Who is Red Beard?

We get a lot of questions about the namesake of our company, Red Beard.  To set the record straight, none of us acutally have a red beard, but the name refers to a 5th Century Indian travelling monk who travelled over the Caucasus Mountains into China and established what was to become the Zen branch of Buddhism there.  He was said to be a "blue-eyed, red-bearded barbarian (because he wasn't Chinese)" and many legends and iconography have developed around him since that time.  In modern day China, Korea, and Japan, Red Beard (or daruma in Japanese) is often used as a symbol of blessing, strength, or good luck.  In Japan, he is commonly portayed at New Year's time as a legless papier-mâché doll symbolizing the legend that he lost the use of his legs due to prolonged cross-legged meditation.  In many ways, Red Beard's legend in Asia is simliar to our version of St. Nicholas as Santa Claus.

The Zen tradition holds Red Beard in especially high regard, since he was the founder.  Zen portrayals of him are more serious, conveying his sometimes fierce strength, determination, and concentration that enabled him to root early Zen so concretely in China.  Our logo is an ink brush painting made by the famous 19th Century Japanese swordsman, calligrapher, and Zen master Yamaoka Tesshu.

5th Century Red Beard and 19th Century Tesshu are both part of our own ongoing lineage of Zen, active in our own training here in Wisconsin.  By using Tesshu's brushwork of Red Beard we endeavor to bring their same spirit into the work we do.