Itsunen Shōyū
Itsunen Shoyu (1601 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China – 1668 in Nagasaki, Japan) is famous as a Buddhist monk and painter who helped to establish Chan (Zen) in Japan. He was also the third abbot of Kofukuji Temple. In addition to his skill of painting, he also practices the art of Seal carving and cemented the popularity of this art in Japan.
Also recorded as Xingyong · Yi Ran · Itsunen · Liang-yun
Itsunen Shōyū
逸然 · 『隠元禅師と黄檗宗の絵画展』 神戸市立博物館 1991 · Public domain
- Name
- Itsunen Shoyu
- Born
- 1601
- Birthplace
- Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Died
- 1668
- Place of death
- Nagasaki, Japan
- Nationality
- Ming dynasty
- Occupation
- painter
- Languages
- Chinese
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wikidata · Q11640229
In this article
Biography
Biography
In 1642 he travelled to Nagasaki as a trader in Chinese medicine, and in 1644 entered Kofukuji Temple, becoming its 3rd abbot in 1645. Established by monks immigrated from China, the temple was then a base of the Ōbaku school of Zen Buddhism in Japan. In 1654 after multiple requests he succeeded in persuading Yinyuan Longqi (Ingen Ryuki), the 33rd abbot of Wanfu Temple (Mount Huangbo, Fujian) to emigrate to Japan, where he founded Ōbaku, the third and final major Japanese Zen sect. Itsunen was a talented late Ming style painter of Buddhist figural subjects, and is known to have copied works by Chen Xian brought to Japan by Yinyuan Longqi.
Arhat Enjoying,Yiran,alubum,color on paper
逸然 Yiran · 『隠元禅師と黄檗宗の絵画展』 神戸市立博物館 1991
Bodhidharma_on_Elephant_Yiran_Inscription_by_Yinyuan_color_on_silk_hanging_scroll
逸然 Yiran · 『隠元禅師と黄檗宗の絵画展』 神戸市立博物館 1991
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Itsunen Shoyu • Born — 1601 • Birthplace — Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China • Died — 1668 • Place of death — Nagasaki, Japan • Religion — Buddhism • School — Ch'an • Lineage — Ōbaku • Title — Ch'an master
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Qiantang County.
Birth place
Nagasaki.
Death place
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Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Itsunen Shoyu, revision 1359260308 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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authority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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