Zhang Jizhi's Account of Wangshi Baobian An

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Committee of "Classical Chinese Ink Rubbing"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-06-01
Features: In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Jingkang (National Humiliation) occurred, when Bianjing fell to the Jin army, and emperors Huizong and Qinzong were captured. Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou fled south and established the capital at Lin'an, marking the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty in history. From the first year of Jianyan to the second year of Xiangxing, the dynasty had nine emperors in total, spanning 152 years. Although the Southern Song temporarily found a semblance of peace, the Jiangnan region was rich in resources and a land of outstanding talent. Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou was particularly fond of calligraphy. The "Chunhua Ge Tie" (Imperial Collection of Calligraphy) was published during the Northern Song Dynasty, and its influence expanded during the Southern Song. The styles of learning Mi (Fu), Huang (Shanshan), and the "Two Wangs" (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) flourished, and the study of ink rubbings (tie) also developed significantly. Works such as the "Ding Tie," "Chunxi Secret Gallery Continuation Tie," and "Shichaitang Tie" (). Emperor Gaozong also established a calligraphy academy and appointed Mi Youren as the Calligraphy Doctor. Under this cultural atmosphere, the Southern Song produced many renowned calligraphers, such as Yue Fei, Wu Shuo, Fan Chengda, Wu Jie, Zhu Xi, Lu You, Jiang Kai, Zhang Jizhi, Wen Tianxiang, and Zhao Mengjian. Overall, Southern Song calligraphy cannot match the innovation and vitality of the Northern Song, appearing relatively conservative and more inclined to imitation. However, it still featured many creative and individualistic calligraphers, with Zhang Jizhi being a prominent representative.