Xu Wuwen's Collected Papers

Author: Xu Wuwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Confucius said, "The wise are active, the benevolent are calm; the wise find joy, the benevolent live long." My friend, Mr. Xu Wuwen, is erudite in textual criticism and epigraphy, teaching tirelessly at high schools in Sichuan. Scholars admire him and believe he must have lived a long life. Yet, he was unexpectedly taken from us due to a persistent illness, unable to extend his years. Is it because the words of the sages are unreliable? Or because medical skills were ineffective? Or perhaps the unfairness of human affairs diminished his joy and shortened his life? Thus, we realize that the world needs peace and harmony, and science needs to flourish. Mr. Xu Wuwen, styled Yongnian and Jialing, lost his hearing due to an ear disease and took the name Wuwen. He taught at Southwest Normal University and wrote extensively. His expertise in ancient scripts was particularly profound. In his leisure, he practiced calligraphy—cursive, seal, regular, and running styles—all with remarkable skill. His seal script was steady and possessed a profound depth. He applied his leftover talent to engraving. Since Deng Wanbai and Wu Rangzhi, seal carving has become increasingly restless, and even lower-quality works that boast of smashing tiles and painting walls are admired. Although the times value the unified script and respect the Qin method, the methods of carving stones to record achievements and casting seals to show trust have completely disappeared. Mr. Xu’s seal script is no less than Wang Xuzhou and Qian Shilan, while his seal carving far follows my teacher, Xing, and is close to Wang Fuan. Their academic backgrounds are different. My classmate, Dr. Liu Shi, studied under Mr. Xu and has been discussing art with him for years since he traveled to the capital a few years ago. When he speaks of Mr. Xu’s character and scholarship, he often sheds tears. During the chaotic times, schools were filled with teachers being whipped and incited. Ten years later, however, the friendship between teachers and students became as deep as that between family members, proving the profound and far-reaching impact of Mr. Xu’s teachings.