Abstract
Kawahigashi Hekigotō (1873-1937) was a renowned poet and disciple of Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902), “the father of modern haiku.” This paper discusses Hekigotō as an eloquent exponent of Shiki’s literary ideals, and an adventurous calligrapher who borrowed from the Chinese Stele School introduced to him by Shiki’s artist friend, Nakamura Fusetsu (1866-1943). Departing from the usual style of haiku calligraphy characterized by soft, flowing running or cursive scripts, Hekigotō adopted inky, heavy brushstrokes in archaic clerical script with the atomization of the words or syllables. Together with his bold promotion of the non-5-7-5 structure, Hekigotō can be described as a full-ranged reformer who challenged conventions in fundamental ways. Referencing his haiku and kanji calligraphy, this paper elucidates his sources and critical collaborations with the multi-talented Fusetsu, who amassed one of the greatest Chinese calligraphy collections in modern Japan.