Bean Vine

The Bean Vine is coupled with a poem and calligraphy by Ōbaku Zen monk Musen Jōzen which recounts a story of Chinese poet Cao Zhi whose brother Cao Pei forced him to compose a poem within seven steps or face execution. Jōzen's poem refers to Cao Zhi's original composed poem where he compares himself and his brother to parts of a bean plant. "The green vine puts forth blossoms, and its pods are like half-formed swords. The bean and stalk are inseparable; both were born from the same roots."