Zhao Mengfu, "Preface for the Elder Longjiao at the Stone Chamber of Longjiao Temple": Essence of Chinese calligraphy

Author: Lin Tao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322), a native of Wuxing, Hu Zhou (now Hu Zhou, Zhejiang). Known by the courtesy name Zi'ang, he was also styled as Songxue Daoren, Oubo, and Shuixing Gongdaoren. A descendant of the Song imperial family, he served as a Lingbu Langzhong (Minister of War) and Hanlin Shixuechengzhi (Chief Scholar of the Hanlin Academy) during the Yuan Dynasty. After his death, he was posthumously honored as Duke of Wei and posthumously titled Wenmin. A man of great erudition and talent, he excelled in music, literature, poetry, and painting. He pioneered new artistic styles, mastered calligraphy, had a passion for seal carving, and was knowledgeable in Buddhism and Taoism. He can be considered a versatile genius who combined art and scholarship. In the Kunxue Zhai Ji (Collected Works of Kunxue Studio) by Yuan Dynasty scholar Xianyu Shu, it is said: "Zi'ang's calligraphy in seal script, clerical script, regular script, running script, and cursive script is unparalleled in his time, and his small regular script is also unmatched among his various scripts." Modern scholar Ma Zonghuo in Shulin Jishi (Records of Calligraphers) remarked: "Zhao Zi'ang of the Yuan Dynasty was renowned for his calligraphy, writing with the speed of wind and rain, capable of producing ten thousand characters in a day. His fame spread so far that monks from India traveled thousands of miles to seek his calligraphy, which was treasured in his homeland." His extant calligraphic works include The Legend of the, The Red Cliff, After the, and The Stele for Dan Ba.
This work can be divided into three parts: Part 1: "Zi shen tong ci quan kou"; Part 2: "At West Lake, Songxue, the calligraphy of the hermit"; Part 3: "Zhang Sishan, the hermit of the mountain village." The overall composition features deliberate variations in spacing, harmonious contrasts in character sizes, and a natural, dignified elegance that exudes a profound scholarly atmosphere.
Part 1: The brushwork is exquisite and varied, with strong contrasts between thick and thin lines. The characters vary in size, and the line spacing is spacious. The large areas of negative space at the lower right and lower left, as well as the ample empty space around characters like "gong zhu" and "zhou," create a sense of ethereal lightness. From the perspective of character structure, some characters lean to the upper right (e.g., "shi," "shu," "long"), while others lean to the lower right (e.g., "chi," "chan," "wo," "ci," "quan"). This combination is both rich and harmonious.
Part 2: The brushwork is steady and robust, with long strokes like sweeps and dots flowing gracefully. The calmness exudes a dignified grandeur, reminiscent of the calligraphy of Tang Dynasty master Li Yong. The upper ends of vertical strokes often lean slightly to the right, maintaining the character's center of gravity while adding variety to its structure—a subtle detail worth pondering.
Part 3: The brushwork is steady and has a strong sense of regular script. The characters are well-spaced and sturdy, with clear and precise brushwork. The excellence of this work offers great benefits to those learning calligraphy.