Covered box with three animals crossing a river

The image on the lid of this box derives from a famous manual of ink cakes published in 1589. The motifs represent different depths of Buddhist understanding—the rabbit swims at the surface of the river, the horse tests the shallow waters, and the elephant wades in deeply. The transformation of the original woodblock drawing into a three-dimensional artwork augments the imagery and message. The artist also added mythical creatures to the box’s sides, suggesting fierce powers lurking beneath the water, or the challenges on the path to enlightenment.