Sun Guoting Calligraphy Collection

Author: Li Songchen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-11-01
Features: In the world of calligraphers, Sun Guoting is renowned for his expertise in both calligraphy and calligraphic theory. His masterpiece, Shupu (Book of Calligraphy), is not only a classic monograph on classical calligraphy but also a must-learn model for cursive script. Sun Guoting (638?-688?), styled Qianli, is also known as Qianli by name and Guoting by style. His place of origin remains uncertain in academia. Some say he was from Gangyang (southern part of present-day Hangzhou County, Zhejiang), while others claim he was from Chenliu (northwest of present-day Kaifeng City, Henan). In Shupu, he identifies himself as "Sun Guoting of Wujun," suggesting he was from the area around Suzhou. Born into humble circumstances, he devoted himself to calligraphy from a young age, practicing diligently for twenty years and ultimately achieving mastery through self-study. At the age of forty, he became a minor official, the "Lifu Lushi" (Record Secretary of the Lifu Bureau), but was dismissed due to his incorruptible integrity and the resulting slander. After resigning, he devoted himself to calligraphic studies and writing theories, though tragically, his works remained unfinished. Stricken by poverty and illness, Sun Guoting died suddenly in a guesthouse in Luzhou, Zhiye Li.
The early Tang poet Chen Zi'ang composed The Tomb Inscription of Sun Lushi of the Lifu Bureau and The Writings of Sun Lushi of the Wei Lifu Bureau, praising him as "After Yuan Chang (Zhong Yao) passed away, his divine calligraphy was lost. Your legacy, however, rivals the immortals of the ages." Comparing Sun Guoting to Zhong Yao, a great calligrapher of the Three Kingdoms period, highlights his high regard during the early Tang dynasty. Sun Guoting was described as "fond of antiquity, erudite in literature, and renowned in calligraphy." He excelled in regular script, running script, and cursive script, with particular fame in the latter. His surviving calligraphic works include Shupu, Thousand Characters, and The Ode to the Hall of Jingfu, all in cursive script. Among these, Shupu stands out as his most accomplished and influential work.
Soon after the publication of Sun Guoting's Shupu, criticism emerged. For instance, the Tang dynasty calligrapher Su Ji in The Ode to Calligraphy remarked that Sun's cursive script had "the style of commoners," with "a thousand papers looking alike, and a thousand characters indistinguishable." This critique was later refuted by later scholars. Wang Shen of the Song dynasty remarked, "Qianli (Sun Guoting) specialized in learning from the 'Two Wangs' (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi). The Thousand Characters preserved by Guo Zhongwei exhibits powerful brushwork, though it lacks elegance. Compared to the works of Master Yong (Zhi Yong), Guoting's style is already unrestrained. However, Su Ji's claim that Guoting's calligraphy is uniform across thousands of papers and identical in every character is deeply questionable. Upon studying this work, I found that its masterpieces rival those of the Wang family. In its unrestrained elegance, it still maintains a certain looseness, a subtlety not easily grasped by the masses."
The Song dynasty Mi Fu, though often harsh in his criticism of earlier calligraphers, was deeply impressed by Sun Guoting's cursive script. In The Sayings of Haiyue, he wrote, "Sun Guoting's cursive Shupu is highly reminiscent of the style of the 'Two Wangs.' The way he terminates characters with a slight curve and straight line is characteristic of Guoting's technique. Whenever works attributed to the 'Two Wangs' exhibit such features, they are undoubtedly by Sun's hand. Among Tang cursive scripts, none surpass Guoting in mastering the style of the 'Two Wangs.'"
Jiao Yi of the Ming dynasty remarked, "Previous critics of Sun's calligraphy claimed it was uniform, like grass blown by the wind, implying disdain. I argue that Shupu, though skillfully executed, still adheres to strict rules, hence its elegance. Upon seeing the authentic Thousand Characters, one can especially appreciate the brushwork of the Jin dynasty. The Zen sect speaks of 'seeking freedom from rules without being bound by them,' a state attainable only by those who have entered satori." Wang Shizhen also noted, "Qianli's fame was unparalleled, except for Su Ji's harsh criticism calling his cursive 'commoner's script.' Shupu is rich, smooth, and polished, nearly rivaling the hall of Shanyin (Wang Xizhi). Later, it becomes unrestrained, resembling a thirsty leopard or a soaring dragon. Upon closer examination, the claim that 'a thousand characters are indistinguishable' is merely a minor flaw in its perfection."
These analyses and evaluations are far more comprehensive and insightful than Su Ji's. A close look at the Shupu reveals that Sun Guoting not only mastered the essence of the 'Two Wangs' but also innovated and advanced. The beginning of the work is steady, following rules and conventions, like the introduction of a symphony, calm and composed. The middle section becomes more dynamic, with brushwork gradually becoming unrestrained, characters connected, and hooks and loops intertwining. The final section reaches its climax with unrestrained inspiration, brushwork flowing like wind and waves, and every stroke executed with abandon. The entire work, over three thousand characters long, builds to a crescendo in a single breath, truly embodying "thought before brush, effortless elegance, and soaring spirit," achieving the realm of "perfect skill and harmonious mind-hand coordination."
The brushwork in Shupu is fluid and graceful yet full of variation. "Between a single stroke, ( between the tip and the end), and within a single dot, (casting shadows and looking up and down), the flow is uninterrupted. The brush tip may be light as a cicada's wing or heavy as collapsing clouds, yet it balances firmness with suppleness, and suppleness with firmness. It moves with grace and vitality. While Shupu's brushwork derives from the 'Two Wangs,' it is more pointed, decisive, and varied. A distinctive feature is the horizontal strokes, long dots, and strokes that first press heavily and then flow smoothly, creating two types of changes within a single stroke. The waves rise and fall, and the spirit shines forth. When making curved strokes, the tip transitions from sharp to fine, with sharpness and spirit radiating outward, like a waterfall suddenly blocked, the stream narrowing and surging through rock crevices. Hidden and exposed, central and oblique, the brushwork is unrestrained and natural. Its technique, charm, and spirit closely resemble Lu Ji's Pingfu and Wang Xizhi's Cold and Cold and Far Journey. 'Breaking yet perfect, disordered yet orderly, more elegant yet more grounded, more graceful yet more robust,' the style of the Jin dynasty lingers in its brushwork. The ink tone of Shupu varies between dry and wet, with the first half elegant and refined, while the second half features more dry strokes, 'like a tangled ladder and massive rocks blocking the path.' Though its structure is balanced, the spacing is well-adjusted, with varying widths and lengths, creating a natural and harmonious composition amidst a seemingly chaotic layout.
For millennia, Shupu has been admired and revered by calligraphers. Sun Chengze's evaluation is particularly fair: "In the early Tang, none imitated the 'Two Wangs' without a traceable path. Sun Qianli's Shupu, however, is natural and unrestrained, striding alone without seeking conformity, yet perfectly fitting. This is the 'sublime brushwork' of the Tang dynasty."
Besides Shupu, Sun Guoting's Thousand Characters and The Ode to the Hall of Jingfu are also outstanding works in calligraphic art. Feng Mengzhen in Kuaixue Tang Ji remarked, "I examined the authentic Thousand Characters, which follows rules yet exhibits a thousand poses, like a dragon or a phoenix—unlike anything else. It seems as if it were reborn from the 'Two Wangs.' The original manuscript is lost, but two editions survive: Yuqing Zhai and Moyao Xuan. The Moyao Xuan edition is attributed to the Song dynasty. The Yuqing Zhai edition's Thousand Characters features skilled brushwork without sharpness, exuding a grandeur. Overall, Sun Guoting's calligraphy in Shupu and Thousand Characters derives from the 'Two Wangs,' and the influence of the 'Two Wangs' is evident in every stroke. The surviving Ode to the Hall of Jingfu, however, presents a different style, far from Shupu, leading to doubts about its authorship. This piece uses sharp, angular brushwork, with structures reminiscent of cursive clerical script, offering a unique charm. The original manuscript is now housed in the Palace Museum.
Sun Guoting's achievements in calligraphic theory are also immense. His most profound insights are compiled in Shupu, revered by all calligraphers as a guide. Among the three thousand seven hundred characters of Shupu, Sun Guoting discusses topics such as the evolution of calligraphy, learning from masters, the importance of practice, broad absorption, creative conditions, the correct path to learning calligraphy, brush techniques, and how to reach the pinnacle of calligraphic mastery—issues that remain relevant today.
First, Sun Guoting reviews the achievements and styles of four great calligraphers from the Han and Jin dynasties (Zhang Zhi, Zhong Yao, Wang Xizhi, and Wang Xianzhi), noting that the general trend of calligraphic development since them has been "ancient simplicity giving way to modern elegance." The contributions of the 'Two Wangs' lie in their pioneering this path, embodying the aesthetic views of their time and thus becoming master calligraphers. To learn calligraphy, one must aim high, with the masterful brushwork of Zhong, Zhang, and the 'Two Wangs' serving as the best models.
Second, the strokes and dots within characters are the fundamental elements of calligraphic art. A calligrapher must master them to convey "form and substance" through strokes and express "personality" through writing. Though regular and cursive scripts differ in movement and technique, "form and substance" and "personality" are always the essential requirements that breathe life into calligraphy. To further enrich calligraphic vitality, one must absorb new elements from various scripts. For example, learning regular and cursive scripts requires "connecting to the two seal scripts, permeating the eight styles, encompassing texts, and immersing in flying white," embracing a broad and inclusive approach. Of course, the success of calligraphic creation depends not only on the calligrapher's skill but also on their mood, the quality of tools and materials, and even seasonal changes. A calligrapher should wield their brush when in the best state to achieve ideal results. Integrating the strengths of various scripts and applying knowledge broadly are crucial factors in a calligrapher's success, a principle observed by masters throughout history. To illustrate this, Sun Guoting analyzes the characteristics and strengths of seal script, clerical script, cursive script, and cursive clerical script: "Seal script values smoothness and connection, clerical script seeks precision and density, cursive script prizes flow and ease, and cursive clerical script emphasizes simplicity and efficiency." These are concise and profound remarks on the various scripts. Specifically, seal script, especially small seal script, uses rounded lines with hidden tips, uniform central pressure, and consistent circularity. These lines are soft, graceful, and lyrical; turns should be curved, and forms elongated, allowing the lines to flow smoothly and fully express their graceful and fluid nature. Thus, it is said, "Seal script values smoothness and connection." Clerical script replaces rounded lines with square ones, which are straight and powerful, with turns made square rather than curved. The structure becomes more rigid, replacing "smoothness and connection" with "precision and density," and long squares with wide horizontal forms, achieving harmony. Therefore, Sun Guoting emphasized, "Clerical script seeks precision and density." While clerical script is characterized by squareness, it risks stiffness, so it uses "silkworm heads and swallow tails" sparingly to give the script a dynamic and lively touch. However, excessive use is to be avoided—"swallows do not fly in pairs"—as too many would lose its "precision and density." Cursive script is fast and requires simplifying and connecting strokes, executed in one breath. The result is the transformation of sharp corners into rounded curves, creating many swaying yet flowing lines, hence "flow and ease." Cursive clerical script, a cursive form of clerical script, shares with modern cursive script in simplification and rounded turns but differs in that each character stands alone, retaining the "swallow tails" (descending strokes) of clerical script. As a cursive form of clerical script, it is not as continuous as modern cursive but is far simpler and more efficient than clerical script, hence "simplicity and efficiency." A learner of calligraphy who masters the "smoothness of seal script," the "precision and density of clerical script," the "flow of cursive script," and the "simplicity of cursive clerical script" will naturally become a master.
Lastly, Sun Guoting discusses the core issue of brushwork in Shupu (also known as On Brushwork). He advises learners to focus on "holding, using, turning, and applying" the brush. Targeting the (poor calligraphic trends) of the time, which treated decorative "artistic letters" as innovation, Sun Guoting criticized them as "skilled in color but lacking in ink," failing to master true brushwork.
Sun Guoting summarized the creative principles of calligraphic art, identifying three stages: "flatness—risk—flatness." He wrote, "A beginner seeks only flatness; once flatness is mastered, they pursue risk; after mastering risk, they return to flatness. Initially, they fall short; in the middle, they overstep; finally, they achieve harmony. When in harmony, both the person and the calligraphy age gracefully." Every successful calligrapher follows this path. Shupu is a summary and elevation of Sun Guoting's own calligraphic practice. These substantive and insightful theories offer far greater guidance to later learners than the vague and empty discussions of theorists without calligraphic practice or skill. Shupu is truly a classic of calligraphic study.
It is worth noting that the monk Kukai, the first of the "Three Brushes" of the Heian period in Japan, also deeply admired Shupu. The Shupu he supervised preserves both spirit and form, remaining a model for Japanese calligraphers to this day.
According to our knowledge, Sun Guoting's surviving calligraphic works include Shupu, The Ode to the Hall of Jingfu, The Thousand Characters (Fragment), The Fifth Thousand Characters, and The Classic of Filial Piety, totaling five. This book selects the first four, with Shupu being universally recognized as authentic, while the authenticity of the others is debated.