Tang Feng Chengsu's copy of the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection

Author: Shanghai Shuhua Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-12-01
Features: This book is a reproduction of the calligraphy works of famous masters in history, specifically the "" by Feng Chengsu of the Tang Dynasty. The book includes Feng Chengsu's calligraphy works of the "," which are well-structured, balanced in composition, and fluid in execution, fully demonstrating the calligrapher's profound expertise and unique creative style. The book is printed with exquisite craftsmanship, effectively capturing the essence of the original works, making it a valuable resource for calligraphy enthusiasts to appreciate and practice.
The authentic "," known as the "supreme running script," is said to have been buried with Emperor Taizong of Tang in the Zhaoling Tomb. Emperor Taizong was deeply fond of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy and, in the early years of the Zhenguan era, issued an edict to purchase gold and silk from the imperial treasury to collect Wang's works, amassing over 1,500 volumes, though they were a mix of genuine and forged pieces. He then ordered Wei Zheng, Yu Shinnan, and Chu Suiliang to authenticate and organize them. Among all the genuine works, Emperor Taizong was particularly attached to the "," treasuring it and often practicing it by candlelight at night. To ensure the legacy of this masterpiece, he commissioned Zhao Mo, Han Daozheng, Feng Chengsu, and Ge Zhen to create high-quality copies, as well as ordered Yu Shinnan and Chu Suiliang to produce their own renditions. The three ink rubbings of the "" now preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum—the Feng Chengsu copy and the renditions by Yu and Chu—are miraculous survivals over more than a millennium of warfare.
Wang Xizhi (307–365), styled Yishao, was a native of Linyi, Shandong. He once served as the Right General and was thus known as Wang Youjun. Born into a distinguished family of the Jin dynasty, his grandfather Wang Zheng and father Wang Kuang were (cousins) of Wang Dao, who had served as the Governor of Huainan. Wang Xizhi initially held the position of Librarian, later serving as the Governor of Linchuan, a member of the Western Expeditionary Corps, a General of the Far Distance, the Military Governor of Jiangzhou, and the General of the Imperial Guards. In the seventh year of the Yonghe era (3351), he was appointed as the Right General and the Interior Minister of Kuaiji, serving for four years before resigning in the eleventh year and retiring to Shanyin, where he spent his later years in seclusion, traveling with renowned scholars and indulging in the natural world. His immortal masterpiece, the "," was written on the third day of the third month in the ninth year of the Yonghe era (353).
At that time, he invited scholars such as Xie Wan and Sun Chuo, along with their relatives and friends (41 in total), to a grand gathering at the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin (Shaoxing). They engaged in a poetic competition while floating cups along the winding stream, performing the traditional ritual of washing away impurities, composing poems by the water's edge, and compiling them into a volume with Wang Xizhi's preface written at the beginning. On that day, the sky was clear, the air was gentle, and his mood was equally serene. Slightly inebriated and inspired, he used Zuo Bo ink, silkworm paper, and a mouse-hair brush to compose this timeless masterpiece.
Wang Xizhi's calligraphy was revered as the "Sage of Calligraphy," not only because he innovated by modifying ancient methods to create a new style but also because his running script embodied two fundamental philosophical ideas of ancient Chinese aesthetics: Confucius's Doctrine of the Mean and Laozi's Way of Nature. His running script was neither too thick nor too thin, balanced in both square and round forms, employing both side and central strokes, combining firmness and suppleness, density and openness, stillness and movement, simplicity and novelty, and radiating both elegance and substance. As the saying goes, "Without excess or restraint, its style naturally extends far," achieving a beauty of "just right."
The second philosophy was Laozi's Way of Nature. Wang Xizhi's running script was natural, extraordinary in spirit, and effortlessly harmonious, as Huang Shangu described: "Wang Youjun's brushwork is like Mengzi's discussion of nature or Zhuangzi's talk of spontaneity—whether expressed vertically or horizontally, it is always perfect." This can be seen as a realm of "acting according to one's heart without transgressing the bounds," or a state of "second nature." Moreover, Wang Xizhi's running script, while maintaining a calm, simple, and elegant atmosphere, revealed striking variations, blending its own essence with diverse styles, leaving one at a loss for words—this was the magic of his calligraphy.
Since Wang Xizhi lived close to antiquity, despite pioneering a new style that was both beautiful and vigorous, his brushwork retained the ancient essence of the Han and Wei dynasties. Unfortunately, none of Wang Xizhi's original works remain, making it impossible to study the subtleties of his brushwork. It is no wonder that predecessors lamented, "All in the world study the face of the Orchid Pavilion, but no golden elixir can transform ordinary bones."
In the absence of the original, the Tang dynasty's copies or renditions are even more precious. The copies, executed with double-line outlines filled with ink, preserved the original appearance but struggled to convey the texture of the brushwork, dry strokes, flying white, and variations in ink color. For beginners, studying Wang Xizhi's internal techniques can be approached by comparing them with Yang Ningshi's "Jinhua" (Ink Rubbing of Garlic Blossoms), as well as Yu Shinnan's and Chu Suiliang's renditions, Lu Banzhi's "Orchid Pavilion Poem" (Ink Rubbing), and fragments of Jin dynasty paper.
Wang Xizhi's "Orchid Pavilion" defies expectations, connecting the broken and the continuous, where, in the most natural of ways, the spirit of the brushwork unfolds effortlessly. Truly, "its power surpasses ten thousand men, and its charm transcends the ages," achieving a perfect unity of form and spirit, emotion and reason, method and intent, and literature and essence. Moreover, as a running script combined with regular script, it is undoubtedly the best model for learning running script. It is now printed in accordance with the original, to delight all calligraphy enthusiasts.