Calligraphy of Mi-an Xianjie (dharma words on figured silk, dated mid-autumn 1179)

The Calligraphy That Gave the Mittan Tea Room Its Name

The Calligraphy of Mi-an Xianjie (dharma words on figured silk, dated mid-autumn 1179) (密庵咸傑墨蹟〈法語（綾本）／淳熙己亥仲秋日〉) is a piece of dharma words written by the Southern Song Zen monk Mi-an Xianjie, owned by Ryokoin, a sub-temple of Daitokuji in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, which in 1951 was designated a National Treasure.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single hanging scroll on figured silk, dated mid-autumn of the Chunxi jihai year, 1179, owned by Ryokoin.

According to the Agency, the Mittan tea room in the Ryokoin shoin has two alcoves, one of which is for Mi-an Xianjie's calligraphy.

The Calligraphy and the Tea Room

The Agency records it as a Southern Song work, dharma words written on figured silk. Its date, mid-autumn of the jihai year of Chunxi, corresponds to 1179.

According to the Agency, the tea room of the Ryokoin shoin is called Mittanseki, a four-and-three-quarter-mat room somewhat in shoin style said to reflect Kobori Enshu's taste; its name comes from the alcove where this calligraphy hangs.

What to Look For

The MIHO MUSEUM explains that Ryokoin was founded in 1606 by Kuroda Nagamasa, with Kogetsu Sogan as founding abbot, to pray for his father Kuroda Kanbei. Kogetsu was the second son of Tsuda Sogyu of the Tennojiya, a wealthy merchant and tea master of Sakai; the Tennojiya family treasures survived the siege of Osaka through Kogetsu, and many are now at Ryokoin.

The museum lists this calligraphy, along with the National Treasure yohen tenmoku tea bowl, among Ryokoin's great treasures.

Visiting the Calligraphy of Mi-an Xianjie (dharma words on figured silk, dated mid-autumn 1179)

The calligraphy is owned by Ryokoin and is not on regular display; watch for exhibition announcements.