Ming Wang Duo Running Script Scroll

Author: Shanghai Shuxue Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: July 1, 2003
Features: Wang Zuo's calligraphy has had a profound influence on contemporary calligraphy, as I mentioned in my book Method, Form, and Concept: "Wang Zuo connected the unusual shapes of characters, transforming the previously loose spacing into a full expression of the 'momentum' (shi) concept. Combined with variations in ink color and the use of complex strokes, it creates a sense of novelty. Zhu Zhishan and Xu Wenlong expressed rhythm, Wang Chong embodied simplicity, Dong Qichang conveyed ethereality, Huang Daozhou highlighted antiquity, and Wang Zuo captured the essence of his era with precise accuracy. The Ming Dynasty was a rebellious era, manifesting in both thought and life, which is why historians refer to it as the 'Ming people's admiration for novelty.' Thus, novelty was the most important characteristic of the time. Wang Zuo grasped it, stepped over the threshold of his era, and extended his influence into the modern world. The significance of this revolution lies in this. A calligrapher may master techniques thoroughly, but that only makes them a skilled craftsman. Others may excel in conveying artistic conception, interest, and feeling, but that only makes them a calligrapher. Only by surpassing predecessors can one truly become a great calligrapher with historical impact—a calligraphic revolutionary. I believe Wang Zuo fits this description. The Wang Zuo running script album selected here consists of two works. The first is a poem by Li Changji, inscribed with the date 'Dinghai,' likely corresponding to the fourth year of the Shunzhi era (1647), when Wang Zuo was fifty-six. The second is an expression of sentiment, written in the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen era (1639), when Wang Zuo was forty-eight. Wang Zuo's calligraphy from the tenth year of the Chongzhen era (1637) to the sixth year of the Shunzhi era (1649) was a process of exploring and reflecting on 'ancient methods.' His studies were all based on the Chunhua Ge Tie (Pure Transformation Pavilion Preface), but he still focused on the 'Two Wangs' (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi). Although his brushwork was not as rigid as in his later years, it remained round, refined, and elegant, with slight turns but not overly pronounced, not far from Wang Xizhi's style. Luo Zhenyu said: 'In my lifetime, I have seen over sixty or seventy types of Wang Wen'an's calligraphy, with most being studies of the ancients. It is true that Wen'an excelled in studying the ancients more than in his own creations, but his best works are not like this. He imitates the Jin dynasty style while incorporating elements of Xiangyang's brushwork, adding a soft yet unrestrained charm to his public works. Objectively speaking, Wen'an's calligraphy was unmatched in the North during his time.' Luo Zhenyu believed that Wang Zuo's studies of the ancients were superior, possessing a soft, flexible quality. Therefore, when Luo Zhenyu concluded, he said Wang Zuo was unparalleled in the North, implicitly excluding the South. First, let's discuss the second expression of sentiment, which primarily follows Mi Fu's poetry but lacks sharpness. Thus, the softness in Wang Zuo's brushwork still plays a role, but the sense of rhythm is stronger. The first type of work shows Wang Zuo's brushwork to be much more substantial than the second, with a steady and deliberate stroke. Notably, he began to pay attention to the richness of ink variations. These works share a characteristic: the 'method of connecting the unusual' (qi min lianjie) has not yet emerged, with character composition primarily relying on frontal balance, and a lack of strong tilting. This reflects Wang Zuo's process of fully absorbing and digesting the achievements of his predecessors. Since both works are meticulously printed from the original color plates and are the first of their kind to be displayed in China, their value and significance to calligraphy enthusiasts are self-evident. Due to Wang Zuo's profound 'imitation of the ancients' and 'study of the ancients,' his praise for Mi Fu's calligraphy also reflects his own aspirations: 'In the places where it is effortless, it liberates itself from the Two Wangs. In Zhuangzi's dream, one does not know which is the real butterfly. To contemplate it is to become intoxicated!' (from Mi Yuanzhang's Dream of the Butterfly) This serves as a valuable lesson for young calligraphers who neglect the nourishment of tradition in favor of blindly following current trends.