Page 121 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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minister, the highest post in the imperial Yoshimitsu is noted for his enthusiastic kuji as the mortuary temple of Wuxue
bureaucracy) in 1394, and the following and discriminating patronage of art and Zeyuan (1226-1286), who was the latter's
year entered the Buddhist priesthood, as- scholarship. founding abbot. In keeping with their
suming the Buddhist name Doyu; he also These three calligraphic works of two function, the characters are written in the
used another Buddhist name, Tenzan. Tak- characters each bear Ashikaga Yoshimi- regular, or standard mode (kaisho), with
ing the tonsure, however, was not an abdi- tsu's seals. Each work is stamped with a great attention to balance and legibility.
cation of power but a means to wieldjt vermilion square seal, Doyu, and a vermil- They are dignified and monumental.
more effectively. He suppressed the Ouchi ion tripod-shaped seal, Tenzan, referring to According to the historical document
family and other powerful shugo daimyo in Yoshimitsu's Buddhist names. Kamakura Gozanki (Record of the Kama-
the provinces and opened diplomatic rela- Calligraphies of this type are known kura Zen temples), Fugen, meaning "uni-
tions with China under the Ming Dynasty, as gakuji, or "forehead characters." Incised versal revelation," refers to the Tochido, or
calling himself Nihon kokud (King of Ja- wooden plaques based on them were hung Hall of the Local Deity; Shukuryù, mean-
pan). He also built a residential villa at Ki- above the central entrances of temple ing "lodging dragon," refers to the guest
tayama in northwestern Kyoto, which is buildings. These three—Fugen, Shukuryû, hall; and Keishd, meaning "cassia tree and
now Rokuonji, famous for its pondside and Keishd—identify three buildings in sunlight" refers to the Soshidô, or found-
Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku). In addition to Shozokuin, originally a subtemple of Ken- er's hall. NYA
his political and military abilities, chóji, which was moved in 1335 to Enga-

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