Chu Suiliang's copy of Wang Xizhi's Orchid Pavilion Preface

Author: Shanghai Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-03-01
Features: The "Heavenly Running Script" masterpiece, Preface to the Orchid Pavilion, one of the representative works of the "Sage of Calligraphy" Wang Xizhi, embodies both softness and strength, exuding a graceful and beautiful charm that leaves one in awe. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, held the work in high esteem. It is said that after obtaining the original of Preface to the Orchid Pavilion, he often admired it by candlelight. He also ordered fine copies to be made by craftsmen like Feng Chengsu for wider dissemination. The reproduction of this work, printed according to the original, will not disappoint you.
"On the third day of the third month in the spring of the ninth year of the Yonghe era, we gathered at the Orchid Pavilion in the mountains of Kuaiji." On March 3, 353 AD, Wang Xizhi and the renowned figures of the time hosted a banquet by the winding waterway at the scenic Orchid Pavilion in Kuaiji Mountain, celebrating the traditional March 3rd festival. After the banquet, the masters, inspired by wine, composed poems individually. Wang Xizhi wrote a preface for them, leaving behind the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion, hailed as the "Heavenly Running Script." It is said that upon sobering up, Wang Xizhi wrote dozens of variations, none of which could surpass the original, adding a touch of magic to the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion.
As one of Wang Xizhi's masterpieces, Emperor Taizong also cherished it, placing it beside his pillow every night for comfort. He ordered his trusted general Chu Suiliang and others to copy it, ensuring its widespread dissemination. Chu Suiliang, a renowned calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, revealed a strong transformation amidst an appearance of tranquility and simplicity in his copies, yet the changes were rendered with such naturalness and precision. As a copy, it is the best way to explore the brushwork of the "Two Wangs" (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) when the original cannot be seen. For readers interested in Wang Xizhi and Chu Suiliang's calligraphy, this is an invaluable resource.