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Part of: ASIAN 244-Diversities of Writing in Japan (24 resources )
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ASIAN 244-Diversities of Writing in Japan

A chance to think through how the visual impact of text, image, and text with image.

Copyright
All Rights Reserved
Created by
Erin Leigh Brightwell
Last Updated
May 25, 2022 3:35 p.m.

24 Items in this Learning Collection
Mirror

Collection Object
Mirror

Collection Object
Mirror

Collection Object
Calligraphy sample in Seal Script

Collection Object
Calligraphy: "Bird" in seal script, plus two lines
This is a hanging scroll of calligraphy. On the uppermost section is one large character. Underneath it is two lines. There are three different sized of fonts on this scroll, the uppermost character is the largest. On the right, there are four characters of the medium-sized font. On the left are two or three characters (it is difficult to read) of the medium writing followed by the smallest size of writing directly below. There is a total of three red seals. One on the upper right, on the corner of the largest character, and two on the bottom left next to the small font line.
Collection Object
Suiten kyo (Sutra of Varuna, Deity of the Waters)
This is a long horizontal scroll with several calligraphic inscriptions on the right portion of the paper. On the left are 3 figural scenes. The one closest to the writing shows a male figure wearing a large headdress seated in the lotus position within a circle. Next there is a figure with four arms who stands on the back of a dragon. Two people stand on either side- one a short blue-skinned man who holds a bowl and the other a smaller figure who holds a brush and paper. The third scene shows a male figure, seated in the lotus position, who holds a sword, a wheel, a brush and paper in his four hands.
Collection Object
Sutra Fragment, Calligraphy in Block Script
An excerpt from the Lotus Sutra (Japanese: Myōhō Renge Kyō), this sutra uses gold pigment on indigo dyed paper.
Collection Object
Sutra Scroll Container with Cover

Collection Object
Thirty-six Immortal Poets: Taira no Kanemori
A male figure is sitting sideways, his face looking toward the front right. He wears a long black cap, a red under-kimono, a grayish-color jacket with geometric patterns, and right gray color pantaloons. He holds a fan, which is peeking from the right sleeve. The painting is accompanied by calligraphy on the right side of the figure. The painting is mounted on gold brocade with strips of purple and gold brocade on top and bottom of the painting.
Collection Object
Camel
This double-leaf print depicts two camels and accompanying foreign trainers or performers in fringed clothing, with ballooning pants and dark boots. Some of the performers play instruments, while others tend to the camels. Above both pages is writing by calligrapher Santô Kyôden describing the camels and their tour of Japan around 1821.
Collection Object
Camel
This double-leaf print depicts two camels and accompanying foreign trainers or performers in fringed clothing, with ballooning pants and dark boots. Some of the performers play instruments, while others tend to the camels. Above both pages is writing by calligrapher Santô Kyôden describing the camels and their tour of Japan around 1821.
Collection Object
Sunrise at Benten Shrine, Suzaki Cape
Two geisha (itinerant musicians) are shown strolling in the countryside, with the roof of Benten Shintô shrine in the distance. The backdrop is the rising sun—the give-away that this is a New Year’s print—seen over distant mountains and a calm bay. One woman stoops to empty the ashes from her pipe, while the other draws her kimono closely about her. A poem lies just above the rising sun in the top left register of the morning sky.
Collection Object
Ogura-sen Hyakunin Isshu: Murasaki Shikibu (Kano'en Gundaiyu? and Isamu Rokichirô?, two Samurai of Aizu)
According to the colophon, the figures depicted in the lower part of the print are two samurai of Aizu; the large figure in the front is Isamu Sôkichirô, who has challenged the figure in the rear, Rokuya Ongun Taiyu, to a vendetta.
Collection Object
Seated Woman
A woman in kimono sits with her sleeve to her mouth. The kimono is decorated with fall leaves, and she sits behind lacquwe tea ware. Above her are crest-like decorations in blue, backgrounding the open pages of a book.
Collection Object
Shuten Dôji; 1/3 of triptych; see 1985/1.178B

Collection Object
Shuten Dôji; 1/3 of triptych; see also 1985/178A

Collection Object
Memorial portrait of Nakamura Utaemon [IV]; dated Ka'ei 5/2/17

Collection Object
Moonlight and calligraphy
This is a painting of a fan. As for the details on the fan, on the left side, there is a drawing of the full moon partly hidden behind clouds. On the right side is writing in calligraphy. There is another line of calligraphy father to the left of the moon. Some of the writing is in red.
Collection Object
Portrait of the Poet 'Basho'
This portrait of the poet Matsuo Bashō is constructed with seemingly effortless caligraphic lines, and surrounded by lines from one of the poet's works. The figure sits looking out at the viewer, beside his hat and a square container with a handle. The artist's seal is placed to the left of the figure, visually recalling the objects beside the poet on his other side. 
Collection Object
Broom, Poems, and Poets
&quot;On&nbsp;the&nbsp;right&nbsp;side&nbsp;is&nbsp;a&nbsp;drawing&nbsp;of&nbsp;a&nbsp;straw&nbsp;broom&nbsp;accompanied&nbsp;by&nbsp;a&nbsp;single&nbsp;line&nbsp;of&nbsp;verse that reads,<br /> Ippatsu ichiboku&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;One&nbsp;stroke, one&nbsp;line&nbsp;<br /> Soha&nbsp;zokujin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sweeps&nbsp;away worldly&nbsp;dust.<br /> In&nbsp;a&nbsp;Zen&nbsp;fashion&nbsp;the&nbsp;poem&nbsp;suggests&nbsp;that&nbsp;one&nbsp;line&nbsp;of&nbsp;ink&nbsp;will clear&nbsp;away&nbsp;the&nbsp;confusion&nbsp;of&nbsp;everyday&nbsp;life. The&nbsp;sweeping action&nbsp;is&nbsp;materialized&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;sketch&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;broom.<br /> The&nbsp;next&nbsp;poem&nbsp;plays&nbsp;upon&nbsp;the&nbsp;sweeping&nbsp;action mentioned&nbsp;above,<br /> Yukuharu&nbsp;no &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Departing&nbsp;Spring&#39;s<br /> Shiripeta&nbsp;harau&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Buttocks&nbsp;are&nbsp;brushed
Collection Object
Beauty (Taifu)
A colored image of a single woman at the center of the scroll. She appears to be seated though there is nothing beneath her. Her kimono is grey with green grass designs and her under kimono is white. Her obi is a red and green stylized design. Above her head is an inscription.
Collection Object
Calligraphy: Watching Ducks on a Spring Morning
In this monumental scroll, Nukina Kaioku has brushed a Chinese poem of his own composition, on the enduring theme of nature as refreshment for the spirit. Note his masterful variation of thick and thin strokes, wet and dry ink, stately and rapid movement.<br />The verses may be tentatively rendered into English as follows:<br /> Mandarin ducks enjoy the fresh water; their graceful forms glow as they pass through channels in the reeds.<br /> Pushing beyond the thickets [to the open pond], they call to one another again and again in the dawn.<br /> A crimson mist breaks through gaps in the glade, its glow warming hidden nests.<br /> Waking up with nothing to do, [I came here] to playfully row among the spring waves.
Collection Object
Calligraphy
A long hanging scroll with stamps in the top right and middle left of the scroll. The five lines of characters are very shaky.
Collection Object
And Naturally Ripens into Fruit
Hanging scroll with five large calligraphic kanji characters. The lower right contains further text and orangish read seals. The background brocade on which it is mounted is green and gold and has a floral design. Two strips of other material lie across the top and bottom of the white material on which teh calligraphy is painted. These strips also have a floral design and a light gold/yellow background.
Collection Object

A chance to think through how the visual impact of text, image, and text with image.

24 Items in this Learning Collection
Mirror

Collection Object
Mirror

Collection Object
Mirror

Collection Object
Calligraphy sample in Seal Script

Collection Object
Calligraphy: "Bird" in seal script, plus two lines
This is a hanging scroll of calligraphy. On the uppermost section is one large character. Underneath it is two lines. There are three different sized of fonts on this scroll, the uppermost character is the largest. On the right, there are four characters of the medium-sized font. On the left are two or three characters (it is difficult to read) of the medium writing followed by the smallest size of writing directly below. There is a total of three red seals. One on the upper right, on the corner of the largest character, and two on the bottom left next to the small font line.
Collection Object
Suiten kyo (Sutra of Varuna, Deity of the Waters)
This is a long horizontal scroll with several calligraphic inscriptions on the right portion of the paper. On the left are 3 figural scenes. The one closest to the writing shows a male figure wearing a large headdress seated in the lotus position within a circle. Next there is a figure with four arms who stands on the back of a dragon. Two people stand on either side- one a short blue-skinned man who holds a bowl and the other a smaller figure who holds a brush and paper. The third scene shows a male figure, seated in the lotus position, who holds a sword, a wheel, a brush and paper in his four hands.
Collection Object
Sutra Fragment, Calligraphy in Block Script
An excerpt from the Lotus Sutra (Japanese: Myōhō Renge Kyō), this sutra uses gold pigment on indigo dyed paper.
Collection Object
Sutra Scroll Container with Cover

Collection Object
Thirty-six Immortal Poets: Taira no Kanemori
A male figure is sitting sideways, his face looking toward the front right. He wears a long black cap, a red under-kimono, a grayish-color jacket with geometric patterns, and right gray color pantaloons. He holds a fan, which is peeking from the right sleeve. The painting is accompanied by calligraphy on the right side of the figure. The painting is mounted on gold brocade with strips of purple and gold brocade on top and bottom of the painting.
Collection Object
Camel
This double-leaf print depicts two camels and accompanying foreign trainers or performers in fringed clothing, with ballooning pants and dark boots. Some of the performers play instruments, while others tend to the camels. Above both pages is writing by calligrapher Santô Kyôden describing the camels and their tour of Japan around 1821.
Collection Object
Camel
This double-leaf print depicts two camels and accompanying foreign trainers or performers in fringed clothing, with ballooning pants and dark boots. Some of the performers play instruments, while others tend to the camels. Above both pages is writing by calligrapher Santô Kyôden describing the camels and their tour of Japan around 1821.
Collection Object
Sunrise at Benten Shrine, Suzaki Cape
Two geisha (itinerant musicians) are shown strolling in the countryside, with the roof of Benten Shintô shrine in the distance. The backdrop is the rising sun—the give-away that this is a New Year’s print—seen over distant mountains and a calm bay. One woman stoops to empty the ashes from her pipe, while the other draws her kimono closely about her. A poem lies just above the rising sun in the top left register of the morning sky.
Collection Object
Ogura-sen Hyakunin Isshu: Murasaki Shikibu (Kano'en Gundaiyu? and Isamu Rokichirô?, two Samurai of Aizu)
According to the colophon, the figures depicted in the lower part of the print are two samurai of Aizu; the large figure in the front is Isamu Sôkichirô, who has challenged the figure in the rear, Rokuya Ongun Taiyu, to a vendetta.
Collection Object
Seated Woman
A woman in kimono sits with her sleeve to her mouth. The kimono is decorated with fall leaves, and she sits behind lacquwe tea ware. Above her are crest-like decorations in blue, backgrounding the open pages of a book.
Collection Object
Shuten Dôji; 1/3 of triptych; see 1985/1.178B

Collection Object
Shuten Dôji; 1/3 of triptych; see also 1985/178A

Collection Object
Memorial portrait of Nakamura Utaemon [IV]; dated Ka'ei 5/2/17

Collection Object
Moonlight and calligraphy
This is a painting of a fan. As for the details on the fan, on the left side, there is a drawing of the full moon partly&nbsp;hidden behind clouds. On the right side is writing in calligraphy. There is another line of calligraphy&nbsp;father&nbsp;to the left of the moon. Some of the writing is in red.
Collection Object
Portrait of the Poet 'Basho'
This portrait of the poet Matsuo Bashō is constructed with seemingly effortless caligraphic lines, and surrounded by lines from one of the poet's works. The figure sits looking out at the viewer, beside his hat and a square container with a handle. The artist's seal is placed to the left of the figure, visually recalling the objects beside the poet on his other side. 
Collection Object
Broom, Poems, and Poets
&quot;On&nbsp;the&nbsp;right&nbsp;side&nbsp;is&nbsp;a&nbsp;drawing&nbsp;of&nbsp;a&nbsp;straw&nbsp;broom&nbsp;accompanied&nbsp;by&nbsp;a&nbsp;single&nbsp;line&nbsp;of&nbsp;verse that reads,<br /> Ippatsu ichiboku&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;One&nbsp;stroke, one&nbsp;line&nbsp;<br /> Soha&nbsp;zokujin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sweeps&nbsp;away worldly&nbsp;dust.<br /> In&nbsp;a&nbsp;Zen&nbsp;fashion&nbsp;the&nbsp;poem&nbsp;suggests&nbsp;that&nbsp;one&nbsp;line&nbsp;of&nbsp;ink&nbsp;will clear&nbsp;away&nbsp;the&nbsp;confusion&nbsp;of&nbsp;everyday&nbsp;life. The&nbsp;sweeping action&nbsp;is&nbsp;materialized&nbsp;by&nbsp;the&nbsp;sketch&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;broom.<br /> The&nbsp;next&nbsp;poem&nbsp;plays&nbsp;upon&nbsp;the&nbsp;sweeping&nbsp;action mentioned&nbsp;above,<br /> Yukuharu&nbsp;no &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Departing&nbsp;Spring&#39;s<br /> Shiripeta&nbsp;harau&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Buttocks&nbsp;are&nbsp;brushed
Collection Object
Beauty (Taifu)
A colored image of a single woman at the center of the scroll. She appears to be seated though there is nothing beneath her. Her kimono is grey with green grass designs and her under kimono is white. Her obi is a red and green stylized design. Above her head is an inscription.
Collection Object
Calligraphy: Watching Ducks on a Spring Morning
In this monumental scroll, Nukina Kaioku has brushed a Chinese poem of his own composition, on the enduring theme of nature as refreshment for the spirit. Note his masterful variation of thick and thin strokes, wet and dry ink, stately and rapid movement.<br />The verses may be tentatively rendered into English as follows:<br /> Mandarin ducks enjoy the fresh water; their graceful forms glow as they pass through channels in the reeds.<br /> Pushing beyond the thickets [to the open pond], they call to one another again and again in the dawn.<br /> A crimson mist breaks through gaps in the glade, its glow warming hidden nests.<br /> Waking up with nothing to do, [I came here] to playfully row among the spring waves.
Collection Object
Calligraphy
A long hanging scroll with stamps in the top right and middle left of the scroll. The five lines of characters are very shaky.
Collection Object
And Naturally Ripens into Fruit
Hanging scroll with five large calligraphic kanji characters. The lower right contains further text and orangish read seals. The background brocade on which it is mounted is green and gold and has a floral design. Two strips of other material lie across the top and bottom of the white material on which teh calligraphy is painted. These strips also have a floral design and a light gold/yellow background.
Collection Object

Copyright
All Rights Reserved ()

Calligraphy: Watching Ducks on a Spring Morning

Accession Number
1987/2.45

Title
Calligraphy: Watching Ducks on a Spring Morning

Artist(s)
Nukina Kaioku

Object Creation Date
1840s - 1863

Medium & Support
hanging scroll, ink on paper

Dimensions
67 9/16 in. x 38 3/16 in. ( 171.6 cm x 97 cm )

Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

Label copy
Nukina Kaioku
Japan, 1778–1863
Calligraphy: Watching Ducks on a Spring Morning
Edo period (1615–1868)
ca. 1840–63
Hanging scroll, ink on paper
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art
Collection Fund, 1987/2.45

Calligraphy was considered the quintessential art of the
East Asian scholar, revealing both the writer’s knowledge of
tradition and his own persona. By following each line of the
text, one can experience the movements of the artist’s brush,
arm, and body. Because nothing can be hidden or reworked,
the creative process seems to unfold before the eyes in real
time. In this monumental scroll, Nukina Kaioku, one of the
most influential calligraphers of his day, has brushed a Chinese
poem of his own composition on the theme of nature as a
refreshment for the spirit. Note his masterful variation of thick
and thin strokes, wet and dry ink, stately and rapid movement:
it is a supremely confident work, probably from the last two
decades of his life.

Subject matter
Calligraphy was considered the quintessential art of the East Asian scholar, as it reveals both the writer’s knowledge of tradition and his own persona. By following each line of text, we can visually and even kinesthetically experience the gestures of the artist’s brush, arm, and whole body. Because nothing is hidden or re-worked, the creative process seems to replay itself before our eyes in real time, with searing honesty. it is a supremely confident work, probably from the last two decades of his life.

Physical Description
In this monumental scroll, Nukina Kaioku has brushed a Chinese poem of his own composition, on the enduring theme of nature as refreshment for the spirit. Note his masterful variation of thick and thin strokes, wet and dry ink, stately and rapid movement.
The verses may be tentatively rendered into English as follows:
Mandarin ducks enjoy the fresh water; their graceful forms glow as they pass through channels in the reeds.
Pushing beyond the thickets [to the open pond], they call to one another again and again in the dawn.
A crimson mist breaks through gaps in the glade, its glow warming hidden nests.
Waking up with nothing to do, [I came here] to playfully row among the spring waves.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Primary Object Type
calligraphy

Additional Object Classification(s)
Painting

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Nature
calligraphy
calligraphy (process)
ducks (birds)
poems
poetry

2 Related Resources
Japan Pax Tokugawa 1600-1868
(Part of: Empires and Colonialism)
Samurai
(Part of 5 Learning Collections)

& Author Notes

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