Goso 五祖

Ch: Wuzu. The Chinese priest Kōnin 弘忍 (Ch: Hongren, 601-75). The fifth patriarch of the Zen (Ch: Chan) sect. Representations of the fifth patriarch fall into three types. First are conventionalized priest portraits *chinsō 頂相, *Zenshū soshizō 禅宗祖師像. Second are illustrations of the fifth patriarch as a child in a previous existence, together with his mother, meeting and engaging the fourth patriarch in a Zen dialogue. Third are paintings of him, also in a previous life, as a monk on Mt. Potō 破頭 where he spent his time planting pines. This last theme was particularly popular in Japan from the 15th century where it is known as the fifth patriarch with yoke and spade, Goso kajo 五祖荷鋤.