Classics of Chinese Inscriptions and Calligraphy -- Wang Xizhi's Seventeen Notes

Author: Shanghai Fine Arts Press
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-01-01
Features: According to the ancients, the term "classical calligraphy" () referred to items such as letters, drafts of poems, notes, and literary commentaries. Initially, they were not intended for calligraphy, yet their spontaneity allowed the natural flow of artistic expression, as described as "achieving perfection without striving for it." Wang Xizhi's Seventeen Pieces of Grass Calligraphy () exemplifies this characteristic. Wang Xizhi (307–365), styled Yishao, was a native of Linyi, Langya, and served as the Right General, hence his posthumous title "General Wang of the Right." He was a renowned calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, earning the epithet "Sage of Calligraphy." In the seventh year of the Yonghe era, he was appointed as the Right General and the Interior Minister of Huaiji, serving in these positions for four years. In the eleventh year of the Yonghe era, he resigned and settled in Shanyin, where he frequented the company of famous scholars in landscapes, embodying elegance and profound cultural refinement. According to the Biography of Wang Xizhi in the Book of the Jin Dynasty, it states his death at the age of fifty-nine but does not specify the year, leading to variations in the records of his birth and death.
In his early years, Wang Xizhi studied under Wei Junniang (Shuo) and learned calligraphy from his uncle, Wang Yi, who mastered the brush technique of Zhong Yao. As a result, Wang Xizhi gained fame in his youth. Later, he traveled north and saw inscriptions by Li Si, Cao Xi, Zhong Yao, Liang Huo, and Cai Yong, broadening his perspective. He realized that studying under Wei Junniang had been a waste of time and, determined to improve, devoted himself to calligraphy. He refined ancient methods, created a new style, and transformed the rustic calligraphic style of the Han and Wei dynasties into a graceful and fluid form. He emerged as a master of calligraphy, setting a precedent for generations to follow. Wang Xizhi excelled in small regular script, running script, and grass script. Seventeen Pieces of Grass Calligraphy is a representative work of his grass script, compiling twenty-nine letters by Wang Xizhi into a scroll, measuring 12 feet long, with 107 lines and 942 characters. It is named Seventeen Pieces because the first letter bears the phrase "Seventeenth Day."
Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty admired Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. In the early Zhenguan era, he issued an edict, using gold and silk from the imperial treasury to extensively collect genuine works by Wang Xizhi, totaling 3,000 sheets. These were often arranged into scrolls of 12 feet each. Tragically, the original calligraphic works have nearly vanished, leaving no trace today. Seventeen Pieces of Grass Calligraphy was first copied in the early Tang Dynasty as a model for students of the Hongwen Academy and later recarved from these copies. The two best-preserved versions of the manuscript include: one, which bears the character "Zheng" at the end of the scroll, was engraved by Xie Yuanwei, a member of the Hongwen Academy, and corrected by Chu Suiliang. Known as the "Academy Version" or "Zheng-character Version," it is a Tang Dynasty print and features a lengthy preface by Zhang Zhengmeng at the end, making it the finest preserved printing of the Seventeen Pieces. The other is a copy by He Zhizhang, later included in the Clear and Bright Step Collection by Li Houzhu of the Southern Tang Dynasty. The Chunhua Studio Collection () carved during the third year of the Chunhua era of Emperor Taizhou of the Song Dynasty included parts derived from this copy. After the Song Dynasty, Seventeen Pieces of Grass Calligraphy underwent numerous revisions and replications. The current edition uses the "Zheng-character Version," now preserved in the Shanghai Library.
Seventeen Pieces of Grass Calligraphy belongs to the category of modern grass script, with precise brushwork, a balance of round and angular strokes, and balanced yet unconventional structure. Although it has eliminated the characteristic strokes () of cursive script, each character stands independently, while the vertical and horizontal lines suggest a sense of connection. Its profound and refined essence transcends the paper. It can be considered an ideal model for studying grass script. Zhu Xi once remarked: "In Seventeen Pieces, one observes the brushwork's elegance, its (natural ease and grace) yet extraordinary aura. It is unbound by conventional rules yet does not deliberately break them—truly a work that flows from the artist's innermost spirit. I suspect that calligraphers, though aware of its beauty, may not fully grasp its essence."
Of course, to study the grass script of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xuanzhi, one must also reference the calligraphic works of the Wei and Jin periods, such as Lu Ji's Pingfu (Peaceful Restoration). A deeper study is required. Wang Xizhi's grass script remains close to ancient traditions, with every stroke bearing texture, as Zhang Zhengmeng noted in his preface to Seventeen Pieces: "The brushwork is ancient and rustic, retaining the essence of seal and bronze calligraphy." Thus, one may gain insight into the marvels of Jin Dynasty calligraphy.
Now, we have published a facsimile of the "Zheng-character Version" preserved in the Shanghai Library, supplemented with annotations, to serve the ( - broad readers). Seventeen Pieces of Grass Calligraphy is a masterpiece of Wang Xizhi's grass script. The original has nearly vanished, and this edition selects the Tang Dynasty printed "Academy Version" from the Shanghai Library, characterized by precise brushwork, a balance of round and angular strokes, and balanced yet unconventional structure.