Wen Zhengming: Running Script, Regular Script, and Cursive Script

Author: Xu Hongliu Yang Wentao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: Wen Zhengming (1470–1559) was originally named Bi (also written as Bi), Zhengming was his courtesy name, later he changed it to Zhengzhong, and took the pseudonym Hengshan, calling himself Hengshan Jushi. He was from Changzhou (now Suzhou). At the age of fifty-four, he became a minor official as a (attendant) in the Hanlin Academy. In his early years, because his calligraphy was poor, he was not allowed to participate in the provincial examinations, so he worked hard and eventually became a master of poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting. In painting, he and his disciples formed the "Wumen School"; he was also known as one of the "Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty" alongside Shen Zhou, Tang Yin, and Qiu Ying. In calligraphy, he was proficient in all styles, especially known for his running script and regular script. He was highly regarded both at home and abroad during his time. Due to his long life (nearly ninety) and respected status, he had many disciples and greatly influenced later generations. His sons, Wen Peng and Wen Jia, also achieved great success in calligraphy. Wen Peng was particularly a master of seal carving during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Wen Zhengming's small regular script is exceptionally fine and meticulous, primarily influenced by Zhong Yao, Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, Yu Shennan, Chu Suiliang, and Ouyang Xun. His works are strict in form, with sharp and elegant brushwork, dignified in style, and refined in appearance. His small regular script, especially after the age of eighty, shows remarkable skill. His running script was mainly learned from the collected works of Wang Xizhi's "Shengjiao Xu" and Zhi Yong, with strong and flowing brushwork. In his later years, he studied large characters from Huang Tingjian, and his style became robust yet elegant. He left behind many calligraphic works, including small regular scripts such as "The" (Front and Rear Ode to Red Cliff), "" (Gu Chunqian Scroll), and "" (Lisao Jing Jiugē Cè); and running scripts such as the early "Nan Chuang Ji" (Record of the Southern Window), the mid-career "Five Poetic Manuscripts," and the late "Poems of Xiyuan." All of his works are meticulously executed, even when he was nearly ninety years old, which is extremely rare among Chinese calligraphers.