Wang Duo's Cursive Script Scroll Masterpieces. Du Ling's Autumn Meditations Scroll

Author: Liu Canzhang, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: July 1, 2004
Features: Wang Xi (1592–1652), styled Jiesi, also known as Juezhi, styled Songqiao, Chiqiao, and Xueshan. Born in Shuanghuaili, Mengjin, Henan in the 20th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, he began studying at the age of 14, entered the county school at 16, passed the provincial examination at 30, and was admitted to the Hanlin Academy as a Cishiji in the third year of the Tianqi era at the age of 31. He served as Minister of Rites, Vice Academician of the Hanlin Academy, Imperial Lecturer, and member of the Teaching Hall during the Chongzhen era. When the Hongguang court was established, he entered the Grand Secretariat as the deputy premier and was lowered to the Qing court the following year. In the third year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, he served as the Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently as the Hanlin Academician, appointed as the deputy editor-in-chief of the History of Ming. In the sixth year of the Shunzhi era, he was appointed as the Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently as the deputy editor-in-chief of the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizong Wen and was promoted to the position of Shaobao in the same year. He passed away in his hometown in the ninth year of the Shunzhi era and was posthumously honored as Wen'an. Wang Xi excelled in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, particularly in calligraphy. He mastered all calligraphic styles, with his cursive script being the most outstanding. This series collects the essence of Wang Xi's cursive script, showcasing his calligraphic styles from different periods. Wang Xi's cursive script style blends the techniques of the Wang family (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi), incorporates the (wild grass) methods of Tang Dynasty calligraphers, and absorbs the characteristics of Huang Tingjian and Mi Fu, establishing a unique style that elevates cursive script to new heights and influences the Chinese calligraphy scene for over four hundred years. Wang Xi's cursive script is grand and majestic, with a dynamic and vibrant rhythm that exudes a powerful impact and awe. His brushwork is exceptionally rich, primarily using the central axis technique while also employing multi-directional strokes. In his circular and turning movements, he skillfully incorporates sharp turns, emphasizing subtlety while also adding broken strokes to enhance momentum. Wang Xi's brushwork has become one of the defining features of his calligraphic style, perfectly embodying the aesthetic qualities of elegance and strength. His composition is tight yet fluid, continuous yet dynamic, with a leaning and irregular arrangement that creates a sense of danger and beauty. Wang Xi excelled in ink usage. He pioneered the "Swelling Ink" technique. His ink application, ranging from thick to thin, dry to wet, creates a strong sense of rhythm when combined with varying brush speeds. Wang Xi's Swelling Ink technique expanded the expressive possibilities of ink in calligraphy, enhancing its emotional intensity and profoundly influencing the development of the interest-oriented calligraphy movement after the Qing Dynasty. Wang Xi's compositional brilliance lies in his unique division of spatial forms. As the ancients said, "Sparse areas remain sparse, dense areas remain dense; sparse spaces allow a horse to gallop, while dense spaces are impenetrable." To create his exquisite compositional spaces, Wang Xi meticulously considered the lightness and heaviness of his brushstrokes, the speed and slowness of his writing, the straightness and curvature of his lines, the connection and separation of his dots, the irregularity of his arrangements, the randomness of his character groups, and the density of his lines. We have selected ten of Wang Xi's treasured cursive script masterpieces from his ten-volume "albums" to provide readers with an excellent model.