mt. Meru

Kannon

Crane & Turtle Islands

Tiger of Youth

Barrier of Doubt (Life)

“Turtle” and “Treasure Ship”

Satori

“Awakening”

Zen Solution to Human

Predicament

•Chie (Wisdom, prajna)

•Jihi (Compassion, karuna)

Two Aspects of Satori

• Embodiment of

Wisdom

• Holds a sword

• Holds a scroll

• Rides a lion

• Kasho, disciple of

Shakyamuni

Monju

bosatsu

• Embodiment of

Compassion

• Hands in prayer

holding a scroll

• Rides an elephant

• Annan, disciple of

Shakyamuni

Fugen

bosatsu

Mu Qi

Triptych

• Wisdom

• Like Monju- bosatsu

“Crane”

• Compassion

• Like Fugen-bosatsu

“Monkey”

Kannon-bosatsu

Goddess of Mercy

• Zen: a mixture of jiriki (self-power) and

tariki (other-power)

• Repudiation of scriptures

• Rejection of rationalism

• Teacher-disciple relationship

• Koan (mind puzzles)

• Zazen (seated meditation)

Methods for

Attaining Satori

“Blind Man with Lantern” Sengai

“Hui-neng, 6th

Chan Patriarch,

Tearing up

Sutras”

Liang KaiChinese Painter

“Hui-k’o

Presenting

His Arm….”

Sesshu

Mu Qi[Fa-Chang]

(c. early 13th century)

Six

Persimmons

Chinese Painter

Josetsu“Catching a Catfish with a Gourd”

“Daruma”(Bodhidharma)

Attributed to Sesshu

Cow

Herding

Pictures

#1

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#2

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#3

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#4

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#5

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#6

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#7

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#8

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#9

CowHer

ding

Pictures

#10

“Enso” by Torei

Liang Kai( c. 1250)

Sixth Patriarch

Chopping Bamboo

Chinese Painter

Wisdom

Compassion

Bodhi

Tree

The

“Void”

“Front garden” Daisen-in

The Aesthetics of

RocksJapanese Gardens of the Muromachi Period

Saiho-ji“The Moss Temple”

Muso Soseki

Kinkaku-ji“The Golden Pavilion”

Ginkaku-ji“The Silver Pavilion”

Ashikaga

Yoshimasa

tokonoma

tatami mats

Ryoan-jiWorld’s Most Famous Rock Garden

YagotoGreenville, South Carolina

Noh Drama

• Great age of “lyrical” Chinese painting.

• Inspiration for Japanese painting of the

Muromachi period.

• Zen as the conduit for Chinese art forms.

Southern Song [Sung]

Dynasty

(1129-1276)

Mokuan

“The Four Sleepers”

Mokuan,

“Hotei”

Mincho(1352-1431)

Hermitage by the

Mountain Brook

Mincho,

“Shosaiga”

Mincho,

“White Robed

Kannon”

Mincho,

“Shaka

Nehan”

Josetsu

“Catching

a Catfish

in a

Gourd”

Josetsu,

“Catching a Catfish in a Gourd”

Shubun,

“Landscape

of the Shu

Mountains.”

Shubun,

“Landscap

e of the

Shu

Mountains.

”

Shubun

“Reading in the

Bamboo Study”

Shubun

“Reading

in the

Bamboo

Study”(detail)

Sesshu

“Winter

Landscape”

Sesshu,

“Winter Landscape” (detail)

Sesshu,

“Winter Landscape” (detail)

Sesshu,

“Winter

Landscape

” (detail)

Sesshu,

“ The

Long

Landscap

e Scroll.”

Sesshu,

“Long Landscape

Scroll.”

Sesshu,

“Haboku”

(detail)

Sesshu,

“Hui-ko

Offering His

Arm to

Bodhidharma.”

Sesshu,

Daruma

Leavell,

“Amanohashidate”

Sesshu

,

“Hawk

on

Pine”

Leavell

,

“Hawk

on

Cyprus

”