Muqi

This fact is known from his signature, "The monk from Shu [Sichuan], Fachang, respectfully made this," (蜀僧法常瑾制) on one of his most renowned paintings, Guanyin, Crane, and Gibbons.

[7] After starting his early life as a monk in the monastery in Sichuan, Muqi later moved to the capital city of Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou.

[9] Significant works attributed to Muqi are listed as follows—presently in the Daitokuji in Kyoto are a triptych of Guanyin, Crane, and Gibbons; Tiger; Dragon; and the much-reproduced Six Persimmons.

Sitting against a cliff with hands and legs covered by loosely folded draperies of the robe, Guanyin is wearing lavishly decorated headwear and jewelry to show her status as a Bodhisattva.

Information on the painting is rarely found before it was given to the Ryoko-in, a sub-temple of Daitokuji, as a gift for the temple's establishment in 1606 during the Momoyama period.

[1] Meanings behind the painting are related with the number "six" associated with tastes, thoughts, wisdom, ways, and patriarchs of the Chan school.

As the art historian, Laurence Sickman stated, the painting has given great emphasis to the meaning behind the persimmons aligning with the fundamental nature of Buddhism.

Muqi's paintings eminently conveyed the Song "naturalism," which contradicted the trend back to classicism led by Zhao Mengfu later in the Yuan period (1271–1368).

The paintings were found to be listed in several inventories of Japanese Zen temples, such as Myoshinji and Engakuji, as well as in the Ashikaga shogunate collection.

Known as "Mokkei" or "the Reverend" in Japan, Muqi and his style have deeply affected a whole generation of Japanese painters in the use of brushstrokes and motifs.

[6] The ink bird-and-flower screen was one important concept during the Muromachi period (1336–1573) in the 14th century, which was popularized by Muqi with his triptych painting Guanyin, Crane, and Gibbons and his boneless style.

The term "Muqi mode" was created in describing this boneless method of painting without a thin ink outline.

"Muqi mode" was massively used by 14th-century Japanese painters and was tied to the essence of Zen artworks with the idea of naturalism and spontaneous enlightenment.