Unshitsu (雲室)
Unshitsu (April 8, 1753-June 3, 1827) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and a scholar.
Brief Personal History.
In 1753, Unshitsu was born in Koren-ji Temple in Iiyama, Shinano Province. Koren-ji Temple was reportedly founded by Masayoshi TAKEDA, who was a grandson of Nobushige TAKEDA and a younger brother of Shingen TAKEDA.
Unshitsu went to Edo to study Ekiroso (I Ching, Laozi and Zhuangzi) and Confucianism, and in 1781, he was nominated for an academic position at Yushima Seido Temple (Confucian temple). Furthermore, in 1788, Unshitsu built Jikendo school in Ageo-shuku, founded 'Shusei-gijuku' private school where he educated kyoto (people from the same hometown) of Ageo-shuku. In 1792, he succeeded the 26th head priest of Komyo-ji Temple in Edo Nishikubo (present-day Toranomon, Minato Ward, Tokyo). Unshitsu died at Komyo-ji Temple in 1827.
Setting his goal at masterpieces of Song, Yuan (Mongolian) and Ming Dynasties of China, Unshitsu continued artistic training in the field of painting, and his artist friends were Toko SAWADA, Buncho TANI, Fuyo SUZUKI and many others.