Wang Xun's "Bo Yuan Tie"

Author: Shanghai Shuhua Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-12-01
Features: The calligraphy of the Jin dynasty excels in letters and surpasses in charm. At that time, people valued simplicity and pursued emptiness and vastness. Some expressed themselves through calligraphy, while others analyzed the brushwork. They devoted their efforts and immersed themselves in this art. Moreover, the figures of the Jin dynasty were refined and unrestrained, with elegant and leisurely poses. People loved intellectual discussions and played with brush and ink with a transcendent spirit. Thus, the art flourished, and their brushwork naturally became exquisite. Even though they were not famous masters, their calligraphy was still admirable, giving rise to the era's calligraphic style of "surpassing in charm and elegance." As Ma Zonghuo said in Shulin Zaojian: "Calligraphy reached its peak and prosperity with the Jin dynasty. The calligraphers of the Jin dynasty were as esteemed as the poets of the Tang, the lyricists of the Song, and the playwrights of the Yuan—each representing the artistic trend of their generation." This creative mindset, which played with the essence of calligraphy and transcended worldly desires without concerning personal gains or losses, achieved the height of Jin calligraphy.
From the surviving works of the Jin dynasty, apart from the works of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, there is another rare treasure—the Boyuan Tie, included in the Sanxi Tang Faptie, representing the calligraphic style of the Eastern Jin scholars. Wang Xun, styled Yuanlin, was known as Fa Hu in his youth. He was the grandson of Wang Dao, the renowned calligrapher of the Eastern Jin, the son of Wang Qi, and the nephew of Wang Xizhi. Wang Xun was born in the fifth year of the Yonghe era of Emperor Mu of Jin (349) and died in the fourth year of the Long'an era of Emperor An (400). Emperor Changming of the Xiaowu dynasty loved classics, and Wang Xun, along with Yin Zhongkan, Xu Miao, Wang Gong, and Xi Hui, were esteemed for their talent and literary skills by Emperor Changming. He held multiple high-ranking positions, including Vice Minister of the Left, General of the Left Guard, and Chief of the Grand Tutor's Office. In the first year of the Long'an era (397), he was promoted to Minister of State Affairs and Grand Inquisitor. He passed away soon after due to illness at the age of fifty-two, posthumously honored as "Xianmu."
The Wang family was renowned for calligraphy and was related to Wang Xizhi. Therefore, Wang Xun was deeply influenced by his predecessors from an early age and can be considered the most outstanding inheritor of the Wang family's calligraphic tradition. The Xuanhe Shupu states: "For three generations, the Wang family was celebrated for calligraphy, and Wang Xun's cursive script was also passed down." Wang Xun was particularly skilled in running script. Zhang Huaiquan's Shu Gu ranked Wang Xun's calligraphy as the fourth grade, placing him alongside Zhi Yong of the Sui dynasty, Yu Shennan, Ouyang Xun, and Chu Suiliang of the Tang dynasty, indicating his fame at the time. Unfortunately, few of his works have survived, with the famous Boyuan Tie being one of his most representative pieces.
The Boyuan Tie is a running script on paper. It was named after the first line, which contains the characters "Boyuan." As a genuine work of the Jin dynasty, it is considered a rare treasure. The running script in this piece is powerful and vigorous, with an elegant and unrestrained style, showcasing the typical Wang family calligraphic style. When Dong Qichang saw this piece, he greatly admired it and wrote: "Wang Xun's calligraphy is leisurely and ancient, embodying the elegance of the Eastern Jin dynasty." This piece was found in the Ming dynasty by Wu Xinyu in Xin'an and later acquired by Wu Ting. It was engraved into the Yuqing Zhai Tie and, during the Qing dynasty, was collected by the imperial family and included among the three treasures of the Sanxi Tang Faptie. Today, it is preserved in the Palace Museum in Beijing. A facsimile of the original has been published to delight calligraphy enthusiasts.