Wang Duo Running Script: Three Types

Author: Ji Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Wang Duo (1592–1652), styled Juesi, styled Songqiao, also styled Chian’an, and styled YanTanFishSao. Born in Mengjin (now Mengjin, Henan). His family was extremely poor in his childhood, living a life of "[cannot afford two bowls of porridge a day]". In the second year of the Ming Tianqi reign (1622), he passed the imperial examination and was successively promoted to Minister of Rites. Wang Duo lived in a chaotic era with a turbulent career. In 1644, Li Zicheng captured Beijing, and the Ming Chongzhen Emperor committed suicide on Jingshan Mountain. Ma Shiyin and others enthroned the Prince of Fuzhou in Nanjing and appointed him as Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. After the Qing conquest, he surrendered to the Qing, who granted him the positions of Minister of Rites and Academician of the Hongwen Academy, and added the title of Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. Wang Duo, once a loyalist of the Ming Dynasty, became a new favorite of the Qing court. In the eyes of the Ming loyalists who upheld integrity, he was despised as a traitor, and thus he remained depressed throughout his life. After the Qing conquest, Wang Duo served as an official for eight years and died of illness in his hometown in the ninth year of the Shunzhi reign.
Wang Duo was a learned scholar who loved ancient culture and excelled in poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting. His calligraphy was particularly distinctive, earning him the title "[Divine Brush Wang Duo]". His calligraphy was renowned alongside Dong Qichang and was known as "[Southern Dong, Northern Wang]" in the late Ming Dynasty. His calligraphy was balanced, fluid, and masterful in running and cursive scripts. His brushwork was bold, strong, unrestrained, and expressive. Dai Minggang, in his preface to the "Wang Duo Cursive Calligraphy Poem Scroll," said: "[Yuanzhang (Mi Fu) was particularly skilled in the rules of, while Juesi focused entirely on momentum. The style of the Wei and Jin dynasties was completely lost, but his calligraphy was like a ship in the wind and a horse in battle, truly inspiring. His power was so great that it could not be matched by Zhao Mengfu or Dong Qichang]." This book selects three of Wang Duo’s cursive calligraphy ink traces: "Du Fu’s Fenglin Ge Wei Xi Poem Scroll," written in 1646 when he was 55 years old. On paper, with 21 lines in total, containing 92 characters. "Cursive Calligraphy Poem Scroll for Zhang Baoyi," written in 1642 when he was 51 years old. On silk, with 75 lines in total, containing 336 characters. Currently held at the Tokyo National Museum, Japan. "Cursive Calligraphy Du Fu’s Poetic Rules Scroll," written in 1646 when he was 55 years old. On plain silk, with 38 lines in total, containing 195 characters. Currently held at the Liaoning Provincial Museum.