Minneapolis Institute of Art

Draft in Regular Script

Tanomura Chikuden

Date

c. 1817–35

Medium

Hanging scroll, ink on paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Carefully rendered in standard script, this draft of an essay discusses Tanomura’s yearning for a life away from the urban setting, like that of Chinese hermits. He came from a family of physicians who had served the lord of Oka domain (modern-day Ōita prefecture on the island of Kyūshū), but he eventually abandoned the hereditary occupation to pursue life as a scholar and painter. This work includes punctuation marks, which is often omitted in other calligraphic works in this gallery: small circles function as commas or periods. 人言市上藏山。池園此地看來是。花 垂豆架。葉翻芋圃。巷幽途細。有個 柴門。竹扉半扇。日高猶閉。覺眼前 清曠。襟懐開朗。人兼地俱瀟酒 蒔草移花隨意。向林間。沾々偏喜。醒時 喚酒。醉時呼茗。每朝聊爾。藥譜農 書。孝經論語。略存經濟。對清風。一笑。 平泉金谷。不關吾事 右水龍吟 People say there is a mountain hidden in the urban hustle and bustle. It looks like this pond garden is the place. Flowers draping down on the bean stands; leaves flipping over yam fields. The alley is tranquil and the trail narrow. There is a wooden gate with a half bamboo door. The door remains closed when the sun is high. A crisp and transparent feeling unfolds before my eye, and my chest clears up. This place and I are both free of care. Seasonal grasses and transplanted flowers freely thrive. Toward the woods, I am delighted. Calling for wine when awake and requesting tea when tipsy. Every day I discuss medicinal albums, agricultural books, the Classic of Filial Pity, and the Analects; sometimes on governance and statecraft. A smile at the brisk breeze. Pingquan and Jingu [symbols of secular wealth and power] are not relevant to me. The right composed by Suiryūgin Japan, Asia

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