Cai Xiang's Record of Wan'an Bridge

Author: Cai Xiang (Song Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Cai Xiang (1012–1067), styled Junmo, was a native of Xinghua (now Xianyou, Fujian Province). He passed the imperial examination in the eighth year of the Tiansheng era (1030) and held various positions in the central government of the Song Dynasty, including Assistant Curator of the Imperial Academy, Director of the Censorate, Assistant Historian, Chief Draftsman, Academician of the Dragon Pool Pavilion, Academician of the Secretariat, Academician of the Hanlin Academy, Director of the Three Departments, and Academician of the Dongming Hall. He also served as the Transport Commissioner of Fujian Circuit (now Fuzhou, Fujian Province) and held the posts of Governor of Quanzhou, Fuzhou, Kaifeng (now Kaifeng, Henan Province), and Hangzhou. Upon his death, he was posthumously granted the title of Vice Minister of Rites and honored with the posthumous name "Zhonghui." Cai Xiang was a man of integrity, upright character, and strong sense of honor, with profound knowledge. In the history of calligraphy, when discussing Song Dynasty calligraphy, there has always been the saying of the "Four Great Calligraphers of the Song," who were considered typical representatives of the Song calligraphic style. Among the "Four Great Calligraphers," the first three refer to Su Shi (Su Dongpo), Huang Tingjian (Huang Foweng), and Mi Fu (Mi Xiangshi). In terms of age and seniority, Cai Xiang should be ranked before Su, Huang, and Mi. From the perspective of calligraphic style, Su's works are lush and dynamic; Huang's are bold and unconventional; Mi's are spirited and unrestrained, each with their own distinct styles. Su, Huang, and Mi excelled in running script and semi-cursive script, while Cai Xiang preferred regular script. Cai Xiang's calligraphy is characterized by its robust elegance, pure and graceful beauty, forming a unique style. Unfolding his calligraphic works, one feels as if a gentle breeze brushes one's face, filled with exquisite and refined charm. Cai Xiang's calligraphy was highly regarded by his contemporaries and enjoyed immense fame during his lifetime. Among those who admired his art, Su Dongpo and Ouyang Xiu stood out. Su Dongpo remarked in Su Dongpo's Annotations: "Cai Junmo possesses exceptional natural talent and profound learning, with a harmonious connection between his mind and hand, and endless variations. Thus, he stands as the pinnacle of calligraphy in our dynasty. His running script is superior, followed by his small regular script, and then his cursive script. He once intentionally created flying white calligraphy, claiming it had the momentum of soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes, and those who understood calligraphy did not deem it excessive." Ouyang Xiu's praise for Cai Xiang's calligraphy was even more effusive: Ouyang Xiu said, "Since Su Zimei's death, the art of calligraphy has been in decline. In recent years, Cai Junmo has stood alone in the world, yet he remains humble and reluctant to take the lead." (Collected Works of Ouyang Wenzhong) Huang Tingjian also remarked, "Su Zimei and Cai Junmo are the heroes of calligraphy." (Collected Works of Huang Shanshi) The Northern Song scientist Shen Kuo, in Dream Pool Essays, commented on Cai Xiang's cursive script: "Using scattered brushstrokes to create cursive script is called 'scattered cursive' or 'flying cursive.' Its techniques all arise from flying white calligraphy, forming a unique style. It preserves the ancient charm of Zhang Xu and Huai Su while embodying the momentum of changing winds and clouds. It is both unrestrained and rich in ancient elegance." The Biography of Cai Xiang in the History of the Song Dynasty states: "Cai Xiang was skilled in calligraphy and was highly esteemed in his time. Emperor Renzong particularly loved his works." Xu Jiang, in his Biography of Cai Xiang, said: "Cai Xiang was very self-disciplined in his calligraphy and painting, never casually creating works for others. His fragments and drafts were all treasured by people. Emperor Renzong deeply admired and praised his works." Zhu Changwen, in Continued Book Judgments, noted: "Cai Xiang was very self-disciplined in his calligraphy, not lightly creating works for others. When he sent letters to others, people all treasured them as precious possessions. Emperor Renzong deeply loved his calligraphy and commissioned him to write the inscriptions for the Stele of Empress Wencheng. Cai Junmo declined, saying: 'This is the duty of an imperial calligrapher. Scholars who excel in calligraphy do so to find their own rest and recreation, not like artisans who toil endlessly.' From these three accounts, we can see that Cai Xiang's calligraphy was cherished by both the emperor and the common people. Due to his self-discipline and reluctance to create works for others, his surviving works are relatively few. Additionally, these accounts reveal that the calligraphic scene of the time had completely shifted toward literary and epistolary arts, while inscribing steles was regarded as a laborious task for artisans, disdainful of scholars. Even imperial decrees could not sway this trend, which was fundamentally different from the situation before the Tang Dynasty. Cai Xiang was not a master who established a new school. Overall, his calligraphy adhered to the rules of the Jin and Tang dynasties, with slightly less innovation. However, he was an indispensable figure in the development of Song Dynasty calligraphy. Through his own comprehensive achievements in calligraphy, he built a technical bridge between the rules of the Jin and Tang dynasties and the aesthetic interests of the Song people. Surviving calligraphic works of Cai Xiang include Self-Composed Poem Scroll, Thank You for the Imperial Calligraphy Poem, as well as various ink rubbings such as Letter to Tao Sheng, Ritual Sacrifice at the Suburban Altars, and Letter of Gratitude. His steles include Record of the Wan'an Bridge, Record of the Zhanjin Hall, and inscriptions in regular script at Gushan's Lingyuan Cave, such as "Forget Returning Stone" and "Academician Rock."