Letter by Kogetsu Sogan
- Person
-
作者江月宗玩
- Date
-
制作年 AD17
- Title
- コウゲツソウガンヒツショウソク
- Collections
- Century Akao Collection
- Depository
- Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko) Campus Mita
- Ref. number
- AW-CEN-001545-0000
- License
- CC BY Images license
- Creditline
-
慶應義塾（センチュリー赤尾コレクション）
- URL
- Classification
- Art
- AI Tagging
- Handwriting Font Rectangle Art Writing
Originally, Kogetsu Sogan (1574-1643) was a townsman from Sakai, located to the west of Osaka. He was the second son of Tsuda Sogyu (?-1591), one of the most prominent tea masters of the era, equal in fame to Sen-no-Rikyu (1522-91) and Imai Sokyu (1520-93). At the young age of 6, Sogan took the tonsure at Nanshunji Temple in Sakai. He later trained under Shunoku Soen (1529-1611) at Daitokuji Temple and succeeded his master to become the 157th bishop of this renowned temple in 1610. When Shunoku died two years later, Sogan became the second bishop of the Ryuko-In sub-temple. In the Daitokuji compounds, Kogetsu Sogan was instrumental in erecting other important sub-temples, such as Kansho-An and Sunsho-An. Sogan attracted ardent Buddhist followers among the nobles, such as Emperor Gomizunoo, Regent Konoe Nobuhiro, Prince Takamatsu-no-Miya Yoshihito and Karasumaru Mitsuhiro. Powerful military generals also patronized Sogan and his temple. A few names include Kuroda Nagamasa, Kobori Enshu and Sakuma Sanekatsu. Sogan was talented both in painting and calligraphy and enjoyed a close friendship with Shokado Shojo, adding many poems to the latter’s paintings. In this letter, though the addressee’s name is not mentioned, his residence, the temple “Seisenji,” is. From this, one can guess the addressee to be Gyokushu Soban (1600-68), who was a disciple of Gyokushitsu Sohaku (1572-1641). Gyokushitsu renovated the structures of Daitokuji Temple during the Kanei Era and was instrumental in organizing the ceremonies of 1636 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the temple’s establishment. This letter makes reference to the renovation of the Ryuko-In temple structure. Sogan briefly describes the latest developments at the temple and apologizes to the addressee that he has been unable to meet him in person. He further advises that the tea party that was planned will be postponed until the following month and hints that the message should be forwarded to Yukan Saishu, who perhaps was a friend in tea circles. All this is written in a calligraphy that is unaffected, free and bold, reflecting Sogan’s years of training in Zen.
内々便宜可有之旨清泉寺参候ツル間如此ニ堂中調置候処重而芳札過当ニ候先日ハ不能向顔返々御残多候御茶之儀当月中ハ爰元各無隙候処来月辺緩々尤ニ候少々我等も申入度候委細従清泉寺可被申候恐々不備竜光院三月十九日 （花押）又閑斎主 回答
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- Letter by Kogetsu Sogan
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