National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

This is a portrait of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. Confucianism came to Japan very early in history. Sekiten, the ritual for worshiping Confucius and other ancient Confucian sages, was already performed at Court at the beginning of the eighth century. It is thought that at this sekiten they offered food and liquor to the portraits of Confucius and his ten wisest disciples and conducted a service. Probably this painting was produced for that kind of occasion. This is the oldest existing portrait of Confucius in Japan, painted in the Kamakura period. While existing portraits of Confucius during and after the Muromachi period tend to be the stereotypical standing image turned diagonally wearing the uniform of government officials in ancient China, Confucius in this painting faces the front in loosely tailored clothes, which are features making the piece clearly distinct. Formerly owned by the nihonga painter, Yasuda Yukihiko.