Eccentrics in Chinese and Japanese Zen Buddhism Dark Orchid #9932cc
What are Zen eccentrics? Indian Red #cd5c5c
- These are the legendary Zen or Taoist monks who live their
lives outside the rules of mainstream buddhist conventions and have achieved a
high level of enlightened perception. Their historical authenticity is
uncertain as there is little extant biographical information about these
figures.
Why were they painted? Saddle Brown #8b4513
- "...these figures...were marked by their eccentric
behavior, and utterances free from the constraint of worldy conventions; thus
the figures become models for aspiring Ch'an monks crossing the threshold into
the realm of psychic and spiritual freedom"
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