Ming · by 胡文煥著
1,477 · about 5 min
The Ten Ox-Herding Pictures and Verses is a Chan Buddhist poetic and pictorial work created by the Ming Dynasty scholar Hu Wenhuan. Centered on the theme of herding an ox, it vividly depicts a practitioner's journey of spiritual cultivation—from seeking the ox to attaining enlightenment—through ten images and corresponding verses. This work originates from the tradition of the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures by the Song Dynasty Chan master Kuoan Shiyuan, using allegory to elucidate Chan teachings on taming the mind and realizing one's true nature. It emphasizes the practical path of gradual cultivation and sudden awakening. Holding a significant place in Buddhist literature and art, it is revered as a guide for refining the mind in Chan practice. The work has profoundly influenced later Chan culture and East Asian philosophy, standing as a classic spiritual masterpiece that seamlessly integrates poetry, painting, and Chan wisdom.