Minneapolis Institute of Art

Portrait of Bodhidharma

Wang Zhen

Date

1919

Medium

Ink and color on silk

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Bodhidharma, the Indian monk who is believed to have introduced Chan (Zen) Buddhism to China in the fifth century CE, is seen here in seated meditation. Zen Buddhism considers the practice of meditation to be the central way of attaining enlightenment. Here, the simplicity of meditation is emphasized with Bodhidharma depicted in plain monastic robes set against a white background. His back is turned to the viewer in intense concentration, perhaps alluding to the nine years he spent meditating in a cave, staring at the wall before him in motionless silence. Asia

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