Overview
Shihon Tansai Jūgi-zu is a masterpiece by Yosa Buson, a renowned painter and haiku poet who epitomized the bunjinga (literati painting) style of the mid-Edo Period. The work illustrates ten scenes (jūgi) representing the natural sentiments—the “ten suitable moments”—drawn from the poem Jūben Jūgi, originally written by the Chinese literatus Li-gyo. These scenes capture the changing moods of nature influenced by season and weather. It was compiled into a single scroll, titled Shihon Tansai Jūben Jūgi-zu, alongside a work called Ten Scenes by Ike Taiga. Due to its exceptional quality, the entire piece was designated as a National Treasure. It is considered one of the pinnacles of Japanese literati painting.
Historical Background
The scroll was created in 1771 when Buson was 56 years old. It was commissioned by Koshigaya Gozan, a haiku poet from Owari Province. The unique challenge for Buson was that he had to collaborate with Ike Taiga, another master of the time, dividing the theme between them. This was an extremely ambitious undertaking: two giants who dominated the bunjinga world were tasked with depicting one single subject matter through shared effort. Later, it became famous that Kawabata Yasunari, the Nobel Prize-winning author, was deeply captivated by this work and acquired it even incurring significant debt. It is currently housed at the Kawabata Yasunari Memorial Foundation.
Features and Appeal
The greatest appeal of the piece lies in the fusion of Buson’s exceptional technical skill as a painter with his acute poetic sensibility as a haiku poet.
- Poetic Expression: The term gi (宜) means “suitable” or “picturesque.” The scroll captures the subtle shifts of nature—such as morning and evening light, moonlight, wind and rain, mist, dew, and seasonal scenes—using Buson’s signature brushwork, which is rich with poetic feeling.
- Delicate Color Technique: As suggested by its name, shihon tansai (paper scroll with pale colors), the thinly layered hues exquisitely convey a sense of atmosphere and shifting light, giving the viewer a feeling of quiet richness.
- The Spirit of Haiga: Buson infused his paintings with poetry, adhering to the principle that “there is poetry within the painting.” He achieves this narrative depth and inner emotional landscape through composition that utilizes negative space and delicate brushstrokes, going beyond mere scenic depiction.
- The Twin Pillars of Bunjinga: There is a striking contrast between the two masters. While Ike Taiga’s Ten Scenes depicts the comfortable pleasures and convenience of country life, Buson’s Ten Scenes of Suitability delicately pursues subjective beauty and dialogue with nature, making the comparison between their styles a major highlight.
Source: Excerpted from the National Designated Cultural Properties Database (https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index)