Classics of Chinese Stele and Inscriptions -- Preface to Zhang Xu's "Liang Guan Stone Pillar Record"

Author: Shanghai Shuxue Publishing House (Editor)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2001-06-01
Features: Zhang Xu: Birth and death years unknown, styled Bo'gao, native of Wujun (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). He served as the Chief History of the Imperial Guards (or the Chief History of the Commandery Guards), and was renowned as Zhang Changshi. He was a famous calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. Skilled in poetry and calligraphy, he excelled in regular script but was particularly adept at cursive script, earning the title of "Sage of Cursive Script." His reputation was as renowned as Li Bai's poetry and Pei Man's sword dance, collectively known as the "Three Perfections." Observing "Preface to the Epigraph on the Official's Stone Column," one can discern his artistic characteristics, which are concentrated in the following aspects:
1. Rigor with Broadness: From a general perspective, this stele is regulated, square, and strict in form, with meticulous and precise brushwork. The elegant, harmonious, and serene brushwork of the Wang brothers (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) permeates the entire piece. In the composition of the characters, the author employs an external tightness with internal looseness, slightly extending the horizontal strokes, creating a square yet rounded overall character structure, particularly revealing the spacious and relaxed central area of the characters. The ample spacing between lines and characters also avoids the stiffness and constraint that might arise from rigorous brushwork.
2. Potential for Motion within Stillness: The stele exudes tranquility, leisure, and dignity, with a minimalist and distant artistic atmosphere reminiscent of the aura of figures from the Jin and Southern Dynasties. Each character stands independently, yet the brushwork is intentionally broken but meaningfully connected. The interplay and reflections between strokes appear and disappear at the points of writing, bringing dynamism and vitality to the stillness of regular script.
3. Sharpness with Composure: The stele inherits the calligraphic style of early Tang, with clear, vigorous, and brisk brushwork permeating every character, forming the overall tone of the piece. When writing, the author pays attention to the pauses and subtleties of the strokes, making the sharp and spirited regular script even more composed and profound, leaving the viewer to contemplate deeply.