Luochuang
Chan monk, bold ink style
Luochuang(萝窗) was a Chan monk at the end of the Southern Song dynasty. His secular name is unknown, and he lived at Liutong Temple by West Lake in Hangzhou. His painting style is comparable to Mu Xi's. He was good at freehand ink painting, keeping the forms simple but full of spirit rather than sticking strictly to likeness, often featuring flowers, trees, birds, and other animals. His painting 'Bamboo Chicken Scroll' is done on silk with ink and light colors, measuring 96.3 cm in height and 43.4 cm in width. It uses the image of a rooster to subtly hint at a monk's awakening in Chan practice. The piece originally belonged to the Asano family collection and is now held at the Tokyo National Museum. Monk painters like Luochuang were skilled at using sugarcane dregs and grass juice in ink, creating a bold and rough style. This unique technique influenced the art scene as their works spread to Japan.