Lake Xi

西湖図屏風

At a glance — Painting · Muromachi period, 16th century · held by Kyoto National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Fact Sheet

Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Category: Paintings
Period: Muromachi period, 16th century
Date: 1501–1600
Dimensions: 156.5cm:Width359cm
Held by: Kyoto National Museum
Location: Higashiyama, Kyoto
Catalogue ID: cobas-4646

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Same period: Muromachi paintings →
At this museum: All 680 works here →

Lake Xi, located on the outskirts of the city of Hangzhou in China, has such scenic beauty that every Zen monk who went to China visited it, and it became a popular subject for ink paintings. This work emphasizes the horizontal line of the bridge built by Bo Juyi (772-846) and Su Dongpo (1036-1101). The distinctive features of this painting are its soft brushwork effect and moist touch of ink. The artist, Ôsai, was closely associated with Nôami (1397-1471).

— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.

Record & Sources

Designation: Important Cultural Property (重要文化財), Government of Japan
Catalogue ID: cobas-4646 (permanent)
Official record: Japan Search — jpsearch.go.jp/item/cobas-4646
Holder's collection: ColBase — Kyoto National Museum
Photograph: Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0. CC BY 4.0 licence

Cite this page: “Lake Xi（西湖図屏風）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-4646. Kyoto National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/lake-xi/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.

Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)

Category: Paintings, sketches, and prints:Japan:Medieval ink paintings
Genre: Painting
Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
Size: 156.5cm:Width359cm
員数: 6曲1双
分類: 絵画
種別: 絵画:日本:中世水墨画
法量: 156.5cm:横359cm
銘文等: 「以牧谿墨心欧斎君之」・「（印文不詳）」

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