Description

Antique Japanese calligraphy scroll painting by the Confucian scholar, poet, koto musician, calligrapher and artist, Ryū Kōbi (also called Ryû Sôro) (1714-1792). Sumi ink on paper. With three seals, one being his trademark Dragon seal.

This work is Waka poetry done in traditional 5-7-5-7-7 syllables or a 5-line wake poem. Which traditionally calls up an image of nature that then alludes to an emotion. This poem is one written long ago by the famous Chinese poet Zhang Ji (A.D. 730-780) entitled “Night Mooring at Maple Bridge”. Zhang Ji’s poem is as follows:

While I watch the moon go down, a crow caws through the frost;

Under the shadows of maple-trees a fisherman moves with his torch;

And I hear, from beyond Su-chou, from the temple on Cold Mountain,

Ringing for me, here in my boat, the midnight bell.

A more literal translation is:

月落烏啼霜満天

江楓漁火對愁眠姑蘇

城外寒山寺夜半鐘

声到客船

Moon set, crow cry, frost fill sky,

River maples, fisherman light, oppose anxious sleep, Su-

zhou city outside,Cold Mountain temple,night-middle bell

sound to visitor boat.

Ryū Kōbi, who was a scholar with a deep appreciation for Chinese poetry, rewrote the poem in his own expressive style for which he was so admired. A wonderful example of this can be seen in the fourth line where Ryū Kōbi draws out the characters for “sound” in such a way that one can almost hear the long notes of the distant temple bell.

Born in Fushimi, Kyoto Prefecture, as Tokinori Takeda, he had many names through his life depending on his position at the time. Most famously called Ryû Sôro, his artist name was Ryū Kōbi. He also went by his azena (formal name) Kungyoku. His common name was Hikojiro which later changed to Emon. Sôro was his “go” or pen name. A disciple of Meika UNO, Ryū Kōbi founded Shisha, a poetry club in Karasmaru – Koji St. In 1750, he was invited to work as Shinkosha (one who explains achievements to nobility and royalty) to Naosada II, the Lord of Hikone domain. In 1756, he was appointed as Hanju (Confucian scholar who works for a domain) for 18 years before he resigned and returned to Kyoto. His publications include: “Soro shishi (Collection of Anthologies of Soro)”, “Kinran shishu”, “Materials for Poetry of Tang Dynasty”, “Book of Japanese Poetry”, “Summary of Rongo Analects” and “Mosh sha (Book of poetry of ancient China)”. Current reference work “77 Dances” by Stephen Addiss.

Age: Edo Period (circa late 1700’s)

Dimensions: Total size: 79 1/2″ high x 26 3/8″ wide (28 7/8″ wide including rollers). Art only: 50 1/2″ high x 20 1/4″ wide