Chen Hongshou wrote the Epitaph for Lady Sun's Tomb

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Department
Publisher:
Publication Date: June 1, 2002
Features: During the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty, a trend of studying inscriptions emerged in the field of calligraphy, ending the over- millennium-old dominance of the scholar school. On one hand, Qin seal scripts and Han clerical scripts were once again valued by calligraphers, giving rise to a group of masters skilled in (Jinshi, seal script, clerical script, etc.), reviving the vitality of these ancient scripts. On the other hand, the discovery or excavation of a large number of stone epitaphs, bamboo slips, handwritten Buddhist scriptures, and fragmented paper manuscripts provided new materials for calligraphic creation. People were no longer satisfied with the rigid Tang Dynasty regular script standards, while the reproduced inscriptions gradually faded into oblivion, surviving in a struggling state until the appearance of photolithography in the late Qing Dynasty. The true works of renowned ancient calligraphers and their best block prints were published, bringing the scholar school back to life like a phoenix reborn from ashes. The famous calligrapher Chen Hongshou, active during the Jiaqing era, lived in this transitional period between the inscription and scholar schools, and his works inevitably bore the marks of his time.
Chen Hongshou (1768–1822) was born in the 33rd year of the Qianlong reign (1768) and died in the 2nd year of the Daoguang reign (1822). He was known by the courtesy names Zigong, the sobriquets Mansheng, Yiwang, Gongsou, Laoman, Mangong, Jiagutingzhang, Zhiyuy, and Xuxi Fisherman. He was from Qiantang, Zhejiang, born into a family of scholars with rich collections of art and antiques. From a young age, he developed a deep passion for (Jinshi, stone and metal art, calligraphy, and painting). He studied under the renowned masters Jiang Ren, Huang Yi, and Xi Gang in Hangzhou, laying a solid foundation for his art. At the age of fifteen, he lost his mother. In the 6th year of the Jiaqing reign, he was selected as a gongsheng (a scholar recommended by local authorities for imperial examinations). He served as the magistrate of Liyang County, Jiangsu, and later held the position of Nanhe Haifang Tongzhi (Deputy Commissioner of South River Maritime Defense). He passed away due to illness at the age of fifty-five.