Hakuin

30-04-2021
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Hakuin

Hakuin is the most important of the Japanese Zen artists; indeed, he is one of the greatest artists of any kind in world culture. Tremendously creative and productive, creating perhaps as many as 20,000 thousand Zenga in his lifetime as well as having thousands more pieces printed from woodblocks Hakuin's work is now appreciated all over the world. Zen Master Hakuin's Letter in Answer to an Old Nun of the Hokke Nichiren Sect The 25th day of the Eleventh Month of Enkyo 4 (C.E. Hakuin Ekaku (白隠 慧鶴, January 19, 1686 - January 18, 1768) was one of the most influential figures in Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as the reviver of the Rinzai school from a moribund period of stagnation, refocusing it on its traditionally rigorous training methods integrating meditation.

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3. Is That So?

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbours as one living apure life.

A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him.Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child.

This made her parents angry. She would not confess who the man was, butafter much harassment at last named Hakuin.

In great anger the parent went to the master. 'Is that so?' was all hewould say.

After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he hadlost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good careof the child. He obtained milk from his neighbours and everything else heneeded.

A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told herparents the truth - the real father of the child was a young man whoworked in the fishmarket.

The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to askforgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back.

Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: 'Is thatso?'


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Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768) is widely acknowledged as the most important Zen Buddhist master of the past 500 years. He was also the most influential Zen artist of Edo-period (1615-1868) Japan, but unlike the highly studied monk painters of earlier centuries, he received no formal artistic training beyond the basic skills in handling brush, ink, and paper that were required for everyday writing.

Hakuin’s self-taught, spontaneous, yet masterly and inspired painting and calligraphy, just like his teachings and writings, expressed the mind and heart of Zen for monks and lay followers alike. With the aim of reaching out to people of all social and economic classes, rather than just the élite, he invented a new visual language for his religion, depicting everyday subjects and themes from other Buddhist sects, as well as Zen patriarchs and masters.

For this first exhibition in the West devoted to Hakuin, nearly 80 of his scrolls will be gathered from collections in the United States and Japan. Organized in collaboration with New Orleans Museum of Art, and curated by Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Professor Stephen Addiss. The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by LACMA’s East Asian Art Council.

Hakuin Paintings

Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768) is widely acknowledged as the most important Zen Buddhist master of the past 500 years. He was also the most influential Zen artist of Edo-period (1615-1868) Japan, but unlike the highly studied monk painters of earlier centuries, he received no formal artistic training beyond the basic skills in handling brush, ink, and paper that were required for everyday writing.

Hakuin’s self-taught, spontaneous, yet masterly and inspired painting and calligraphy, just like his teachings and writings, expressed the mind and heart of Zen for monks and lay followers alike. With the aim of reaching out to people of all social and economic classes, rather than just the élite, he invented a new visual language for his religion, depicting everyday subjects and themes from other Buddhist sects, as well as Zen patriarchs and masters.

For this first exhibition in the West devoted to Hakuin, nearly 80 of his scrolls will be gathered from collections in the United States and Japan. Organized in collaboration with New Orleans Museum of Art, and curated by Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Professor Stephen Addiss. The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by LACMA’s East Asian Art Council.

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin is organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art

The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by LACMA's East Asian Art Council.

Incomplete - Highlighted Objects, Links

Image: Hakuin Ekaku, Japan, 1685 1769, Daruma, 18th century, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, Image: 44 1/2 x 19 3/4 in. (113.03 x 50.17 cm); Mount: 77 3/4 x 25 in. (197.49 x 63.5 cm), Gift of Murray Smith. M.91.220.

  • May 22–Aug 14, 2011
  • Pavilion for Japanese Art

  • This exhibition is shown in two parts.

    Part 1: May 22–June 28, 2011

    Part 2: July 1, 2011–August 14, 2011

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin is organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art

The Los Angeles presentation is made possible by LACMA's East Asian Art Council.

Hakuin Poet

Incomplete - Highlighted Objects, Links

Image: Hakuin Ekaku, Japan, 1685 1769, Daruma, 18th century, Hanging scroll; ink on paper, Image: 44 1/2 x 19 3/4 in. (113.03 x 50.17 cm); Mount: 77 3/4 x 25 in. (197.49 x 63.5 cm), Gift of Murray Smith. M.91.220.

Media

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin

Hakuin Ekaku

Curator Rob Singer talks about the exhibition The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin, on view through August 14, 2011.