Kagai Oyama (小山 霞外 1785–1864)

Translated by Aurélien Baron, International Affairs Division

A Calligrapher and Scholar from the end of the Edo, Samurai Period

Kagai Oyama
Kagai Oyama's "Ode to Spring and Fall's Eternity" (proposed translation / Image by courtesy of the Koga Museum of History.)

Oyama is known for widely and exquisitely performing Rinmo (or 臨模，a technique used to copy a painting or work of calligraphy) on a series of old and modern times Chinese and Japanese Zen monks writings. While inheriting traditional methods of calligraphy, he established a Chinese calligraphy writing style totally free from any outside influence. At the time, between Koga and Edo, he counted thousands of followers who would eventually erect a stone monument within Kameidoten Shrine in his honour. Both his eldest son (梧岡) and his grand-son (遜堂) went on to become calligraphers as well.

Japanese version of this article available here(external link).