Selected Calligraphic Works of Past Generations Yuan Dynasty: Zhao Mengfu's "Fengju Fu"

Author: Mo Xiaobu, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher: Xiling Press
Publication Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The Pastoral Poem was written by Pan Yue, a famous litterateur of the Western Jin Dynasty. Previous scholars had some criticisms, such as the renowned Jin Dynasty poet Yuan Haowen in his Thirty Poems on Poetry, who wrote:
"True hearts and true words are often untruthful,
Can literature still reveal the person?
The high sentiments of The Pastoral Poem through the ages,
Who would believe Anren bowing to dusty roads?"
In light of historical records, Yuan Haowen's discussion on the relationship between the author and the work remains relatively objective. Similar to Pan Yue, Zhao Mengfu was also one of the most controversial historical figures in later generations. He constantly oscillated between the extremes of official career and seclusion, and as a former prince of the old royal family who entered the service of the state, his psychological burden was inevitably great. Throughout his life, he often suffered from the dilemma of being unable to choose between advancement and retreat. Zhao Mengfu's sense of guilt and regret was indeed an inescapable and lifelong reality. By writing The Pastoral Poem, he actually hoped to use the power of calligraphy to or alleviate his inner conflicts and anxieties, allowing his mind to find temporary peace. This work bears no inscription, but based on its calligraphic style, it is believed to have been written in his later years. At the end of the scroll, there is a postscript by the Qing Dynasty scholar Cao Rong. The work is now preserved in the Taipei Palace Museum.