Lit. "paintings of Zen 禅 (Ch: Chan) occasions." Illustrations of acts (including dialogues) which led to enlightenment. The subjects come from well-known Zen anecdotes collected in biographies and compilations of kōan 公案 (Ch: gong'an), conundrums used as a means of enlightenment, such as the Blue Cliff (Ch: Biyanlu, Jp: Hekiganroku 碧巌録) and The Gateless Barrier (Ch: Wumenguan, Jp: Mumonkan 無門関). The genre derives from Song and Yuan dynasties paintings *sōgenga 宋元画, typified by the works of Liang Kai (Jp: Ryō Kai 梁楷, act. 13th century) and Muqi (Jp: Mokkei 牧谿, late 13th century). Japanese painters from the Muromachi period onward, frequently rendered these themes, especially when working in the ink painting medium. Favorite zenki-zu include Rokuso sechiku 六祖截竹 (The Sixth Patriarch Chopping Bamboo), *Eka danpi 慧可断臂 (Huike Cutting His Arm), *Kensu 蜆子 (Ch: Xianzi, Catching Prawns), Kyōgen gekichiku 香厳撃竹 (Zhi Xiang Striking Bamboo), and Hyōnen 瓢鮎 (Catching a Catfish with a Gourd).