Ink Drawing of Bamboo, Orchids, and Rock

Xinyue Xingchou (1639-1695) was a Zen monk of the Sōtō sect during the early Edo period. He was also known as Tōkō and Donggao Xinyue. He arrived in Japan in Enpō 5 (1677) at the invitation of Chengyi Daoliang, the fourth resident priest of Kōfukuji Temple in Nagasaki. Initially, he was imprisoned at Kōfukuji Temple but was later welcomed at Tentokuji Temple in Mito under the patronage of Tokugawa Mitsukuni. There, he practiced a style of Buddhism that had been imported from China. Tentokuji Temple was later renamed Gionji Temple and became the center of the Jushō school of the Sōtō sect of Zen Buddhism, which Xinyue had introduced from China. He excelled in calligraphy, painting, and seal engraving and was ranked alongside Dai Mangong as a ‘founder of seal engraving.’ The ‘Rengaku’ style was especially favored, and there are still many plaques with mountain and temple names written by Xinyue at temples across the country. He also excelled at playing the seven-stringed zither (or, according to one theory, the three-stringed zither) and had many disciples in zither playing, introducing various aspects of Chinese culture.

This painting is a Suibokuga (ink painting) depicting bamboo, orchids, and stones, creating a serene and ethereal atmosphere. The inscription on the box reads, “The collection of Kakumeikan.”