Kobori Sochu | Painting

Rendered with flowing brush strokes, this Hossu (a ritual fly whisk) transcends its form as a simple implement. Traditionally, a short wooden or bamboo rod with bundled hairs of cow, horse, yak, or hemp, the Hossu is swung by Zen priests to protect against desire and gently clear spaces of insects without harm. More profoundly, it symbolizes a teacher’s authority to transmit the Buddha-Dharma, often passed from master to disciple. Sochu’s elegant depiction merges calligraphic beauty with spiritual resonance, transforming the whisk into a vessel of mindfulness, discipline, and harmony. - Sochu (i.e. Kobori Masayasu) was the eighth generation head tea master of the Enshu tradition of tea ceremony. - Signed Sochu and seald Hisago-an (Gourd Hermitage).
 
Kobori Masayasu, Sochu (1786‐1867)
Ink on paper 
101 x 27.5 (39 ¾ x 10 ¾ in.) 
Mounting 176 x 30 cm (69¼ x 11 ¾ in.)