Japanese Hanging Scroll Hand Painted 'Pine Tree Thousand Years' Zen KAKEJIKU MB735
This is an original Japanese calligraphy hanging scroll by Suga Gendo (須賀玄道, born 1919), a Buddhist priest associated with Tafukuzan Zuisenji Temple (多福山瑞泉寺) in Oita Prefecture. The work is a hand-brushed calligraphy piece on paper dating to the Showa period.
The inscription reads:
松樹千年翠
不入時人意
This classical Zen phrase may be understood as:
“The pine tree remains green for a thousand years, yet it does not enter the minds of ordinary people.”
The expression praises something whose true value remains unchanged over time, even when it is overlooked by the people of the present age. The evergreen pine is traditionally associated with endurance, constancy, longevity, and an unchanging inner nature. Within a Zen context, the phrase can also suggest that genuine truth or virtue does not depend on fashion, popularity, or immediate recognition.
The calligraphy is arranged in two vertical lines and executed with strong, highly expressive brushwork. Thick areas of saturated black ink alternate with dry-brush passages where the individual movement of the bristles remains visible. This variation gives the characters a powerful sense of rhythm and allows the calligrapher’s physical movement to remain present in the finished work.
The upper characters are especially bold and monumental, while the lower section gradually introduces more elongated and fluid strokes. The overall composition balances mass and open space, creating a restrained but forceful visual impression. Smaller inscription characters and multiple red seals appear toward the lower left side, while an additional seal is visible near the upper right.
The scroll is mounted with a dark blue-gray textile decorated with a subtle repeating floral pattern, framing the warm-toned paper and emphasizing the strong black calligraphy.
Artist
Suga Gendo (須賀玄道)
Born in 1919 in Oita Prefecture, Suga Gendo was a Buddhist priest associated with Tafukuzan Zuisenji Temple (多福山瑞泉寺). This work reflects the tradition of Japanese Buddhist calligraphy, combining a classical Zen phrase with vigorous brushwork intended to convey both meaning and spiritual presence.
Size
Overall Height: Approx. 189 cm / 74.41 in
Overall Width: Approx. 45.2 cm / 17.80 in
Artwork Height: Approx. 127.4 cm / 50.16 in
Artwork Width: Approx. 32.7 cm / 12.87 in
Total Weight
Approx. 724 g / 1.60 lb
Condition
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our store offers a variety of rare collectibles.
https://www.ebay.com/str/kanekoyajpantique
Shipping costs are lower for multiple purchases.
Please be sure to contact us when making multiple purchases.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------