Page 83 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

clenching his left fist. A long tachi sword is them. He has close contacts with all peo- Shingen had a monumental build, as
placed at his left. With slender face, wide- ple and selects talents to administer his can be seen in this work, an unusual por-
open eyes, and well-trimmed beard, Mo- territory.... trait with an outdoor setting. The painting
tonari is depicted without the idealization When he holds the Mori family sword is accompanied by a letter written by
evidenced in later portrait paintings of mil- and subjugates the enemy, his wisdom tem- Shingen's son, Katsuyori, which says that
itary leaders. pers the best of swords, such as the famous it was painted in Shingen's lifetime and
According to the inscription above pair forged by the Chinese smiths Ganjian that it was to be offered to Seikeiin. The
the sitter, the portrait was painted during and his wife, Moxie [of the 3rd century seal Nobuharu, stamped at the lower left,
Motonari's lifetime at the order of his first A.D.]. When he waves a fan and commands identifies the painter as Hasegawa Tô-
son, Takamoto. The inscription, dated garrisons, it is as if he consults with Sun Wu haku, who was then known as Nobuharu.
1562, was written by Ninnyo Shügyó (d. and Wu Qi [ancient Chinese military strat- The painting was done when Tôhaku was
1574, the ninety-first abbot of Shôkokuji egists of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. in his early thirties.
and forty-second abbot of Rokuon'in) at respectively].... The warlord and his highly decorative
the request of a certain Jiku'un Eshin, pre- He loves to praise courageous men of garments are delineated in precise and col-
sumably a monk of Nanzenji, the monas- loyalty and valor. His brave tiger face recalls orful detail, following the yamato-e tradi-
tery that Motonari patronized. the ambition of Ban Chao [famous Chi- tion considered appropriate for depictions
The long inscription lauds the ances- nese general of 1st century A.D.]. His por- of great men. In the suggestion of land-
tral lineage of the Mori family, tracing it cupine hair resembles the beautiful beard of scape the painter reveals his interest in the
back to the Oe family, descendants of the Commander Huan Wen [fl. 2nd half of 4th freer ink-painting style derived from
emperor Kanmu (737-806), and mention- century A.D.]. The triple stars [the Mori China. MS
ing the virtues and merits of one Oe Masa- family crest] add brightness to his beautiful
fusa (1041-1111), a distinguished scholar, abode. The family crests of the generations 18 The emperor Go-Yozei
poet, and civil administrator, from whom of the powerful and rich decorate his mili- Kano Takanobu (1571-1618)
Motonari was directly descended. Replete tary tent hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
with allusions to Chinese history and liter- He recites and composes Japanese 107.0 X 6o.l (42*/8 X 235/8)
ature, and embellished, in the best sense poems. As a connoisseur of old books, he Momoyama period, early ryth century
of the word, with purple prose, this in- enjoys many different editions of poetry an-
scription accords Motonari the stature of a thologies to visit the ancient steps of early Sennyüji, Kyoto
sage-warrior. The inscription reads in part Japanese poetry. With devotion, he makes The emperor Go-Yozei (1571-1617) sits on a
(starting with the second half of the elev- the reading of Indian Buddhist scriptures mat placed over a large tatami. He wears
enth line from the right): his daily task, a sign of sincere faith in the an eboshi (black headgear) and an informal
Buddha.
Now, Morí Motonari, the ruler ofAki, Cour- His allies always believe in his words. courtier's robe. As the io7th emperor, Go-
tier Ûe, and Honorary Ruler ofMutsu prov- "Being good to neighbors is a precious vir- Yôzei reigned from 1586 to 1611, during the
ince, converted early to the Three Jewels tue, a man of virtue will never be alone" are period when Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-
[i.e., Buddhism]. His Buddhist name is Ni- indeed the right words for him. He has 1598) subjugated the entire country and
chirai, and his title is Ddshun. As to his given the family headship to Takamoto and Tokugawa leyasu (1543-1616) gradually es-
power, he rules over a dozen provinces and lives in retirement on Juzan. I cheer loudly tablished political power, a time when aris-
controls over ten thousand troops. In the for his long life. tocratic society was regaining relative
past, Courtier Oe Masafusa ruled nine prov- Written in the fall of the fifth year of stability. Go-Yôzei not only made efforts
inces, two islands, and western regions un- Eiroku [1562], humble priest, formerly of to revive public events and ceremonies,
der Dazaifu [regional capital in Kyushu], Rokuon'in, Nanzenji. but was committed to learning: he studied
where he lived for five years. To think, Mo- Ninnyo [square relief seal] classical literature, including The Tale of
tonari's lineage must also be Masafusa's [illegible tripod-shaped relief seal] AY Genji, and enjoyed Japanese poetry, callig-
posterity. Slowly but steadily progressing for raphy, and painting. He was instrumental
five hundred years, how right it is—the root in persuading the scholar-poet and daimyo
is big with thriving foliage; the source is 17 Takeda Shingen Hosokawa Yüsai (1534-1610;), when Yüsai
high and full of water. Indeed they are well Hasegawa Tôhaku (1539-1610) faced a siege by enemy troops in 1600, to
called the Oe [Big River] family, and he is hanging scroll; ink and color on silk pass on his knowledge of the poetics of the
well called Jdshun [Perpetual Spring]. Ah, 42.0 x 63.0 (i6 /2 x 243/4) Kokinshù to the imperial prince Hachijô
l
what prosperity! Momoyama period, late i6th century (1579-1617), Go-Yozei's younger brother.
Zen Master Jiku'un, formerly of Nan- Through Go-Yozei's interest in the art of
zenji, because Motonari is the monastery's Seikeiin, Wakayama Prefecture printing, movable wooden type was used
patron, conveyed the order of Takamoto, Important Cultural Property to publish many Chinese and Japanese
Motonari s heir, to have a portrait of Warrior Takeda Shingen (1521-1573), a daimyo dur- classics.
Motonari painted during his lifetime. Mas- ing the Age of the Wars, began his career Two seals are stamped at the left of
ter Jiku'un asked this rustic to write a word by supplanting his father as lord of Kai Go-Yôzei's portrait, an oblong relief seal,
above the portrait. Although I have not met Province (present-day Yamanashi Prefec- Kano, and a tripod-shaped relief seal, Ta-
Warrior Motonari, because I know the Zen ture). He brought Shinano and Suruga kanobu, identifying the artist. Kano Ta-
master I dare not decline. Thus I give a few Provinces under his control and captured kanobu was the second son of Kano
words of praise: portions of Kôzuke, Tôtômi, and Mikawa Eitoku (1543-1590). Following the death of
His power expanding over the sea, his Provinces. Advancing on Kyoto, the ulti- his elder brother, Mitsunobu, in 1608, he
fame reaching the clouds, in full solemnity mate goal in his military strategy, he died. became the central figure in the Kano
he attends the present emperor's royal cere- As a youth he was a passionate student of school and painted a wide variety of Bud-
monies. He assists his emperor to rule like Chinese and Japanese poetry. He was also dhist and literary subjects. When the im-
Emperors Yao and Shun [rulers of ancient deeply religious, with special devotion to perial palace was built in 1613, he presided
China]. He fathoms his master's teachings the Tendai school of Buddhism and to Zen over its decorations, executing sliding door
and penetrates the profound thoughts in priests of the Myôshinji school. Shingen's panels and wall paintings, some of which
wife, Tenhórin Sanjó, was the daughter of are preserved in Ninnaji in Kyoto. The
a courtier.

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