Wu Xizai's Record of Rebuilding the Main Hall of Taizhou City God Temple

Author: Wu Xizai (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-05-01
Features: Wu Xizai (1799–1870), originally named Ting, styled Rangzhi, and known as Wanshu Jushi, was a native of Zhuqiang, Yixing, Jiangsu. He was an outstanding calligrapher and seal carver of the late Qing Dynasty. A man of wide learning and diverse talents, he was a disciple of Bao Shichen in his youth. Specializing in minor classical studies, he strictly adhered to his master's teachings while also developing his own distinctive style, which was highly esteemed by the world. He also created ink-and-color flower paintings in the freehand style, with extraordinary charm. Skilled in the study of inscriptions and ancient artifacts, he authored works such as Draft of the Interpretation of the Historical Records of the Tang Dynasty, Collection of Seal Prints from the Jin Tongguan Studio, Seal Prints of Shishen's Studio, and Seal Prints of Wu Rangzhi.
Wu Rangzhi's calligraphy was praised in Molin Jinhua as: "Skilled in all calligraphic styles, adept in seal carving, unmatched in the vicinity of Hanshui." And in Bo Shan Shi Hua, it was said: "His calligraphy is so magnificent that it rivals and surpasses his peers, even equalling the ancients." His calligraphy and seal carving, along with Chen Ruomu's paintings and Gong Wuting's storytelling, were collectively known as the "Three Perfections of Yangzhou."
The collector Cai Lipquan, a folk art enthusiast, had a lifelong passion for collecting Wu Rangzhi's works. He owned dozens of pieces, including handscrolls, couplets, screen scrolls, fans, albums, inscriptions, seals, and inkstones. Among these were calligraphic works in seal script, clerical script, cursive script, and regular script, as well as a fine album of Wu Rangzhi's calligraphy published during the Republican era. His collection included an original calligraphic scroll of Wu Xizai's Record of the Repair of the Main Hall of the Taizhou City God Temple, written in 1854 (the fourth year of the Xianfeng era). This scroll was later mounted as an album, measuring 310 mm in length and 165 mm in width, with a total of 195 pages and 563 characters, written in running regular script. The calligraphy, while meticulous, exudes dynamism, and its richness reveals elegance. The structure is dignified, reflecting the styles of Su Dongpo and Dong Qichang, occasionally showing the influence of Wei Stele calligraphy while forming its own unique style. Written at the age of fifty-five, this piece is now a rare artifact, as the original temple no longer exists.
According to historical records, the City God Temple was originally a place of worship for the City God, and emperors of all dynasties prayed for rain, sunshine, and the punishment of evil and the promotion of goodness, with it being included in official rituals. The Taizhou Gazetteer of the Daoguang era records the Record of the City God Temple written by Cai, the Taizhou Assistant Magistrate, in 1099 (the second year of the Yuanfu era of the Song Dynasty), detailing the construction of the temple. The Wild Records of Wu Ling also mentions the statues of the Four Vassals in the Hall of the Four Vassals of the City God Temple, said to be remnants from the Tang Dynasty. If this claim is credible, the history of the Taizhou City God Temple could be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. Built during the Northern Song Dynasty, the temple underwent transformations through the Southern Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, yet it retained a grandeur until the late Qing era. An illustration of the City God Temple from the Taizhou Gazetteer of the Guangxu era shows it to be much larger than the existing structure, complete with a () and a pifang ().
As the largest temple remaining from the ancient history of the city of Taizhou, it holds significant value for studying the religious history, ancient architectural techniques, and local cultural heritage of the region.