Song Mi's Duojinglou Album

Author: Compiled by the Press
Publisher:
Publishing Date: July 1, 2003
Features: Mi Fu (1051–1107). Originally named Mi Shi, he changed his name to Fu after the Yuanyou Six Year. His courtesy name was Yuanzhang, and he was also known as Xiangyang Manshi, Haiyue Wai Shi, and Lumen Jushi. He was called "Mi Nan Gong" or "Mi Dian." Mi Fu was an outstanding representative of the Shangyi calligraphy style during the Song Dynasty. His calligraphy was bold, unrestrained, and dynamic—sometimes like a sharp sword cutting through a formation, and at other times like a hermit entering court. His artistry was uniquely gifted, with an extraordinary spirit and elegance. Later generations ranked him alongside Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Cai Xiang as the "Four Great Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty." Mi Fu did not shy away from calling himself a "collector of ancient calligraphy," with a particular focus on Wang Xianzhi and Chu Suiliang. The Song Shi records: "Mi Fu was excellent in calligraphy, with a profound and flying style, capturing the essence of Wang Xianzhi's brushwork; he was especially skilled in copying, to the point where his works were indistinguishable from the originals." Liu Xizai's Yi Gai states: "Mi Yuanzhang's calligraphy largely drew inspiration from Henan, while also excelling in imitating various styles. When he deliberately imitated the ancients, he was sometimes criticized for collecting characters." Among the surviving calligraphic works of Mi Fu, many are his copies, which reveal his deep mastery of traditional calligraphy. However, Mi Fu's adherence to tradition was not merely about rigidly following established conventions. Instead, he innovated by blending tradition with creativity. He called his calligraphy "brushing characters" and proudly declared, "While skilled calligraphers have only one brushstroke, I have four sides." His brushwork, with its eight directions of force, natural variations in pressure and pauses, greatly enriched the expressive power of lines and strokes. He was a reformer in the art of calligraphy. The Duojinglou Manuscript is a large-character running script by Mi Fu. This work is majestic in and extraordinary in character. Reading through the entire piece, one can feel the author's passion surging between the lines. The boldness of his brushwork, the daring of his structure, the fluency of his momentum, and the spontaneity of his composition are all masterpieces that leave one in awe. As a handscroll, the layout of the beginning, middle, and end of this piece is dynamic, with and climaxes that captivate the viewer, demonstrating the author's skill in controlling the overall composition and brushwork. This manuscript contains poems inscribed on Duojinglou, with lines like "Clouds shift in fury, soaring a thousand miles; Wind clears with vigor, ruling the autumn" written with heroic and bold energy. No wonder He Zhi wrote in his postscript: "Not only do I admire his calligraphy, but I also deeply appreciate the skill of his wording. Truly, it can be called the 'Triple Perfection.'"