zenga

Zenga 禅画 ("zen picture") is a term for the practice and art of Zen Buddhist painting and calligraphy in the Japanese tea ceremony and also the martial arts.
Zenga is a style of Chinese and Japanese calligraphy and painting, done in ink. The term is most often used for artwork by Buddhist monks, often without formal artistic training, and is sometimes contrasted with "nanga," or "literati painting," made by scholars.In many instances, both calligraphy and image will be in the same piece. The calligraphy denotes a poem, or saying, that teaches some element of the true path of Zen. These inscriptions are usually short, often written in kana. The brush painting is characteristically simple, bold and abstract, and the style often playful and spontaneous.
In keeping with individual paths to enlightenment, nearly any subject matter can lend (and has lent) itself to zenga. Everything from a cat, to a bamboo shoot, to a man defecating in a field has been used to illustrate a particular point - although enso, sticks and Mount Fuji are the most common elements.

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