Program number: 0108283170321248
“A Blessing over the Sea” is an exhibition that promotes Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges
From Jianzhen to Higashiyama Kaii
A Blessing over the Sea | The Tōshōdaiji Exhibition
Bestowed Plaque of Tōshōdaiji 8th century Japan
Tōshōdaiji is the head vihara of Japan’s Ritsu Buddhism
It was founded by the Chinese monk Jianzhen
Director Matsumoto of Nara National Museum
Jin Jingzhi Exhibition Department, Shanghai Museum
Reached out to us on organizing the exhibition
The 8th century Japan was in its Nara period
Matsumoto Nobuyuki Director, Nara National Museum
And in China it was the Tang Dynasty
“The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” 1298 Japan
It was a time when Japanese Buddhism had not formed a formal system
So they invited the eminent monk Jianzhen
To Japan to deliver buddhism and perform ordination ceremony
Portrait of Jianzhen 15th Century, Japan
Therefore, Jianzhen embarked on his journey to the east
And because of his journey, we have these relics
Architectures, statues
Paintings and crafts of great value
Passed down from that time
Yi Qie Jing · Si Xi Cang edition of Song Dynasty 12th Century, China
Basically it's the first time for these collections to leave Japan
Chapter one "Far over the Sea" is about Jianzhen
The scroll “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” tells the life story of Jianzhen With words and pictures
Tonsure of Jianzhen as a boy “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” Volume 1
Jianzhen's Second Voyage to the East “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” Volume 2
Jianzhen's Second Voyage to the East Failed “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” Volume 2
Since Jianzhen became a monk
His five attempts to cross the sea all failed
The scroll vividly describes the voyage of Jianzhen
And the distress he was in
Nonetheless, Jianzhen carried out his determination
Which is to propagate Buddhism in Japan He was already blind when he finally set foot on the island of Japan
The Sixth Voyage Succeeded Jianzhen Reached Dazaifu, Japan “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” Volume 5
Jianzhen Received the Imperial Edict at Todaiji, Nara “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” Volume 5
Jianzhen Performed Ordination “The Sea Journey to the East of a Great Bonze from the Tang Dynasty” Volume 5
And he arrived at Todaiji, Nara
And performed ordination for the emperor's father and mother
And for more than 400 samanera
And he founded Tōshōdaiji
Later he passed into Parinirvana in Tōshōdaiji
Now on display is the second volume
On 14th of January next year (2020)
We'll unfold the fifth volume
As Jianzhen took his journey to the east
Legend has it that he brought a variety of instruments and Buddhist texts with him
But through time, only one left
This glass bottle and the sariras inside
Jianzhen brought the sariras with him on his voyage
And allegedly he dropped the sariras into the sea by accident
Then a golden tortoise emerged from the sea
Fetched the sariras
According to the legend
Japanese craftsman made this reliquary
With a tortoise base storing the sariras that Jianzhen carried to Japan
It's an irreplaceable treasure in the entire ancient history of Japan
Kinki Sharito 12th-13th Century, Japan
Chapter Two is about the 68 murals of the Mieido Hall
Where a seated statue of Jianzhen is enshrined
Painted by Higashiyama Kaii Copy of Mieido Hall murals
In 1971, Tōshōdaiji invited Higashiyama Kaii Who spent a whole decade on the creations
Mieido Hall, Tōshōdaiji Nara, Japan
But the Mieido Hall is open to the public only three days a year
Outside of Mieido Hall, Tōshōdaiji Nara, Japan
On 5th, 6th, and 7th of June
In the exhibition hall of Shanghai Museum
You will first see “Sound of Waves”
Followed by “Mountain Clouds”
Higashiyama Kaii fused the sound of mountain winds and the surging ocean waves
That the blind Jianzhen might have perceived
Upon first setting foot in Japan
He heard the sound of waves
Smelled the whiff of mountains
Felt Japan on his skin
So the picture is blurred
Everything was done in monochrome, only in different shades
The two rooms both functioned as living room
Around the corner is “Huangshan Mountains in Morning Mist”
Next to it is “Balmy Breeze in Yangzhou”
And “Moonlit Evening in Guilin”
The room is where the statue of Jianzhen is enshrined
Yangzhou is Jianzhen's hometown
Ink washed Yangzhou, willows by the Slender West Lake
He painted in ink wash
This was the first time that he had painted in ink wash
And the last time
Higashiyama was famous for his landscape paintings in Japan
He loved China
After the normalization of diplomatic relation between China and Japan He visited China at the end of the 1970s
Higashiyama Kaii Sketching at Taihu, Huangshan, Guilin, Xinjiang, etc. 1976-1978
He came to China three times for sketching
These giant murals of Higashiyama
Are dedicated to the memory of Jianzhen and his odyssey to Japan
The year not only marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China
Ito Keiko from the Board of Nihon Keizai Shimbun
But also the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Agreement for Promoting Cultural Exchanges between China and Japan
Jianzhen has a great influence on Japan
Usually cultural relics are transported by air
This is the first time of maritime transport
"New Jianzhen" took a comfortable and steady trip
The sea in this winter was also calm
All exhibition items arrived in Shanghai safely
It's almost unbelievable that Jianzhen's attempt was unsuccessful for the first five times
Maybe Jianzhen is protecting us
Special Thanks go to Shanghai Museum Nihon Keizai Shimbun