True Mountain - T-Shirt

This Japanese Zen calligraphy T-shirt showcases 山雪悳 (Mountain • Snow • Virtue) by the renowned Rinzai Zen master Hakuin Ekaku. Minimalist brushwork, deep symbolism, and museum-grade heritage come together in a design that signals quiet strength – steady as a mountain, pure as new snow, and guided by virtue.

The design

The motif combines three characters:

• 山 (yama) – mountain
• 雪 (yuki) – snow
• 悳 (toku) – virtue (an archaic form of 徳)

Hakuin’s bold, spontaneous strokes embody Zen’s directness: unadorned, energetic, and perfectly imperfect. The composition reads like a visual kōan—inviting contemplation while remaining strikingly modern and easy to style on a daily tee.

The artist

Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769), a prominent Japanese Zen master, painter, and calligrapher of the Rinzai school. 

Why you'll love it

• A clean, high-impact design that carries deep Zen symbolism
• Works with denim, chinos, or even under a blazer; equally at home in casual or smart-casual looks
• Share a wish for steadiness, purity, and virtue – perfect for milestones, practice partners, or loved ones