Poem on the Theme of Snow

Musō Soseki

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Musō Soseki, the expert calligrapher of this verse, was one of the most influential Zen priests of the fourteenth century, having trained under the Chinese émigré Yishan Yining (Japanese: Issan Ichinei; 1247–1317). This poem on the theme of snow describes the experience of watching the sun rise over a winter landscape: Icy flowers fall, obscuring the color of the sky. Jade dust buries the earth, masking the blue mountains. As the sun rises over the peak— Bone-chilling silence. Written by a clumsy old stutterer —Translation after Edwin A. Cranston

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art