Song Su Shi Selected Running Scripts Through the Ages Preface to the Red Cliff Ode by Li Bai Volume of Immortal Poems by Li Bai Poem of the Hemlock Tree Poem in Response to Bian Cai's Rhyme

Author: Jiang Yin
Publisher: Xiling Press
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Su Shi (1037-1101), known as Zizhan, styled Dongpo Jushi, was a native of Meishan (now Meishan County, Sichuan Province) in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was a great literary figure, connoisseur, and calligrapher in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the second year of Jiayou (1057), he passed the imperial examination and rose to the position of Academician in the Dongming Hall and Vice Minister of Rites. His father, Su Xun, and his younger brother, Su Zhe, were renowned for their literary talents, and the three brothers were collectively known as the "Three Su." In his childhood, his mother taught him reading, and he could discuss the successes and failures of ancient and modern times, explaining their key points. Upon reaching adulthood, he became knowledgeable in classics and history, with outstanding talent. His writings were as effortless as flowing clouds and as abundant as gushing springs. His poems were fresh, vigorous, and full of vitality, opening up new perspectives. His ci poetry, especially after the style of Dongpo, swept away the ornate and delicate style, being bold, unrestrained, and pioneering the bold and unrestrained school, making him the founder of the "Su Xin Ci School," which had a profound influence on later generations. His calligraphy formed its own unique style and was one of the "Four Great Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty." His paintings excelled in bamboo, rocks, and withered trees. He learned to paint bamboo from Wen Tong and mastered its essence. He even created a new style of painting bamboo with red and black ink, which became a model for later generations. His painted branches were twisted and unending, and his rock textures were rugged, reflecting the turmoil in his heart. His landscape paintings featured dense underbrush, broken mountains, and bare trees, with dynamic brushwork. He once painted a Mihé for Qin Guan, with an extraordinary and ancient brushwork. His artistic theories and creations pioneered the literati painting tradition, making him the founder of the literati painting school. Su Shi was a man of integrity, with an open and noble character, and he sympathized with the suffering of the people. During his tenure, he reformed local policies and was praised by the people. Although Su Shi had grand political ambitions, his career was fraught with difficulties. He suffered attacks from both the old and new factions, unjust imprisonment, and exile. These setbacks deepened his understanding of social contradictions and the suffering of the people, and he grew to love his country even more. He authored works such as "The Complete Collection of Dongpo," among others. After his death, he was posthumously honored as Wen Zhong. His surviving works include the scroll "Ancient Trees and Strange Rocks" and the scroll "Withered Trees and Bamboo," both housed in the Shanghai Museum, and the scroll "Bamboo and Rocks" is preserved in the National Art Museum of China. The poems and pastels published in this volume are vigorous, lush, and elegant, with a full and refined charm that captivates the viewer. Some are dignified and round, while others are rich, elegant, and graceful, each displaying unique postures and a vibrant artistic spirit. Huang Tingjian once remarked on Su Shi's calligraphy: "His brushwork is round and his charm surpasses all, coupled with his literary brilliance that rivals the world, and his integrity that shines like the sun and moon. Among the calligraphers of our dynasty, he should be ranked as the foremost."