The canon of the ‘Ten Bull Pictures’ [aka. Oxherding Pictures] goes back to China’s Song Dynasty (11th century). It is a charming parable about the process of enlightenment that was developed in the Chan [jap. Zen] Buddhist tradition. This parable became particularly popular in Japan where it was painted again and again for the instructions of monks and the enjoyment of the laity. The present version is signed by two brothers of the renowned Kano family, Kano Chikanobu (1660-1728) and Kano Minenobu (1662-1709), both of them sons of the Kano Tsunenobu (1636-1713). According to the text on the box, each accompanying poem is written by a different monk from Kyoto’s Nanzenji Temple. Thus, the ten paintings and the ten poems are written on different sheets of paper but mounted as a scroll. We have not been able to identify any of the monks who contributed and it is possible that the scroll was copied in the late 18th or early 19th century.
The ten chapters follow the arrangement that was established in the Song dynasty: 1. Searching for the bull; 2 Seeing a trace; 3 Seeing the bull; 4 Catching the bull; 5. Taming the bull; 6. Riding the bull; 7. Forgetting the bull, self remains; 8. Forgetting self and the bull; 9. Returning to the origin; 10. Entering the market place with arms hanging down. Various versions of the poems exist. The present follows the most popular version by the 12th century Song monk Kuoan Shiyuan (jap. Kakuan Shien).
The first poem translates as follows: “One aimlessly pushes the grasses away in search. The rivers are wide, the mountains far away. And the path becomes longer. Exhausted and dispirited one hears only the late autumn cicadas shrilling in the maple woods.” The last poem reads: “He enters the city barefoot, with chest exposed. Covered in dust and ashes, smiling broadly. No need for magic powers of the gods and immortals. Just let the dead tree bloom again.” (translated by Gen P. Sakamoto in Stephanie Wada: The Oxherder: A Zen parable illustrated. New York, George Brazilier, 2002)
The text on the inside of the top lid explains the circumstances of a donation of the scroll by the Head Priest of the Ishiyama Temple (Omi Prov.), Sugawara En, in August of 1883. “In August of the 16th year of the Meiji reign the chief priest, Sugawara En, of the Ishiyama Temple in Goshu [near Lake Biwa] wrote a note to Prince Kuni Asahiko through the introduction of Nishikawa Yoso, saying he planned some construction work on the Moon Viewing Pavilion of the same temple and required a donation. After going through the proper procedures for the application the donation was approved. In September a plaque with the three written characters Shiun-kaku [Purple Cloud Tower] were bestowed by the Nishikawa clan. As a result he received from the chief priest Sugawara this album of the ‘Ten Bull pictures’ painted by Kano Chikanobu and Kano Minenobu with inscriptions by ten monks of Nanzen-ji Temple.“ This statement is signed ”Mitsutoyo“ and dated October 1883.
