Mi Fu's Ink Traces in Three Styles

Author: Zhang Chuwu (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features:
Cai Wenjiu (1051–1107), styled Yuanzhang, was originally from Taiyuan and later settled in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu. Emperor Huizong appointed him as a professor of calligraphy and painting, earning the title "Cai Nan Guan" (Cai of the Southern Court). He was also known as "Cai Dian" (Crazy Cai) due to his eccentric behavior. The Song Shi·Wenyuan Zhuan (Biography of Literary Figures in the Song History) said: "Cai excelled in calligraphy and painting, with a style that was profound and soaring, capturing the brushwork of Wang Xuanzhi." The Xuanhe Shupu (Xuanhe Catalogue of Calligraphy and Painting) described him: "Generally, his calligraphy emulated Wang Xizhi, his poetry followed Li Bai, his seal script was rooted in Shi Gu, and his clerical script learned from Shi Yi Guan; he claimed, 'A good calligrapher only needs one brush, but I have four sides,' and those who understood agreed. During his time, his calligraphy, even on small pieces of paper, was highly sought after as a rare treasure." He devoted great effort to inheriting the calligraphic tradition of the "Two Wangs" (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) and mastered it thoroughly. He was skilled in all calligraphic styles—regular script, cursive script, clerical script, seal script, and running script—but excelled particularly in running and cursive script. He called his style "brushing script," referring to his swift and vigorous brushwork, fully expressing himself, striving for the essence of "brushing"—its flavor, spirit, and power, while pursuing naturalness. His calligraphic works, whether large poems or small letters and inscriptions, were characterized by their boldness, unrestrainedness, and a fresh, vigorous, and clear style, with the of sharp swords and knives.
One prominent feature of Cai's late-career works was his large-scale running script scrolls. Poem on the Rainbow Bridge, Poem on the Many Scenery Tower, and Inscription on the Yan Mountain were all masterpieces of unrestrained and extraordinary brilliance, truly embodying the heroic spirit of "Cai's brushing script." Poem on the Rainbow Bridge was created when Cai was appointed to Bianjing (modern-day Kaifeng) and passed through Sizhou (now Sishui, Anhui) to visit his old friend Zhang Da Heng in the southern mountains. There, he inscribed his name on a stone wall and composed the famous large-scale running script Poem on the Rainbow Bridge, his ambitious and confident demeanor evident in every stroke. Poem on the Many Scenery Tower is a paper manuscript in ink, consisting of forty-one lines, with each line containing two to three characters. The characters are as large as fists, and the continuous strokes are vigorous and dynamic, exuding a grandeur. Wu Qizhen's Shuhua Ji (Record of Calligraphy and Painting) described it: "The continuous strokes are relaxed and unrestrained, with a graceful structure, like the sleeves of an immortal dancing—truly Cai's finest calligraphy." This scroll was originally a long piece but was later mounted into a collection during the Song Dynasty.