This vintage shikishi print by Taitsū Kōno 河野太通 features a beautifully minimal ink depiction of a mouse / rat, accompanied by the Zen phrase:
無事是貴人
“Peaceful simplicity is the mark of a noble person.”
The composition is quiet yet expressive: the mouse is rendered with only a few soft grey and black brushstrokes, giving it a gentle, almost meditative presence. Its rounded body, delicate whiskers, and playful posture reflect the spirit of Zen painting, where the fewest possible lines can suggest life, movement, and character. The surrounding calligraphy gives the work a deeper contemplative meaning, reminding the viewer that true dignity is found not in busyness or attachment, but in a calm, untroubled heart.
Taitsū Kōno 河野太通 is a distinguished Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest, artist, author, and humanitarian. Born in Ōita Prefecture in 1930, he was ordained at Shōganji Temple in Nakatsu at the age of 18. After graduating from Hanazono University in 1953, he entered intensive monastic training at Shōfukuji, Japan’s oldest Zen temple, under the revered Master Yamada Mumon Rōshi. He later became chief priest of Ryūmonji Temple in Himeji and served as the 33rd chief priest of the Myōshinji branch of the Rinzai sect, as well as president of the All Japan Buddhist Association.
Kōno’s calligraphic and pictorial works embody the essence of Zen: direct, simple, humorous, and profound. This shikishi is a charming example of his ability to combine spiritual teaching with warm visual expression. The mouse, often associated in Japan with cleverness, vitality, and good fortune, adds a light and auspicious feeling to the piece.
Size: 24 x 27cm
