Describe the characteristics of the Themes in Ippen Shōnin Eden's Shōkai version (1299): Ippen hijiri-e.
The texts of the Shōkai version narrate the key episodes of Ippen's life in three broad periods: his initiation and his studies of Buddhism until the revelation of 1274 in Kumano, the creation of the congregation that would become the Ji-shū school, and the end of his life as he attracted large crowds of faithful to his sermons. Throughout the biography Ippen's sermons, prayers and many waka poems are quoted. Other texts on the foundation of temples and shrines (engi) visited by the monk are also included. Unlike later versions or other biographies of patriarchs, there is no intention in the paintings of this work to give a mystical or divine dimension to Ippen, who is often relegated to the background in favor of landscape illustrations. The calligraphies are more proselytising and relate the various miracles attributed to Ippen during his life, so that the text rarely corresponds to the images. The creator however avoids any excess and in this biography expresses affection and respect towards Ippen.
The Shōkai version also appears very refined, full of restraint and intended for an elite, reviving the literary and pictorial tradition of the Heian court. The paintings and texts give a lyrical atmosphere to the work, via the themes of poetry, travel and pilgrimage. The landscapes are very numerous, faithfully transcribing easily recognizable famous Japanese sights, such as the emergence of Mount Fuji above the mist, the Itsukushima Shrine or the Nachi Falls, as well as numerous temples and places of pilgrimage such as Mount Kōya or Kumano shrine, the visiting of which had great importance in Ippen's life (and therefore loomed large). The work is similar in this sense to meisho-e paintings (paintings of famous views) and travelogues, traditional themes associated with the Imperial Court and poetry.The importance given to landscapes and genre scenes remains rare in illustrated biographies of monks: here, the painter alternates stylised landscapes inspired by traditional Heian poetry and realistic representations of places and people, an original approach in the emakimono movement. By comparison, other illustrated biographies of monks (such as the Hōnen Shōnin Eden) emphasise the characters and the dynamism of the narrative, or fall into stereotyping and repetition.
Buddhism Shōkai Itsukushima Itsukushima Shrine Ippen waka Mount Kōya Kumano shrine Hōnen Shōnin Eden emakimono Nachi Falls Mount Fuji