Kanzan (reading a scroll) and Jittoku (holding a broom). Kanzan's name literally means "Cold Mountain," and so he is sometimes called the "Poet of Cold Mountain," the "Recluse of Cold Mountain,"  or something to that effect. Jittoku's name literally means "the Foundling." These are legendary figures.

As the story goes, Kanzan was a mountain recluse or hermit in the Daoist tradition. Jittoku was a foster child in the care of a nearby Buddhist monastery, where he swept the kitchen floors as did other odd jobs. Their iconography derives from this background. Kanzan usually appears holding or reading a scroll, and Jittoku usually appears holding a broom. They wear simple, rough clothing, and are often depicted with odd facial features.

As time passed, Kanzan (Hanshan) and Jittoku (Shide) gradually became associated with the Wagô (He-he) Twins in the minds of many Chinese. Of course, the objects they hold distinguish the two pairs, but what about depictions in which the *hand-held objects are omitted*? In such cases it is often impossible to tell which pair the artist intended to depict--though often the title of the painting makes it clear.

In Japan, Kanzan came to be regarded as a local manifestation of the Bodhisattva Monju, distinguished by his superior intellect and wisdom. That Kanzan was typically depicted reading or carrying scrolls of Buddhist sutras reinforced the impression of him as unusually wise. Likewise, Jittoku came to be regarded as a local manifestation of the Bodhisattva Fugen. Fugen is a Boddhisattva of compassionate wisdom. Jittoku would often bring left over food from the monastery kitchen to Kanzan, which may be one reason for the link with Fugen.