Thomsen Gallery
Skip to main content
  • Menu
  • Artworks
  • Artists
  • Art Fairs
  • Exhibitions
  • Viewing Room
  • Publications
  • About
  • Contact
Menu

Scrolls

Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Gidō Kōkan 義道弘貫, Six Zen Calligraphies, 1910s-1930s
Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Gidō Kōkan 義道弘貫, Six Zen Calligraphies, 1910s-1930s

Gidō Kōkan 義道弘貫

Six Zen Calligraphies, 1910s-1930s
Ink on paper
Image size each scroll 53¼ x 13¼ in. (135 x 33.5 cm)
Overall size each scroll 80¼ x 18½ in. (204 x 47 cm)
T-0965
Enquire
%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EGid%C5%8D%20K%C5%8Dkan%20%E7%BE%A9%E9%81%93%E5%BC%98%E8%B2%AB%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESix%20Zen%20Calligraphies%3C/span%3E%2C%20%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1910s-1930s%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EInk%20on%20paper%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3EImage%20size%20each%20scroll%2053%C2%BC%20x%2013%C2%BC%20in.%20%28135%20x%2033.5%20cm%29%3Cbr/%3E%0AOverall%20size%20each%20scroll%2080%C2%BC%20x%2018%C2%BD%20in.%20%28204%20x%2047%20cm%29%3C/div%3E

Further images

  • (View a larger image of thumbnail 1 ) Thumbnail of additional image
  • (View a larger image of thumbnail 2 ) Thumbnail of additional image
Each signed Ōbaku Gidō sho (Written by Ōbaku Gidō) and sealed Ōbakuzanshu (Master of Mount Ōbaku) and Gidō. Each scroll comes with a fitted kiri-wood box Gidō Kōkan was the...
Read more
Each signed Ōbaku Gidō sho (Written by Ōbaku Gidō) and sealed Ōbakuzanshu (Master of Mount Ōbaku) and Gidō.

Each scroll comes with a fitted kiri-wood box

Gidō Kōkan was the 48th Abbot of Manpukuji Temple in Kyoto, headquarters of the Ōbaku Sect of Rinzai Zen.

The calligraphies comprise six well-known Chinese ten-character Zen couplets, and read as follows (from right to left):

1 and 2: Pine trees do not change their color with age; bamboo has nodes both above and below ground.
3 and 4: Plum blossoms bud before snow and frost; their flowers are fragrant after wind and rain.
5 and 6: Rivers flow but once were in the ocean; the moon sinks but does leave the heavens.


Close full details
Previous
|
Next
32 
of  38
Accessibility Policy
Manage cookies
Copyright © 2025 Thomsen Gallery
Site by Artlogic

This website uses cookies
This site uses cookies to help make it more useful to you. Please contact us to find out more about our Cookie Policy.

Manage cookies
Accept

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Cookie options
Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled.
Improve your experience on the website by storing choices you make about how it should function.
Allow us to collect anonymous usage data in order to improve the experience on our website.
Allow us to identify our visitors so that we can offer personalised, targeted marketing.
Save preferences