Paired Illustrateds of the Life of Zen Master Dogen 2 -35

This is an illustrated biography of the life of Dōgen (1200-1253), who introduced the Sōtō sect of Zen to Japan. Various biographies of Dōgen have been written since ancient times. In the late Edo period (1603-1867), “Teiho Kenzeiki Zue” and “Eihei Kōso Gyōjōki,” biographies with illustrations, were published to make them accessible to the general public. The appearance of these illustrated biographies was closely related to the 550th anniversary of Dōgen’s death (1802). The hanging scrolls of the biography had the advantage of allowing Dōgen to preach his life story in front of a large audience and played a major role in popularizing the biography among monks and parishioners of the sect.

This illustrated biography consists of two volumes of exquisitely crafted Gyōjōzu painted in ink on silk. The 1st volume (charts 1 to 23) primarily depicts Dōgen’s genealogy, from his birth in Shōji 2 (1200) to the time he was sealed by his master Ju-ching at Mt. Tiantai in Antei 1 (1227), and the last night before his return to Japan, when he copied Hekiganshū (Blue Cliff Record) in one night with the help of Hakusan Gongen. The 2nd volume (charts 24-47) depicts his return to Japan accompanied by Shōhō Shichirō Daigon Shuri Bodhisattva, up to his death in Kenchō 5 (1253). The last scene is Dōgen’s mausoleum (Jōyōden) at Eiheiji Temple.

This illustrated biography is a Gyōjōzu of Dōgen’s movements that came to Ryūunji Temple (Awara City, Fukui Prefecture) and was donated by a parishioner in Kaei 6 (1853). It is painted by painter Murai Hidetaka of Kyoto and crafted by Muroya Kyūbē of Mikuni (Sakai city, Fukui prefecture), a Hyōgushi who crafted the hanging rolls, with exquisite brush strokes on silk.