Hanshan and Shide

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

Hanshan and Shide are a pair of individuals associated with Chan, or Zen, Buddhism who lived on Mount Tiantai in China around the 700s to early 800s. In Japan, their names are read Kanzan and Jittoku. Hanshan, whose name means “Cold Mountain,” was a monk-poet, shown reading out from a scroll of his poetry in this work. His close friend Shide, or “Foundling,” was a temple’s custodian. Here, Shide listens intently to Hanshan’s verses, his brush broom behind him.

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