Asian Art Later Tradtion

ASIAN ART : LATER TRADITION

2005

When a storyteller crafts a tale , his audience can hope for a balance the best stories require balancing the words and craftsmanship of the narrative itself with expression of the story 's moral . In much the same way , paintings - particularly those depicting legends or allegories - strive to show viewers both the event itself and the ideas and themes behind it . However , achieving this balance can be extremely difficult and this can be seen very clearly in paintings by different artists depicting the same theme . The

story of Huike Presenting His Severed Arm to Bodhidharma is a painting with a Zen theme . Its interpretations by Sesshu Toyo and his predecessor Dai Jin show how technique can tip the scales both ways : in Sesshu 's version , the narrative quality is more emphasized , while in Dai 's version the depiction of the painting 's themes - that in to truly express devotion as a disciple , one must be willing to sacrifice anything , even one 's own body , without fear or hesitation - are stronger

According to legend , Huike desired instruction in meditation and Zen from the first patriarch , Bodhidharma . Though Huike traveled a long way Bodhidharma was meditating by facing a wall when Huike arrived . Rather than interrupting the master 's meditation , which Huike so respected , he instead chose to wait in the snow and cold . Bodhidharma himself was according to legend , so dedicated to his meditations that he had taken his own eyelids off in anger when they involuntarily closed during a long session . When Bodhidharma emerged from the meditation , he began to lecture Huike on the dedication and sacrifice required to be a disciple As a gesture of his true willingness to sacrifice all , Huike cut his own arm off at the elbow and presented it to the master . Huike would go on to become the second patriarch and a very important figure in Zen himself

Dai Jin 's painting interpreting these events is composed horizontally and much of the painting 's space is taken by the cave and plants surrounding the legend 's characters . In this version , Bodhidharma and Huike are the focus of the painting , but exist in a larger world in which one 's eyes may be drawn to the plants or trees . The central figure in Dai 's painting is Bodhidharma , who remains unemotional and calm even after Huike 's sacrifice . Huike stands as a secondary figure illustrating more clearly the Zen themes of the teacher 's superiority and the subservient attitude of the student . Alternately , the narrative is emphasized by Sesshu 's painting , in which the focus is on Huike 's sacrifice - the part of the story which gathers most attention

Space is treated very differently in the two paintings , and with clearly distinct effects . Dai Jin 's painting depicts both figures in the middle ground of the painting , while the foreground and background are devoted to details of the surroundings . In this painting , the figures are only a part of a...