Monks and Immortals
Go once faced Buddhist prohibition as a distraction from spiritual cultivation. But from the Wei-Jin period onward, attitudes shifted. By the Tang and Song, monks were using Go to convey Buddhist teachings, leaving behind rich literary records. The objects here trace this journey from rejection to embrace, revealing Go's evolving role in monastic life and religious outreach.
Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāna Sutra (Volume Eleven)- Manuscript copy in gold ink, the Fifth Year of the Xuande Era (1430) of the Ming Dynasty
- Each Fold: 30.7x 14.5
- Gu Fo 000258-9
This gold-on-black 1430 edition of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, commissioned by Emperor Xuanzong（r. 1425-1435）of Ming dynasty, is one of four major sutras of the era. The displayed volume highlights the "Chapter on the Holy Practice," which stresses strict adherence to Buddhist Precepts. Activities like Go, beast-fighting, and pitch-pot are condemned as distractions, illustrating early Buddhism's stance against secular amusements.
For Daoist immortals, Go was a tool for self-cultivation and transcendence. Since the Eastern Jin, it has featured in supernatural tales—like games so absorbing that centuries pass unnoticed. Such legends became tied to famous mountains and scenic spots. Later, immortal Go players formed part of the supernatural version of the "Four Scholarly Arts," symbolizing longevity and divine communion.
Ten Thousand Longevities: Gods of Longevity Playing the Zither, Playing Go, Reading Books, Appreciating a Painting Sun Hu, Qing Dynasty Album leaf- 24.7x24.4
- Gu Hua 003372-1~4
Entitled Ten Thousand Longevities, a respectful reference to the birthdays of emperors and empresses from their subjects, this album consists of 12 leaves painted by Qing court artist Sun Hu, active during the Yongzheng and Qianlong eras in the 18th 60 century. Sun had worked on the court version of the Along the River During the Qingming Festival handscroll and was known for his skill in figures, landscapes, and architectural scenes. In this album, he depicts white-haired immortals engaging in activities linked to Daoist belief and literati life. Scenes of immortals playing music, playing Go, reading, and appreciating a painting elevate the Four Scholarly Arts to a realm of celestial refinement and auspicious celebration.
A Collection of Paintings of Fishing and Farming Scholars (Volume Two): Watching Go at Mount Ke Anonymous, Qing Dynasty Album leaf- 16.9x40.5
- Gu Hua 003607-1
The story of "Watching Go at Mount Ke" comes from the Six Dynasties (220-589) collection of strange tales, Records of Anomalies. It tells of the Jin dynasty (266-420) woodcutter Wang Zhi, who, upon witnessing immortals playing Go in the mountains, loses all sense of time. When he returns, his axe handle has rotted and the world has changed—giving rise to the poetic name for Go, Lanke ("rotten axe handle"). This scene appears in the Fishermen, Woodcutters, Farmers, and Scholars album, one of two volumes in the Museum's collection, painted by scholar-artists at court to depict stories of humble livelihoods and the ideal of reclusion cherished by officials. A poem beside the image, inscribed by "Mian Ning"—the future Daoguang Emperor (r. 1820-1850) while still a prince—may also reflect imperial concern for the lives of commoners.
Album Si (Fifteen) of Ink Marvels from a Beaded Grove: The Chess Cliff Dong Bangda, Qing Dynasty Album leaf- 62x42.2
- Gu Hua 003642-24
Marvels of Ink and Brush is a grand twelve-volume painting album from the early Qianlong reign, each volume featuring 24 leaves by different artists and themes ranging from landscapes to seasonal customs, accompanied by inscriptions from imperial officials. The volumes are titled using the twelve Earthly Branches. On view is the Si volume, painted in 1746 by Dong Bangda (1699–1769), a Jinshi of the Yongzheng era. It focuses on the"Twenty-Four Scenic Rocks"of Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi, known for rocks shaped like figures, animals, and objects. One leaf, "Go-Playing Rock," shows a cliff resembling immortals locked in a game of Go. Dong delicately renders a lone Go board amid layered peaks, suggesting a still, timeless world—an allegory of transcendence. An inscription 69 on the left by Qing hydraulic engineer Ji Huang (1711–1794) records the rock's name and associated Daoist legends.
