Buddhist teachings originating in ancient India passed through China before arriving in Japan. Many Zen monks traveled to China to learn Buddhism and brought back the culture of the continent to Japan along with Zen. The Zen monks therefore excelled in Chinese poetry and became teachers of Chinese poetry for the Japanese emperor and nobles.
In Kyoto, Shokoku-ji Temple ranked No. 2 among the five Zen monastic centers and was the center of Gozan Bungaku (Literature of the Five Mountains) since the medieval period. It produced many Zen monks expert in Chinese poetry. Besides numerous Buddhist scriptures, the temple possesses many Chinese books (non-Buddhist). With so much knowledge, the monks forged close ties with those in power. The temple monks also had close exchanges with neo-Confucian scholars such as Fujiwara Seika. As the exhibition shows, the Zen monks’ activities covered not only the literary field, but also in government such as creating diplomatic documents.
This exhibition checks the Chinese books that have been given to Shokoku-ji and branch temples, and explores the system of knowledge accumulated by the Zen temple. We also have the second “History and Treasures of Shokoku-ji Temple” exhibition to give a comprehensive history of Shokoku-ji. This second exhibition shows totally different temple treasures from the first exhibition. We look forward to seeing you.

Highlights 140 works exhibited for the first time

The temple treasures include not only traditional fine art crafts and historical documents, but also books collected by the temples. By understanding what Zen monks learned, you can better appreciate the titles of traditional paintings and crafts and the content of Bokuseki. Besides Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism were also included in their world view.
In the medieval period, Gozan Bungaku (Literature of the Five Mountains), which was concentrated in Shokoku-ji, was picked up by Confucian scholars in the early modern period. Also, the Tokugawa shogunate sent Zen monks who were expert in Chinese studies from the five Zen centers to Tsushima to handle diplomatic affairs. Documents related to Tsushima and Itei-an Temple, where the Zen monks were assigned, will also be exhibited for the first time.

Tsushima Itei Grand View Jiun-in Collection

Highlights 2Ten Bulls, entire series of Ten Bulls paintings exhibited together

Among Shokoku-ji Shojo-in’s Important Cultural Properties, there is “Zekkai Chushin Bokuseki Ten Bulls.” Ten Bulls is a ten-step representation of the monk’s Zen training process, using a bull as a metaphor. The shepherd searches for a bull, follows signs of the bull, finds a bull, catches it, tames it, and then forgets about it. These “Ten Bulls” paintings were also inherited by Shokoku-ji.
This exhibition shows all the Ten Bulls paintings and text.

November 27th (Sat.)

2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.Lecture: “The Power of Gozan Bungaku (Literature of the Five Mountains)
–Zen Monks as Ideal ‘Literati’ at Japan’s Five Zen Monastic Centers”
Lecturer: Dai Nakamoto (Professor, Faculty of Letters, Ritsumeikan University)

December 4th (Sat.)

2:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.Slide presentation by Junko Honda (Museum Curator)

December 18th (Sat.)

2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.Lecture by Junko Honda (Museum Curator)

January 8th (Sat.)

2:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.Slide presentation by Junko Honda (Museum Curator)