15 Facts About Shussan Shaka

Shussan Shaka is a subject in East Asian Buddhist art and poetry, in which Sakyamuni Buddha returns from six years of asceticism in the mountains, having realized that ascetic practice is not the path to enlightenment.

The story of Shussan Shaka is an important subject in painting from both China and Japan, but rarely or never found in Buddhist art outside of East Asia, where a mountain retreat is not part of the story of this part of the Buddha's life.

The story of Shussan Shaka is not present in traditional Mahayana Buddhist texts or artwork, indicating that this part of Sakyamuni's biography was a Chan Buddhist innovation of the tenth century.

Shussan Shaka was popularized as a subject in painting in the thirteenth century during the Chinese Song Dynasty, the period during which Chan reached its height in China.

In general, Chinese paintings of Shussan Shaka followed one of two styles: the first was the traditional Chinese style that featured color, thin outlines, and detailed depictions of figure and landscape, while the second was the characteristically Zen style of monochrome painting, thicker lines with a 'spontaneous' quality, and fewer landscape elements.

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In Japan, Shussan Shaka became particularly associated with the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism and saw more prolonged popularity as a painting subject than in China, even into the Edo Period.

In ritual use, Shussan Shaka paintings are hung on the walls of Rinzai Zen temples during the holiday celebrating the enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Seven days of meditation begin on the eighth day of the twelfth month, at the conclusion of which an image of Shussan Shaka is displayed and the mantra of Great Compassion said before it.

Shussan Shaka who emerges from the mountains and has entered the mountains:That is originally You.

Scholars date the Chinese Shussan Shaka painting at the Freer Gallery of Art between 1239 and 1260, most likely close to 1250.

The painter of the Freer Shussan Shaka went yet further than the painter of the Cleveland Shussan Shaka by eschewing background and landscape elements altogether.

Shussan Shaka enters the mountains and returns from the mountains.

Shussan Shaka has the bearing of a Phoenix and the manner of a Dragon.

Motif of Shussan Shaka saw renewed popularity in art and worship during the Edo Period, when Zen painting came to exert its influence on broader Japanese art and culture.

Shussan Shaka is most well known for his realistic paintings of monkeys, which artistic background Patricia J Graham suggests allowed him to bring an element of playfulness to the religious subject matter of Shussan Shaka.