The Faxes of Famous Calligraphers Throughout the Ages -- Selected Works of Cai Xiang

Author: Shanghai Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2001-12-01
Features: Most of the calligraphy works of renowned masters throughout history, especially the ink rubbings from the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, are stored in imperial collections. After the fall of feudal monarchy, these original works were mostly preserved in major museums, with very few circulating among the public. Ancient calligraphers had no access to the original works of masters and had to rely on carved woodblock prints for practice. However, once these prints were carved by craftsmen, the artistic spirit was lost. Subsequent re-carving further distorted their appearance, which was why Kang Youwei advocated for the study of northern stele calligraphy while suppressing the study of woodblock prints. As a result, the study of woodblock prints declined after the Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns in the Qing Dynasty, while the study of stele calligraphy rose to prominence. The practice of studying seal script, clerical script, and northern stele calligraphy flourished, a measure to correct the weak style of woodblock prints that had gone too far. In the past century, with the advancement of printing technology, the original works of renowned masters have been reproduced and passed down. Although these reproductions are inferior to the originals, they are free of any discrepancies, bringing a blessing to the calligraphy world and reviving the study of woodblock prints. In fact, both stele calligraphy and woodblock print calligraphy have their strengths. Stele calligraphy strengthens the structure, while woodblock print calligraphy nurtures the spirit. For studying seal script, clerical script, and regular script, stele calligraphy should be the primary focus, while for cursive script and running script, woodblock print calligraphy is indispensable. Neither should be neglected. In recent ten years, simulated printing has emerged, its effect nearly indistinguishable from the originals, such as the simulated printing by Japan's Artistic Reprint Society. However, it is expensive, making it inaccessible to ordinary readers. Therefore, our publishing house plans to release a series of simulated printing calligraphy books at affordable prices to share with enthusiasts. Selected Ink Rubbings of Cai Xiang is one such color-printed book.
Cai Xiang (1012–1067), a calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty, styled Junmo. His ancestors were originally from Guangzhou but later settled in Xianyou, Huizhou (now part of Fujian). He later moved to Putian. He held the position of Academician of the Endymion Hall and served as the Prefect of Hangzhou. Posthumously honored as Zhonghui, he excelled in calligraphy, mastering regular script, running script, and cursive script, as well as Clerical Script. His calligraphy was influenced by Yu Shiren and Yan Zhenqing, and he also drew inspiration from the style of the Jin Dynasty. His regular script was dignified and profound, his running script gentle and graceful, and his cursive script incorporated the flying white technique. He was renowned alongside Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu as one of the "Four Great Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty." Sudu's Annotations praised him, stating, "'Cai Junmo stands alone in his era.' This is a profound assessment. His running script is the best, followed by his small regular script, and thirdly his cursive script. If one examines his strengths for weaknesses, his large characters are slightly loose. With such natural talent, supported by diligent study, it is no wonder he stands alone in his era!" Mi Fu's Commentary on the Famous Mountains and Seas described his calligraphy as "like a young woman, graceful in form and slow in step, adorned with excessive finery." His extant ink rubbings include Poem in Thankful Prose and poems and letters. His stele carvings include Record of Wan'an Bridge and Record of Zhujin Hall, among others. He also wrote The Tea Manual, The Lychee Manual, and the posthumously compiled Collection of Grand Tutor Cai Zhonghui.
Poem in Thankful Prose, also known as Self-Composed Thankful Tablet with Poem and Submission of Poem, is a regular script ink rubbing by Cai Xiang. It records Emperor's gift of the name "Junmo" to Cai Xiang, who was deeply grateful and composed a poem to present to the Emperor as a token of thanks. In paper form, it is a single scroll of prose with an accompanying ancient poem. It has 38 lines, with varying number of characters per line, totaling 320 characters. The height is 24.8 cm, and the width is 107.9 cm. It is preserved in the Palace Museum, Taipei. It is listed in Comprehensive Examination of Artworks from Shigu Hall and Collection of Ink Bonds. The regular script in this rubbing is a masterpiece of Cai Xiang. Due to his exceptional talent, erudition, and integrity, his calligraphic style is meticulous and elegant, striving for a harmonious and reserved elegance. In Sudu's Spectacle of Life, Gu Fu of the Ming Dynasty wrote: "Regular script in white paper, free of stiffness, graceful and flowing. This is the calligraphy of our lord."
As with the previous passage, the original line breaks and formatting are retained as instructed.