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范延鎮 Fan Tingzhen

(late 17th-18th century)

“Patriarchs of the Chan (Zen) School of Buddhism”

Album of 42 leaves
21 paintings, ink on paper
21 biographies, ink on silk

Each 28.9 x 20.3 cm. (11 3/8 x 8 in.)

Artist's seals:
Zhi'an; Leting; Dizi Tingzhen jingxie

Collector's seal:
Jianting Linqing shending (of Wanyen Lin Qing, 1791-1846)

http://www.kaikodo.com/index.php/exhibition/detail/parallel_lives/1116

Each of the twenty-one pictured patriarchs is portrayed in an album leaf on the right and identified in a biography on a leaf to the left.1
The figures are executed in baimiao style, in ink alone, with the figures generally isolated—two figures appear together in only one leaf—and are further characterized by various accouterments they hold as well by their environments.  The drawing is sensitive, used with some wash to excellent effect, and serves to create personalities for these paragons from the distant past.

The artist, Fan Tingzhen, was born in Wujin, the area in Jiangsu province that also produced his most prominent predecessor and model, Yun Shouping (惲壽平 1633-1690).  During the early 17th c. and the late Ming era, the province was the center for the printing of books with wood-block illustrations.  Fan Tingzhen was certainly familiar with one of these, the Xianfo Qizong 仙佛奇蹤 "Marvelous Traces of Transcendents and Buddhas" published by Hong Yingming 洪應明 in 1602, because the images and text of his album here were based fairly directly on the earlier publication.  That text was also transmitted to Japan where it influenced many artists, including Tawaraya Sōtatsu (俵屋 宗達, c. 1570 – c. 1640). 

1. These leaves constitute a pictorial genealogy of the patriarchs of the Chan sect of Buddhism from the Six Dynasties onward:

a.  Puti Damo (Bodhidharma) 菩提達磨 Puti Damo (?-532)
b.  Huike Huike 慧可 (487-593)
c.  Sengcan 鑑智僧璨 Jianzhi Sengcan (529-613)
d.  Daoxin 大毉道信 Dayi Daoxin (580-651) Hongren 大滿弘忍 Daman Hongren (601-674)
e.  Huineng 慧能 Huineng (638–713)
f.  Farong 牛頭法融 Niutou Farong (594-657)
g.  Guilling Shenzan ?
h.  Zhaozhou Congshen 趙州從諗 Zhaozhou Congshen (778–897)
i.  Nanyue Huairang 南嶽懷讓 Nanyue Huairang (677-744)
j.  Jiangxi Daoyi 江西道一 Jiangxi Daoyi (709-788)
k.  Shigong Huizang 石鞏慧藏 Shigong Huizang (n. d.)
l.  Zhiqei 智 ?
m. Songyue Yuangui 嵩嶽元龜 ?
n.  Xiangyan Zhixian 香嚴智閑 Xiangyan Zhixian (?-898)
o.  Yangshan Huiji 仰山慧寂 Yangshan Huiji (807-883)
p.  Juzhi 俱胝一指 Juzhi "Yizhi" (9th c.)
q.  Danxia Tianran 丹霞天然 Danxia Tianran (739-824)
r.  Yaoshan Weiyan 藥山惟儼 Yaoshan Weiyan (745-827 or 751-834)
s.  Longtan Chongxin 龍潭崇信 Longtan Chongxin (9th cent.)
t.  Pozao Duo heshang Pozao Duo 破竈墮 (Northern School, fl. early eighth century)

 

金華俱胝 Jinhua Juzhi/Judi (9th c.), aka 俱胝一指 Juzhi "Yizhi" (="One Finger")