Tang He Zhizhang's Calligraphy of the Classic of Filial Piety

Author: None
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Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: He Zhizhang, styled Jizhen, self-named Siming Madman, was a native of Yongxing, Xiling in the Wuyue region. He was born in the fourth year of the Xianqing era of the Tang Dynasty and died in the third year of the Tianbao era, at the age of eighty-six. He was a renowned poet and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, who was close friends with Li Bai, Zhang Xu, and others, and was one of the [Eight Immortals of Wine]. During the Kaiyuan era, he served as the Minister of Rites and concurrently as a scholar of the Jixian Academy. He was later promoted to the position of Prince Imperial's Guest and appointed as the Librarian of the Imperial Secretariat, hence known as [He Librarian] and abbreviated as [He Supervisor]. This volume of the [Classic of Filial Piety] is written in cursive script, with each line containing four to sixteen characters, totaling over a thousand words. At the end of the scroll, there is a small regular script inscription of fourteen characters: [Repaired with He Supervisor's ink traces in the tenth month of the second year of the Jianlong era], which has long been attributed to He Zhizhang. The entire scroll is written in cursive script with an unrestrained and dynamic style, exquisite brushwork, vigorous and robust calligraphy, and a lofty artistic conception. It has been highly praised by scholars and literati throughout history. In addition to the ink traces, a carved version has also been passed down. The carved version is now appended here and reprinted for the benefit of calligraphy enthusiasts for reference and practice.