Selected Calligraphies Through the Ages: Song Dynasty - Mi Fu, Collection of Letter-Forms: Selected Calligraphies Through the Ages

Author: Jiang Yin
Publisher: Xiling Press
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features:
Cai Shu (1051-1108), styled Yuanzhang, was also known as Xiangyang Manshi and Haiye Wai Shi. His ancestral home was in Shanxi, but he moved to Xiangyang, earning the title "Cai Xiangyang." Historical accounts describe him as eccentric, fond of Tang-style clothing, and having an obsession with cleanliness. He would call stones "brothers" and worship them obsessively, earning the nickname "Cai Dian." At the age of six, he could recite a hundred poems, learned calligraphy at seven, and began carving inscriptions at ten. By the age of twenty-one, he entered the officialdom, proving himself a prodigious talent. In calligraphy, he was one of the "Four Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty" (Su, Cai, Huang, and Li) and ranked first among them. His style was unrestrained yet disciplined, with Su Dongpo praising his "Running script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script as the wind's sail and the army's horse—deep, resolute, and powerful." On the other hand, he pioneered the "Cai Family Cloud Mountains" technique in landscape painting, skillfully using blurred brushwork to depict the misty Jiangnan scenery. He employed varying shades of ink—thick, dry, horizontal dots, and clusters—to recreate layered mountains, earning the name "Cai Dian." He was admired by later painters, who eagerly emulated his style. His son, Cai Youren, left behind numerous works, ensuring the continuation of this artistic tradition and elevating the "literati painting" style to new heights, as recognized in art history.
Correspondence is an excellent form that combines the emotions of literati with professional technique, naturally flowing onto the page. When Cai Shu wrote, he held the brush lightly, moved it swiftly, and achieved a balanced, eight-directional style without following old patterns. His work transcended conventional boundaries, entering a realm of divine mastery. In his correspondence, the subjective moods and objective conditions of paper and brush gave rise to countless variations. [He introduced new ideas within the rules, yet completely broke free from the confines of brushwork.]
This collection includes Cai Shu's correspondence: Xiangluan Tie (To Luang), Zhizhifu Dajuren (To the Governor of Zhifu), Hezhu Tie (To Hezhu), Fei Fei Nai Jing (Cai is Not Qualified for This Role), Wen Zhang Duda Yide (Hearing of Zhang Duda's Yi), Zhichongtai Zuo (To Bouchong), Zhiguo Guoshi (To Yan Guo), Qinghe Tie (Qinghe), Zhiyu Tie (During Rain), and Qizhong Tie (From the Box). Among these, Qinghe Tie is a copy. Except for Xiangluan Tie, which is now housed in the Beijing Palace Museum, the rest are preserved in the Taipei Palace Museum.