A hand-painted shikishi card by Zen master Taitsū Kōno (河野太通, b. 1930) showcases a spirited brushwork depiction of an ox, a classic Zen motif representing perseverance, inner strength, and the taming of the mind. Rendered in bold sumi ink, the swirling brushstrokes echo the energetic rhythm of Zenga, a style of Zen painting often used as spiritual practice itself.
The cow holds deep symbolic meaning in Zen Buddhism, most famously represented in the series of paintings and poems known as the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures. Depict the stages of a practitioner's spiritual journey toward enlightenment. This is not merely a painting but a visual extension of Zen practice, an invitation to pause, breathe, and observe with clarity and compassion.
Taitsū Kōno 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.
In 2004, he became chief priest of Ryumonji Temple in Himeji, establishing the Ryumonji Zen Dojo as a center of practice. From 2010, he served as the 33rd chief priest of the Myōshinji branch of the Rinzai sect and as president of the All Japan Buddhist Association. As an artist and spiritual teacher, Kōno continues to hold monthly Mumeikai Zen meetings, a tradition passed down from his teacher, Yamada Mumon. His calligraphic and pictorial works, like the ox depicted here, embody the heart of Zen: direct, simple, and profound.
Size: 24 x 27cm
