Su Shi Calligraphy Collection

Author: Li Songchen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: Su Shi (1037-1101), a Song Dynasty litterateur and calligrapher. His courtesy name is Zizhan, also known as Hezhong, and his sobriquet is Dongpo Jushi. He was from Meishan, Meizhou (now part of Sichuan). Su Shi was exceptionally talented, excelling not only in poetry, prose, and essays but also in calligraphy and painting. In calligraphy, he extensively studied the works of masters from the Jin and Tang dynasties, absorbing diverse influences to develop his own unique style. He was particularly skilled in running script and regular script, with calligraphic style characterized by fullness in form and strength in structure, natural and dynamic brushwork. He was renowned alongside Cai Xiang, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu as one of the "Four Great Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty." His surviving calligraphic works include "Cold Food Observance in Huangzhou," "The Red Cliff Ode," "Letter to Xie Minshi on Literature," and "The Two Drafts of Dongting Spring Color and Zhongshan Pine Wine." Su Shi had insightful views on painting, advocating for "spirit resemblance" and "transmitting the spirit," proposing the concepts of "poetry within painting" and "painting within poetry," which had a significant impact on the history of art. He was adept at painting bamboo and rocks, learning from Wen Tong while developing his own distinctive style. Only a few of his original paintings survive, such as "Ancient Trees and Strange Rocks." In academia, Su Shi authored works like "Commentary on the I Ching" and "Commentary on the Book of Documents." This book selects his regular script works, including "Record of," "Stele of Chenkui Pavilion," his running script works like "The First Red Cliff Ode Scroll," "Cold Food Observance in Huangzhou," and "The Immortal Poem of Li Bai Scroll," as well as his cursive script works, such as "Poem of Plum Blossoms."