Sanpei kaikyō 三平開胸

Keywords
Art History
Painting

Ch: Sanping kaixiong. Lit. "Sanpei baring his chest." Also Sanpei Sekkyō 三平石鞏 (Ch: Sanping Shigong) and Sekkyō chōkyū 石鞏張弓 (Ch: Sanping zhanggong; Sekkyō stretching his bow). The Tang dynasty painting theme of priest Sanpei's 三平 first visit to the priest Sekkyō 石鞏 (Ch: Shigong). Typically when called upon by another priest, Sekkyō would fit an arrow into his bow, draw the bow string taut, and aim at his visitor as a test. Sanpei, however, boldly responded to Sekkyō's challenge by uncovering his chest. This unconventional reaction deeply impressed Sekkyō, and by some accounts he reached enlightenment at that instant. There is a painting of the theme by Kano Motonobu 狩野元信 (1476-1559) from circa 1513 (Daitokuji Daisen'in 大徳寺大仙院, now Tokyo National Museum).