Selected Calligraphic Works Through the Ages Ming Dynasty: Wen Zhengming's "Calligraphic Poetry Album"

Author: None
Publisher: Xiling Press
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Wen Zhengming (1470–1559), born in Changzhou, Jiangsu (now Wuxian, Jiangsu). His original name was Bi, but he was known by his courtesy name Zhengming, and later took the sobriquet Hengshan. He studied literature under Wu Kuan, calligraphy under Li Yingzhen, and painting under Shen Zhou. He was known as one of the "Four Talents of Wuzhong" alongside Qian Yunming, Tang Yin, and Xu Zhengqing. His paintings were also celebrated as one of the "Four Great Masters of Wuzhong" alongside Shen Zhou, Tang Yin, and Qiu Ying. Wen Zhengming excelled in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, particularly in regular script, earning the reputation of mastering all four scripts and being hailed as "[The Best in Calligraphy Under Heaven]."
Ming Tao Zongyi's Record of Calligraphers: "[His small regular script, running script, and cursive script deeply inherit the style of Zhi Yong, and his large calligraphy imitates Fu Gong particularly well, like wind dancing among jade flowers and springs murmuring in bamboo gullies."]
Ming Dong Qichang's Rongtai Collection: "[Wen Tai Shi's self-copied seven-character regulated verse are all daily exercises in quiet chambers, yet they are so dignified, as if he were wielding a brush before guests, without wasting energy. One can imagine the elegance of the predecessors from this."]
Wen Zhengming's calligraphy traces its roots to the Two Wangs (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) and was influenced by Meng Shi in his later years. His style is characterized by a sense of ancient simplicity and harmony, tending toward stability amidst fluctuations and toward harmony amidst intensity. Compared to Zhao Mengfu, who excelled in richness, Wen Zhengming surpassed him in bone strength. Both achieved stability, but their methods differed: Zhao Mengfu's richness allowed him to ascend to the lyrical charm of the Jin dynasty, while Wen Zhengming's bone strength gave him an edge in refinement, making his style more reminiscent of the Song dynasty.
The Manuscript of Running and Cursive Poetry was created when Wen Zhengming was 89 years old, a period when both his person and his calligraphy had aged gracefully. The manuscript, with its thousands of characters, contains no weak strokes. The dots, strokes, hooks, and splashes are precise yet fluid, harmonious yet dynamic. The brushwork is clear, elegant, and leisurely, with a natural contrast between thick and thin strokes. The thick strokes are rich and nourishing, while the thin strokes are vigorous and spirited, even the finest strokes, like hair, are executed with precision. His brushwork is strong and forceful, his form fresh and lively, his spirit refined and captivating—making it a masterpiece of Wen Zhengming's later years.