Summer Season Shodou Phrase

清風動脩竹


Sei Fuu Dou Shuu Chiku

The moving bamboo rustles by the blowing of the refreshing wind.

This is a phrase for the beginning of the summer season. Our feelings become invigorated when we visualize this type of refreshing landscape.

Shuuchiku means a bamboo that has grown long. Master Takuan said that this phrase is continued to then be written in reverse order as 脩竹動清風. The question of this phrase is whether the bamboo is moved by the wind, or is the bamboo moving making the wind. The separation of the cause and effect cannot be ascertained with the natural eye, but is only revealed to us through the profound diversity of the natural world. When the wind picks up enough to cause the greenery to rustle, this is called Seiseishii wind. As this type of wind blows the same feelings are tightened up within the self and cause an inner rustling like the bamboo. Furthermore, this makes one face former feelings.

Translated by Jonathan Maples from Page 326 of the Zengo Kichigo Jiten published by the Japanese Calligraphy Society.