“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”

“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”

Jakushitsu Genkō

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This calligraphic work mounted as a hanging scroll contains a single line of text consisting of eight Chinese characters in cursive script, in which the characters are not linked. The writing style, in tandem with the Zen message, reflect Genkō’s years of study, from 1320 to 1326, in China with Zhongfeng Mingben (1263-1323), one of the most influential Chan (Zen) masters of the early Yuan dynasty—who emphasized cultivation of the mind over reliance on textual tradition and was, as well, a celebrated calligrapher. The practice of calligraphy was part of the Zen spiritual tradition, and calligraphy came to have a major role within the cultural milieu of Japanese Zen temples. The single line of text in this hanging scroll displays characteristics of calligraphy introduced to Japan from China along with Zen: a spontaneity, plus idiosyncratic elements indicative of the Zen practitioner’s detachment from rules and conventional standards.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”“Time must be cherished, it waits for no one”

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.