Goso　五祖

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Ch: Wuzu. The Chinese priest Kounin 弘忍 (Ch: Hongren, 601-75). The fifth patriarch of the Zen (Ch: Chan) sect. Representations of the fifth patriarch fall into three types. First are conventionalized priest portraits *chinsou 頂相, *Zenshuu soshizou 禅宗祖師像. Second are illustrations of the fifth patriarch as a child in a previous existence, together with his mother, meeting and engaging the fourth patriarch in a Zen dialogue. Third are paintings of him, also in a previous life, as a monk on Mt. Potou 破頭 where he spent his time planting pines. This last theme was particularly popular in Japan from the 15c where it is known as the fifth patriarch with yoke and spade, Goso kajo 五祖荷鋤.

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