This original shikishi board features a lively ink painting and expressive calligraphy by Taitsū Kōno (河野太通, 1930–) a renowned Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest, calligrapher, author, and humanitarian.
The playful yet contemplative image depicts a monkey, rendered in soft sumi ink with spontaneous brushstrokes that capture both movement and spirit. Above the monkey is a vertical flow of calligraphy, reflecting the harmony of word and image, mind and brush. The monkey, often seen in Zen art, can symbolize the restless human mind, in this quiet moment, its gentle stillness.
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
