Qinghe Shaoji

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Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: He Shaoji (1799—1873), styled Zizhen, was known as Dongzhou. It is said that his arms were over his knees, hence he also styled himself as "Warm (Monkey) Elder." Born in Daizhou, Hunan, he passed the imperial examination in the Bingshen year (1836) of the Daoguang reign and served as a compiler, assisting in the compilation of the National History at the Wuying Palace and eventually becoming the Education Commissioner of Sichuan. He was a highly individualistic and influential calligrapher in late Qing Dynasty calligraphy.
He Shaoji was a calligrapher of genius and diligence, a master of regular and running scripts who followed Yan Zhenqing. Down through the ages, those who practiced Yan's style with distinct individuality would undoubtedly choose He as their primary model. He is truly a master in creatively applying Yan's calligraphic style. According to my research, He found great pleasure in practicing Yan's style, and this unique charm resonates with the calligraphic style of Wen Ge of the Song Dynasty. However, Wen Ge's works are rarely seen in the world, which only enhances the fame of He's calligraphy.
Strictly speaking, as an official, calligraphy was not just a hobby for him but an integral part of his life—a source of pride and glory throughout his existence. Before his sixtieth year, his works were primarily in regular and running scripts, characterized by their profound depth, sharpness, and full energy. His insatiable desire for improvement drove his calligraphic achievements. According to his grandson, He Weipu, "In the Wufu year (1858) of the Xianfeng reign, my great-grandfather was sixty years old and, while teaching at Luoyuan Academy in Jinan, began to focus exclusively on cursive script. He diligently copied the steles of Tokyo, establishing his own curriculum. By the Gengshen year (1860), he returned to Hunan and taught at Nancheng, continuing his studies in cursive script without interruption. He devoted particular effort to the Lijing Stele and the Zhangqian Stele, each copying them a hundred times." This accurately describes the diligence with which He practiced cursive and clerical scripts in his later years. Although he called it "copying," a close examination of his late works reveals that he did not merely replicate the forms but captured the essence, achieving a creative and intelligent approach. Thus, the cursive and clerical scripts he produced bore the unique imprint of his archaic and austere style.
Having already gained fame in regular and running scripts, he further distinguished himself in cursive and clerical scripts. This progressive and orderly advancement serves as an inspiration for those eager to achieve success.
He's cursive script, though termed "copying," was in fact a way of borrowing from the past to innovate. Among the great masters of cursive and clerical scripts before him, Deng Shiru excelled in boldness and grandeur, while Yi Bingshou surpassed others in grandeur and solemnity. He Shaoji, however, sought to avoid repetition and stand out, expressing this through condensed, austere, and unrefined forms. He made a powerful and effective exploration in the direction of simplicity and rusticity in both structure and style, offering significant inspiration for later generations.
Particularly in brushwork, he deeply understood the essence of Yan Zhenqing's "layered leaks" and emphasized accumulating dots to form lines, with force that penetrates the paper. This gave the strokes of his cursive and clerical scripts a greater sense of independence and inspiration, a contribution that cannot be overstated.
In summary, Deng, Yi, and He, as the three great masters, raised their flags and established new frontiers. Their influence contributed to the flourishing and renewal of cursive and clerical scripts during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns, an achievement that even they could not have foreseen. This remarkable resurgence of cursive (including clerical) scripts was.