Sun Guoting's 100 Methods of Cursive Calligraphy Radicals

Author: Ji Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Sun Guoting (c. 648–703), styled Qianli, had two claimed places of origin: one said he was from Chenliu (present-day Kaifeng, Henan); the other said he was from Fuyang (present-day southwestern Hangzhou). Generally, he is referred to as a native of Fuyang, but he claimed to be from Wujun (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). Chen Zi'ang composed his epitaph, stating that Guoting "at forty met the ruler, only to face slanderous criticism." He lived during the reigns of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, serving as the Assistant Captain of the Right Guard and the Recorder of the Imperial Guard. He was skilled in calligraphy and calligraphic theory. He was erudite and adept at writing, excelling particularly in regular, running, and cursive scripts. His masterpiece, Shupu (Book of Calligraphy), is a theoretical treatise on calligraphy that he both wrote and inscribed, as well as a celebrated masterpiece of cursive script passed down through generations. In style, Shupu follows the legacy of the "Two Wangs" (Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi) while incorporating elements of (Zhangcao, an ancient style of cursive script), blending the two into a unique expression. Every stroke is precise, adhering to strict rules, and carries the artistic spirit of the Wei and Jin dynasties. This book introduces the brushwork techniques of Sun Guoting's cursive script, making it suitable as a textbook for schools and as a self-study guide for calligraphy enthusiasts.