Couplet From The Chinese Poem “grasses” By Bai Juyi — Bokusai

Couplet from the Chinese Poem “Grasses” by Bai Juyi


Bokusai

A master of Ukiyo-e woodblock printing, Bokusai's iconic 'Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji' and prolific series capture the beauty of Japanese landscapes and life—discover his timeless artistry today.

A scroll with boldly inscribed Chinese characters by or attributed to a prominent Zen monk such as Motsurin Jōtō would have been used for display in an alcove during a tea ceremony. Motsurin Jōtō, or Bokusai, was a close disciple of the famous Zen monk Ikkyū (1394–1481) of Daitokuji. Because of this close connection, Motsurin’s briskly brushed calligraphy closely resembles that of his master. Here he has brushed a couplet by the Tang poet Bai Juyi (772–846): Wild grasses spread out far across the plains. Each year they wither, only to flourish again. —Trans. John T. Carpenter