Hiding the truth

Author: Zhou Hongtu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: Huaisu, styled Zangzhen, was a native of Lingling Prefecture, Hunan. He was born in the 25th year of the Kaiyuan era (737) of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and passed away in the 15th year of the Zhenyuan era (799) of Emperor Zong of Tang. As he was a monk in three families, he was known as "Monk Lingling" or "Elder Changsha" in the history of calligraphy. Huaisu was an outstanding calligrapher in Chinese history. His cursive script, known as "" (), was characterized by round and powerful brushwork, fluid and dynamic movements, and a seamless flow. He was renowned alongside Zhang Xu and was later called "Zhang's madness, Hua's" or "Mad Zhang, Drunken Hua." He was also a poet and had connections with other poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Su Huan. The Biographies of Eminent Monks records that Huaisu's great-grandfather Qian Yue served as the magistrate of Quwo County in Weizhou during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, his grandfather Qian Hui served as the magistrate of Guangwu County in Yanzhou, and his father Qian Qiang was a Left Guardian of the Palace. Lu Yu's Biography of Huaisu states: Huaisu's great-uncle, the monk Huirong, was also a calligrapher who could imitate Ouyang Xun's style so well that the villagers called them "Old Qian Master" and "Young Qian Master." Huaisu was born with clear and delicate features and was exceptionally intelligent and diligent from a young age. He acted with the maturity of an elder and was deeply loved by his parents. Therefore, everyone said, "He will surely succeed in his studies, and his talent is extraordinary." When Huaisu was ten years old, "he suddenly felt the urge to become a monk," causing his parents to sigh in distress, but they couldn’t stop him. As they said, "His fierce nature was beyond his parents' control." In his Self-Description Scroll, he also wrote: "Huaisu was raised in Changsha, and from a young age, he devoted himself to Buddhism. In his spare time from meditation, he loved calligraphy." His dedication to learning was remarkable. Li Zhao's Supplement to the History of the Tang Dynasty describes: "Huaisu loved cursive script and claimed to have mastered the essence of the 'sage of grass script.' He piled up discarded brushes and buried them in the mountains, which he called 'the Brush Mound.'" The Biography of Huaisu says: Huaisu was poor and couldn’t afford paper, so he practiced calligraphy on the walls of temples, on silk fabrics, and on utensils. It also mentions that he planted over 10,000 banana trees in his hometown and used their leaves for practice. Later, he made a lacquered plate and a lacquered board, writing and erasing on them until they were worn through. Huaisu's dedication to calligraphy, "burying brushes like a mound and writing through plates," was so extraordinary that Li Zhao described him as "having mountains of brushes and rivers of ink." Huaisu's fame in cursive script had already spread far and wide in his youth. At that time, a scholar named Zhu Ke heard of the young monk’s fame in calligraphy and traveled from afar to Hengyang to visit Huaisu, presenting him with a poem that read: "I came from Hengyang to visit you, and we drank together, and your spirit was even more divine." "In your brushwork, only the surging current can be seen; when your characters are formed, only the coiling dragon fears to follow. Your strange forms surge like rolling grass, and your flying silk is as chaotic as the whirlwind. At such a young age, you are already like this—none in the distant past can compare." Wang Yong, the governor of Yongzhou, also personally visited Huaisu and presented him with a poem: "The double gorges of Hengyang pierce the sky, their green cliffs towering over ten thousand feet. The spirit and elegance of this place are known to all, but only Huaisu’s cursive script is truly extraordinary. Huaisu is over five feet tall, and his chanting and reciting are awe-inspiring. His bronze bottle and bronze staff lean toward the court, and his spotted bamboo and fine hair are full of elegance. I, the governor of this state, am delighted to meet you, and I see your cursive script full of wisdom. Huaisu, Huaisu, you are unattainable. Your scrolls and pools turn each other in memory."