Dong Qichang's copy of Wang Xizhi's ink traces

Author: Dong Qichang (Ming Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Dong Qichang (1555-1636) was a renowned calligrapher and painter of the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy name was Xuanzai, and his sobriquets included Sibai, Siweng, and Xiangguang. He was from Huating, Songjiang (now Songjiang, Shanghai). He was posthumously honored as Wenmin and thus known as Dong Wenmin. In 1589 (the seventh year of the Wanli reign), he passed the imperial examination and held various positions, including Compiler, Vice Governor of Hubei, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Vice Minister of Rites, and Minister of Rites in Nanjing. In 1626 (the sixth year of the Tianqi reign), he resigned from office and lived in retirement in his hometown as a Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. His calligraphy, painting, and art appreciation were highly esteemed during the late Ming and Qing dynasties. He excelled in landscape painting, drawing inspiration from Dong Yuan, Ju Ran, and Huang Gongwang. His style was characterized by gentle brushwork, a serene and elegant aesthetic, and fresh, delicate beauty. He advocated for imitating ancient works over original creation. He also compared the northern and southern schools of Chan Buddhism to painting, coining the term "Northern and Southern Schools." He favored the southern school and criticized the northern school, elevating the status of literati painting while suppressing and suppressing the unconventional "Zhe School." His landscape works featured soft brushwork, with an abundance of delicacy but lacking vigor and dynamism. Many of them were imitations of ancient styles, such as Dongguan Puxue Tu (View of Dongguan with Snow) and Xi Shan Pingyuan Tu (View of Streams and Mountains in Peaceful Distance). His surviving works include Shanshui (Landscape) and Xia Mu Chu Yin Tu (Summer Trees with Shadows). He authored works such as Huachen Shi Biaoshi (Notes from the Studio of Painting and Chan), Rongtai Ji (Collected Works of Rongtai), Huazhi (Principles of Painting), and Huayan (The Eye of Painting).