Nothing from Nothing By Lao Zhen (from JWP 3.0 Kanji Font) Background of the Calligram The calligram consists of the Chinese/Japanese character "wu/mu", meaning "no" or "nothing" or the like, repeated horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, to make up a macro copy of the character. Thus, the calligram may be interpreted as "nothing from nothing". This work was inspired by a story in the introduction to Zen and Zen Classics, Vol. 4: Mumonkan, by R.H. Blyth (1966, The Hokuseido Press, pp. 1-2), which reads as follows: Mumon was born in 1183, towards the end of the Sung Dynasty, 960-1279. He went to see Getsurin, the seventh successor of Yogi, at Manjuji Temple. Getsurin, who was famous for his severity, gave him the koan of Mu to study. After six years, Mumon had still not solved hid problem. He swore he would not sleep until he understood Mu, and when he felt sleepy he would go out into the corridor and bash his head against a post. One day, when the noon drum was struck, he suddenly came to a realization, and composed the following verse: Out of a blue sky, the sun shing bright, a clap of thunder! All the living things of the great earth open their eyes widely. All the myriad things of nature make obiesance; Mount Sumeru, off its base, is dancing a polka. The next day, when he interviewed Getsurin, he wanted to tell him about it, but Getsurin asked him, "Where did you see the god? Where did you see the Devil?" Mumon said "Kwatz!" Getsurin said "Kwatz!" and they kwatzed each other, ad infinitum, more or less. He composed a ju: Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! HTMLifted by Elgar.