Description of Works

Exhibition

Tensho, Reisho, Kaisho, Gyōsho, Sōsho, Kana – Calligraphic Expressions of Various Styles

1・6・10～15・20・.21

About Takuhon Books and Hi Monuments　拓本と碑について他

In classical calligraphy, there are pieces that were written on paper, fabric, wood, and bamboo, as well as pieces that were carved into stone monuments, wood, and even metal. These works were used as the basis for learning and practicing calligraphy, and they would be copied onto paper using an ink rubbing technique. Those rubbings are called takuhon. Some takuhon would also be bound into books, called jō, that are easier to use for learning.

Japanese sho (calligraphy) experienced remarkable changes during the modern era when calligraphers were able to obtain highly accurate original calligraphy texts from China, the motherland of calligraphy.

The act of imitating classical calligraphic works in shodō is called rinsho. Rinsho is a vital part of studying and practicing calligraphy. By focusing on the classical works of calligraphers long gone, practitioners can absorb the style and feel of each piece first-hand, and a new style can be born of that union. Shodō is truly the epitome of traditional culture.

Study of the classics is essential to the improvement of one’s calligraphy skill. In particular, the period around the 4th century is abundant with many classics that feature tensho (seal script), reisho (clerical script), kaisho (regular script), gyōsho (semi-cursive script), and sōsho (cursive script) texts. This is also when Wang Xizhi, the man known as the Sage of Calligraphy, appeared.

Although it is best to learn directly from original scripts, these texts are very old and few originals from the 4th century remain today.

１

Sekko（original rubbing）石鼓

There are ten stones with Chinese characters carved on the surface are called “sekko” or rock drums from their drum-like shape. These Chinese characters are the oldest characters carved in stone, from 4~5 B.C. in China. The inscriptions, or “sekkobun” describe celebration to nature.

２

Sekko-bun　石鼓文

A work written after studying 1. Let’s compare. Chinese and Japanese calligraphy can be written exactly like the rubbings, or it can be added to one’s own expressions as an essence.

３

Tenpō kyūjo　天保九如　KONDO Setchiku (1863-1928)

KONDO Setchiku was born in Edo (current Tokyo) and raised in a culture-rich environment provided by his father. He came to be known as a master calligrapher and a leader during the Taisho period, the beginning of the 20th century. He also contributed to the education of those who in turn became leading figures in the postwar period.

At the age of 16, he became of a disciple of KUSAKABE Meikaku, and studied a variety of sho, from kinseki calligraphy (Chinese characters engraved on metal and stone from long ago) to Ming and Qing calligraphy (Chinese characters from the mid-14th-20th centuries).

Jinja-inochi-nagashi 仁者寿　KAWANO Takashi（1948-2017）

Tenkoku – Seal Carving

Tenkoku is the act of carving characters into a piece of stone or wood or some hard material to create your own, original seal. Because the characters are carved, they produce a very different feel from characters written on paper with a brush. The script used for tenkoku is often tensho, but lately the roman alphabet is also known to be used. One can carve one’s name, or even a favorite word.

※For an explanation of the tensho script, please check the description of calligraphic style types.

Seals are often used, for example, on pieces of art or calligraphy. The seal acts as a signature, proof that the work was produced by that specific person. The size of the seal, its position, and its style can impact the piece on which it is stamped, making the overall piece more balanced, or giving it a visually tightening effect.

In this way, works that mainly involve seal engraving are also one of the forms of work.

“仁者寿” means “Compassionate people, wise people, and morally superior people live longer lives.”

５

Ganchū-no-hito (1984)

AOYAMA San-u (1912-1993)

Born as Aoyama Fumio in Aichi prefecture, San-u studied under Nishikawa Yasushi. He was one of the major influential calligraphers after the Second World War, and known for his ability to skillfully produce both modern style pieces as well as pieces themed in classical poetry and other scholarly works. From hieroglyphic Chinese characters that were carved onto metal to Ming and Shing dynasty scripts, San-u dived into a great variety of classical calligraphy. This piece in particular piece shows its roots in Chinese calligraphy. His pieces, which are known for expressing their own, unique characteristics, have gained international acclaim throughout the years.

The meaning of ganchū no hito is “the person in one’s vision.” It refers to a person that one constantly thinks about, a person who is close to one’s heart.

Sōzen-hi Stone Monument Inscription (Rubbed Copy) (185 C.E) 曹全碑

This is a rubbed copy of an inscription that sings praises to Cao Quan’s achievements in civil administration and settling local disputes. One of this piece’s noticeable attributes is its characteristic flowing right stroke. This piece is often studied as a classic example of slab calligraphy.

Gogon-risshi 五言律詩　NAKABAYASHI Gochiku　(1827-1913)

Nakabayashi is one of the top calligraphers of the Meiji period. He was born in Saga, and when he moved to Edo, he studied calligraphy under famous calligraphers of the Edo period, such as Ichikawa Beian. After his study in Edo, he returned home, and it was at this time that he found the works of Yogenbi, a member of the Qing ministry representatives in Japan. It was this influence that prompted him to absorb work after work of famed Chinese calligraphers.

There are several stone monuments of his works still remaining today within the Naritasan compounds.

Shisho-byōbu 詩書屏風　NISHIKAWA Shundō　(1847-1915)

Nishikawa Shundō was a renowned calligrapher of many talents, his works having a great impact throughout the Meiji, Taisho, Showa, and even Heisei periods. Ishikawa was born in the Edo period, and at age 5 he started learning calligraphy under Nakazawa Setsujō, who was a disciple of one of the greatest calligraphers of the Edo period, Maki Ryōko. After the Meiji Restoration, he worked for the Ministry of Finance, and then immersed himself in the study of calligraphy.

From the end of the Edo period through Meiji (1868-1912), neat styles of clerical script were popular. In contrast, the austere and dignified style of clerical calligraphy seen in this piece was rare in Japan at the time. Shundō’s unique style developed due to his exposure to calligraphy by colleagues that had returned from China, from whom he had the opportunity to learn. From there, his interest in seal and clerical script deepened. This piece is an excellent representative of his style.

This folding screen features the words of Zhuge Liang, a Daoist scholar, statesman, and engineer. It was passed down to a shrine in Mito. The piece itself was written during a calligraphy and painting gathering.

９

Kinsekisei 金石声　MATSUI Joryū (1900－1988)

Featured in Nitten Exhibition in 1964

2 Panel Byōbu

Born as MATSUI Ikujirō in Akita

MATSUI was greatly inspired by YOSHIDA Hōchiku’s calligraphic works of poems. He is known for a calligraphy style that is able to express the essence of those poems.

His style of writing was established as a distinct style of Japanese calligraphy After World War II. Kinseki refers to the style of Chinese characters that were carved into bronze vessels of BCE China.
His choice of wording for this title emphasizes his admiration for the classical style, and his characters embody a feeling of antiquity.
Shodō is an attempt to express one’s unique sense through the use of classical characters.

On the historical context of Japanese calligraphy

The the first half of the 20th century marked the opening of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and the start of large-scale exhibitions. In order for calligraphy to stand out in such a large venue, a new style of display utilizing installations of large, eye-catching characters in various places to create a showcase for the calligraphy was born.

Calligraphy Expressed with Large Characters

If you take a look at any public sho exhibitions that take place throughout Japan, you will find Joryū at the center of them. Joryū is credited with further developing the world of sho in a new way of expression. His majestic style, which was cultivated with a background in classical calligraphy, became so influential that these large single-character style pieces became synonymous with the name “Joryū”.

Teigikahi Stone Monument Inscription (Rubbed Copy) (511 C.E) 鄭羲下碑

Northern Wei Period, China

The wavy characters harmonize well with the bumpy surface of the stone, providing a unique aesthetic.

This is a cliff monument carved by Zheng Dao-zhao on Yunfeng Mountain (Shandong Province, China) in honor of his father Zheng Xi’s achievements. The characters are rounded. They feel spacious and elongated, yet powerful and have a style of their own.

Kaisho (block style) of the Northern Wei Dynasty 中国北魏時代の楷書

This is an example of kaisho block script. The sharp points and powerful strokes seen here are characteristic of this style.

Gyūketsu Zouzouki 牛橛像造記

During the period of strong Buddhist faith, stone temples were built on mountains outside the capital, such as the Longmen Grottos.

This inscription was created in the year 405 by a mother who was praying for happiness in the next world for the soul of her son, Gyūketsu. It is the oldest of the known dated inscriptions of the Dragon’s Gate Longmen Grottos.

“Sacred Order of the Wild Goose Pagoda” by Chu Suiliang (Rubbed Copy)

雁塔聖教序

The artist’s varied brushwork takes full advantage of the brush’s elasticity. The lines are thin and supple yet strong, a magnificent combination. These are characters from a stone monument commemorating the achievements of monk Xuanzang who brought back a large number of sutras from India and translated them.

“Nine Songs” by Ouyang Xun (Rubbed Copy)　九成宮醴泉銘

The characters here are full of tension. The beginning starts sharp, the way the points connect with each other and the use of space and density is carefully thought out. The shape of the characters is long and tight. Orderly and seamless, it is said to be the pinnacle of beauty.

These characters are from a monument that commemorates the visit of Tang Emperor Taizong to the summer retreat of the Palace of Nine Perfections (Jiuchang Gong), during which a natural spring burst forth from the corner of the palace.
15
Yan Zhenqing (Rubbed Copy)　顔真卿

The vertical lines and sweeping strokes seen here are unique to his style. The first stroke is rounded like the head of a silkworm, while the shape of the right sweeping stroke resembles that of a swallow’s tail.

Shosōgūsei　書窓偶成

MATSUMOTO Hōsui (1900－1988)

Matsumoto was born in Ehime prefecture in 1893, as Matsumoto Eiichi. He studied under Kondō Secchiku. The steady strokes of his brushmanship retain their relevancy, and his script is imitated by many of Naritasan’s priests, even today.

Hōsui was a member of the Japan Art Academy and renowned for his elegant style of writing, as seen in this piece. He was also a master of standard-style calligraphy.

Ōjōmu 大聖武　Attributed to Emperor SHŌMU (701-756)

Nara Period

This piece, the “kengukyō”, is the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. It is a scripture that describes the rewards and consequences that result from good and evil actions through various fables.

It is prized as a masterpiece that adorns the first part of a tekagami (an album-like book with individual sheets pasted together). Many of the pieces in this tekagami are in sections consisting of a few lines each.

Nicknamed “Ōjōmu”, it has long been attributed to Emperor SHŌMU because it is written in his style of script.

The characters are larger than those of a typical sutra, written in the spacing of approximately 12 characters per line.

The binding of this piece, made of cloth woven in bold patterns, is also a rare feature worth noting.

Daiji-hokekyō (dankan)　　Nara Period 8th Century, Japan

This piece features 21 lines from the third volume of the eight-volume Lotus Sutra. The fifth scroll, which is believed to be a set, was handed down to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Hyogo Prefecture and is registered as an Important Cultural Property. While normally sutra manuscripts consist of 17 characters per line, this is a large block style manuscript that uses 12 characters per line. It has been written with an extreme attention to detail from beginning to end.

Sutra with Underpainting of Butterflies and Birds　蝶鳥下絵経(Chōtori shitae-kyō）

Attributed to Empress Kōmyō (701-760)

This piece uses gold and silver paint to depict plants, trees, and butterflies on the paper. Some parts have been colored blue-green as well.

Its overall feel piece expresses the refinement of the Japanese aesthetic style.

20 Shūji-shōgyōjo (Rubbed Copy) Year 672　Wang Xizhi （303-361）

Tang Dynasty, China

This is a rubbing of a monument inscribed by the monk Kairen. The carving features words taken from Wang Xizhi’s works such as Ranteijo (Preface to the Orchid Pavillion) and Sōranjō (Mourning Book).

The “Preface to the Sacred Teachings” is praise of the achievements of Genjōsanjō by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.

Since no originals of Wang Xizhi’s works have survived, imitations and reproductions of his works have become important classics.

21 Jijojō (Rubbed Copy) Year 777 自叙帖　Kaiso (approx. Year 725-785)

Tang Dynasty, China

This is a rubbed copy of a piece by the monk Hae-Su, describing his own calligraphic career. It includes poems and phrases praised by Yan Zhenqing and other poets of the time. The characters are continuous and flowing, the brush moves freely, and the writing is unrestrained.

22 Oui-shi 王維詩

Outaku(1592-1652)

After the fall of the Ming dynasty, Outaku became a Qing official and served both the Ming and Qing dynasties. This work from his final years is a poem by Wang Wei written on silk rinzu fabric that has a woven pattern of what appears to be an apricot flower. The characters keep their shape for the most part, and breaks in the characters are used sparingly.

Shichigon-zekku 七言絶句　

RYOKAN（1758-1831）

Born in Echigo (Niigata Prefecture), RYOKAN was an important figure in Izumozaki. He began his training at the age 18. At 22 years old, he visited Echigo and met Tainin Ko Kusen, who became his lifelong teacher and further deepened his training.

RYOKAN is said to have studied Akihagij ō and Kaiso’s “Jibocho” (autobiography), and his unrestrained brushstrokes are a characteristic of his style.

Ōkyō 王喬

NUKINA Sūou (1778-1863)

Sūou is revered as one of the greatest calligraphers of the Edo period. He was also well-known as a poet and an artist, but was especially famous for his calligraphic works, possessing many techniques for exquisite execution. Sūou was so popular that had many followers even after the Meiji period.

Sūou studied many classical works throughout his lifetime and most of his pieces were well received by a universal audience; however his pieces changed quite a bit towards his later years. At age 79, he offered his collection of calligraphic copybooks to a shrine, and moved near to that shrine to be close to it. His works from that time until he passed at 86 took on a unique spirit of their own.

Shichigon-zekku 七言絶句　

KUSAKABE Meikaku (1838-1922)

Meikaku studied under MAKI Ryōkoi, a famous calligrapher of the Bakumatsu (end of Edo) period. He also idolized NUKINA Sūō. After a new government was established during the Meiji Restoration, he worked on official documents as Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. However, with the assassination of TOSHIMICHI Okubo, who was serving under him at the time, he resigned from his position and devoted himself fully to calligraphy. He systematically absorbed historical calligraphy texts from Mainland China, eventually giving birth to a style of calligraphy that had never existed in Japan prior. Many of his disciples went on to become famous people.

Shoshinga　書心画

NAKANO Etsunan (1883-1980)

Etsunan was born in Fukui Prefecture. At 17, he became an elementary school teacher, and at 21, he became a teacher at Kyoto Normal School. At age 31, he decided to devote himself to calligraphy. From the beginning of Japan’s kana alphabet in the Heian period (794-1185), to the classical texts of China’s Wang Xizhi, Etsunan’s study of calligraphy was vast and deep. He even produced works with a spirit that resonated among Zen monks. Although he was active in major public exhibitions, he was uninterested in the bureaucracy of such calligraphers’ circles, and always developed his calligraphy as a reflection of his inner self.

His great appeal lies in his ability to transcend the framework of kanji and kana, to create pieces that express a high level of both spirituality and technique.

「書心画」 means ” Calligraphy is a picture of the mind.”

「心(heart)」shaped T-shirts are on sale at the museum shop♪

27 Big Sky 大空

ONOE Saishū (1876-1957)

ONOE Saishū was born in Okayama prefecture, Japan. He moved to Tokyo to attend Tokyo Imperial University and later earned a doctorate. Saishū studied poetry and calligraphy under OGUCHI Shūgyo and won the highest award at the Taisho Exposition, which solidified his position as a calligrapher and fostered his successors.

After the war, he devoted himself to adding calligraphy to the Nitten exhibition and was in charge of judging from the very first Nitten exhibition. He had such a deep understanding of the calligraphy of the period that some of his works could be mistaken for kohitsu (old Japanese calligraphy from the 8th-14th centuries).

In the generations that followed him, the art of large kana characters taking up space of the entire wall developed.

Kusatsumishi くさつみし

IMAZEKI Shūchiku (1909－1989)

Featured in Nitten Exhibition in 1987

Born in Chiba Prefecture as IMAZEKI Shigeru

Disciple of TAKATSUKA Chikudō

IMAZEKI’s speciality is kana, the Japanese alphabet that was originally born from Chinese characters. Up until this point, kana calligraphy works were mostly seen on small-scale items that could fit on a table top, such as handscrolls and long folded paper called jo.
However, after World War II ended, pieces that would decorate the wall became in demand, which lead to the development of dai ji kana, or “big letter kana.” The play between the thickness and thinness of the lines create a sort of rhythm, a flow that you can trace with your eyes.

The kana alphabet first came about as part of the culture of the imperial court. It was always elegant and graceful, but with the changing times it has gained even more depth.

This piece showcases grazing brush strokes, referred to as kasure. Its over-all impression is reminiscent of the samurai spirit.

Bai Juyi’s poem 白楽天

FURUTANI Sōin（1924-2018）

Born in Kyoto, Furutani Sōin was a great admirer of Nakano Etsunan, and chose to follow the path of a calligrapher because of his influence. He became a disciple of Tsujimoto Shiyū and Murakami Santō.

He studied many calligraphy works, starting with the works of Wang Xizhi, who is considered as the greatest Chinese calligrapher in history, as well as works from monks like Mokkan and Ryōkan of the Edo period. In his pieces, Furutani’s brush strokes are characteristic for their vitality.

Tōka Seisei 冬夏青々

ARAI Kofū

Age 80 (2017)

The works of kanji calligrapher, ARAI Kōfū. His study of the classics under NISHIKAWA Yasushi formed the foundation for his beautiful pieces, which exquisitely express the ancient classical scripts in a modern way.

This is one piece from the solo exhibit that Arai held when he was 80 years old. This is the first piece that he produced after deciding on the theme of the exhibition. Literally, the characters here are “winter, summer, green, green”. These words represent constancy, that which is unchanging. Evergreen trees like the pine don’t change color regardless if it’s winter or summer, which is the inspiration for this piece. Done at 80 years old, this piece has become one of his representative works.

Ju-mukyō　寿無疆

OZAKI Yūhō (1924-2024)

“Mukyō” means “limitless. It seems to tell the story of a life of learning calligraphy.

This word is also used to praise longevity.

During the three years that Yūhō was being taught by his mentor’s mentor, Tsujimoto Shiyū, he was instructed to “write with more energy.”

From Yūhō’s memoirs at age 46 on sho (calligraphy):

When I am asked what the heart of sho is, I respond with, “It is the same as the way of living life.”

Calligraphy represents “unyieldingness.” When you are fed up, when you feel deflated, when you lose to a competitor, you want to just throw it all away, but it is the same with life. You have to do it anyway, you can’t give in. In that way, sho must be unyielding.

That is why it cultivates the spirit of endurance. Why are my predecessors so good, and I have no skill? As in life, there are always two sides, one that’s visible and one that is not. By enduring the side that is not visible, in other words, by cumulating effort and time and training, we can reach a great development. Endurance is a necessity.

(Omitted)

After writing countless times, eventually the brush and paper succumb their will and say, “I will do as you say.”

When I first looked at the sho that the ancients wrote, they shunned me coldly. They were so cruel it was infuriating. But when I studied at them thoroughly and tried to learn from them, eventually they spoke to me, as if they had lost their patience for defiance.

(Omitted)

As I come to understand sho, I begin to take fine pleasure in them. Even so, the sho continue to tease me, proclaiming, “You say you’re happy, but it took so long that your hair has turned white!” But to these gibes, I try not to respond.

Karakami（巻子本古今集）唐紙

Karakami is paper that is patterned using woodblock prints. This technique originally came from China, but took root in Japan and developed into its own Japanese style.

Meika-Kashūgire　名家家集切

Attributed to KINO Tsurayuki

Heian Period, Japan

Several portions of a collection of poems by six master poets, FUJIWARA Kanesuke, FUJIWARA Okikaze, SAKANOUE Korenori, MINAMOTO Kintada, ARIWARA Motokata, and KIYOHARA Fukayabu. This piece is thought to have been produced in the mid-to-late 11th century. Several parts of Fukayabu’s poem anthology have been passed down to us; it is thought to have been produced between the mid to late 11th century. This poem plays with the imagery of melancholy feelings combined with the waves and undulations of water. The paper seems to be floating in a pale, dazed cloud.

Hyakunin Isshu 百人一首

KOYAMA Yasuko (1924－2019)

Born in Tokyo. Disciple of KAWAGUCHI Shikō.

From a young age, Koyama often had the opportunity to be around various traditional Japanese arts, such as tea ceremony and flower arrangement. Byōbu are a traditional piece of furniture, used for decoration as well as practical purposes such as blocking the wind and narrowing the field of vision. Byōbu are also one of the mediums used in shodō. The subject of this piece is an ornamental manuscript of poems by famous poets from the Heian period and it beautifully displays kana calligraphy which is an appropriate expression of the delicate Japanese aesthetic. Koyama also meticulously selected the type of paper as well as the mounting, to create a brilliant piece that is a pleasure to the eye.

She was also the first woman to be elected as a Person of Cultural Merit in the field of calligraphy.

A few words from Yasuko:

“My favorite season is spring. The reason for this is that there is a lot of paper that is just right for spring. Kana is most affected by paper. There are also many spring-themed poems…(omitted)

I can’t do anything until the paper is decided. Once I see the paper, an image of the characters scattered throughout naturally and effortlessly comes to mind.”

Hyakunin Isshu

Hyakunin Isshu (百人一首) is a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese waka by one hundred poets. Hyakunin isshu can be translated to “one hundred people, one poem [each]”; it can also refer to the card game of uta-garuta, which uses a deck composed of cards based on the Hyakunin Isshu.

The most famous and standard version was compiled by Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241) while he lived in the Ogura district of Kyoto.[1] It is therefore also known as Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (小倉百人一首). （Ogura_Hyakunin_Isshu wikipediaより引用）

The first poem on display

As evening draws near in the field before the gate the autumn wind visits,

rustling through the ears of rice, then the eaves of my reed hut.

（「英語で読む百人一首」ピーター・J・マクミラン著より引用）

Sho Calligraphy and Shodō, the Japanese Way of Calligraphy

Sho is a form of visual art that emerged from writings of the cultures of China, Korea, and Japan. Sho, or calligraphy, was part of the basic education, and one of the six skills that was considered indispensable to those who had a high social status in ancient China. The style and personality of the characters written can command great respect; the works of China’s Wang Xizhi (303CE-361CE) are held in great esteem even today, and are studied both in China and Japan.

In Japan, sho is referred to as shodō. Shodō is deeply rooted in traditional customs. For example, in January, at the beginning of each year, it’s customary for Japanese people to write an auspicious word, or their goals for the year, using a brush. We call this custom, “kaki-hajime.” Because shodō is a crucial part of traditional Japanese customs, it has been registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

It is often said that “sho wa hito nari” – “the characters are the person.” The beauty of the calligraphy can show the writer’s personality, their level of education and refinement, and their unique life experience. Because shodō pieces change with the times, the way calligraphy is written can also express the times and differences in climate, offering a glimpse into the circumstances of that period. However, although the way calligraphy is expressed may change, the essence of shodō stays the same. The essence of Shodō is to act as a mirror of classical Chinese and Japanese works of calligraphy, training with the goal to write characters beautifully. By learning the ancient methods and refining them, the calligrapher can then express their own unique personality through their brush strokes. Shodō and the study of classical calligraphy works go hand in hand.

Calligraphic Style Types

Kanji types developed in the following order:

Tensho – Characters that were carved into tortoiseshell, cattle bones, and bronze vessels.
Reisho – The reisho script developed from tensho, using straighter and simpler strokes. It was the official calligraphic style for the Han dynasty (206BCE-220CE).
Sōsho – This script was born from the strong simplification of the reisho script when written quickly.
Gyōsho – This script sits between reisho and sōsho, not as simplified as sōsho but not as clear as reisho.
Kaisho – The standard for modern script today.

Kana originally developed in Japan from Chinese characters, kanji.

Hiragana – alphabetical characters with one sound per character that originated by greatly simplifying kanji.
Hentaigana – kana that have a different shape from the standard characters that are associated with each sound in Japanese. With hentaigana, the same sound can have a variety of characters in different shapes, which, unlike kanji, don’t have meaning themselves.
Katakana – Characters that have been abbreviated from kanji, written with only a part of the kanji. Like hiragana and hentaigana, these characters have one sound per character and don’t have any meaning by themselves.

In modern day Japan, only kanji, hiragana, and katakana are normally used.

Description of Works

The experience is closed for the time being.