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).