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Important Cultural Property

Letter to the Zen Monk Go'ō

悟翁禅師宛尺牘
Letter to the Zen Monk Go'ō (悟翁禅師宛尺牘)
PLATE IImage: Tokyo National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0
At a glance — Calligraphy & Book · Kamakura period, 13th century · held by Tokyo National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan · Xu-tang Zhi-yu.

Fact Sheet

Designation
Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Date
1201–1300
Creator
Xu-tang Zhi-yu (虚堂智愚)
Location
Ueno, Tokyo
Catalogue ID
cobas-143535

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In this letter, the Chinese Chan monk Xutang Zhiyu (1185–1269) writes about someone who came to visit him, possibly the Japanese monk Nanpo Jōmin. Xutang's calligraphy was particularly admired in tea ceremony circles.

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

Record & Sources

Cite this page: “Letter to the Zen Monk Go'ō（悟翁禅師宛尺牘）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-143535. Tokyo National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/letter-to-the-zen-monk-go/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.
Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)
  • Genre: Asian Calligraphy
  • Material: Ink on paper
  • Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
  • 員数: 1幅
  • 分類: 東洋書跡
  • 品質形状: 紙本墨書
  • 法量: 30.0×50.9

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