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March 7, 2021

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Ancient Chinese master鈥檚 love of calligraphy, art and tea drinking

As a major personality of the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279), Su Shi (1037-1101), a poet, calligrapher, painter, politician and gastronome, was a versatile sensation and considered one of the most significant figures in the profound history of classical Chinese literature.

Together with his father Su Xun and younger brother Su Zhe, the trio were known as the 鈥淭hree Sus,鈥 and among the 鈥淓ight Great Prose Masters in the Tang (AD 618-907) and Song dynasties.鈥

Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo, was one of the 鈥淔our Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty,鈥 together with Cai Xiang, Huang Tingjian and Mi Fu.

He excelled in running script and regular script, imitating the styles of famous phenomenal calligraphers like Li Yong (AD 678-747) and Yan Zhenqing (AD 709-784), and then created his own unique writing style.

His brushwork is viewed 鈥渞ound, rich and full of changes, yet with a touch of innocence and brilliance.鈥

As the inventor of 鈥淒ongpo Rou,鈥 a traditional dish of braised pork belly, the epicure was also passionate about tea and its technique.

On the second day of Chinese New Year, a year after Su Shi鈥檚 first remote trip to Huangzhou (in today鈥檚 Wuhan City), a friend visited him and noted that their mutual friend Chen Zao had an exquisite wooden 鈥渃hajiu鈥 (a kind of traditional Chinese tea grinder). A tea aficionado, Su Shi immediately wrote a short letter to Chen.

The letter, entitled 鈥淴insui Weihuo Zhanqing Tie鈥 (鈥淪hort Letter of Chinese New Year鈥檚 Celebration鈥) revealed that Su Shi intended to borrow Chen鈥檚 fine tea grinder made in Jianzhou (in today鈥檚 Fujian Province) and asked a smith to make a copy of it, and of course it would be even better if someone could bring him an authentic one from Jianzhou. Later in the message he invited Chen and another friend to Huangzhou to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

According to Song Fuzao鈥檚 鈥淒ongpo Jinian Lu鈥 (鈥淒ongpo Annuals鈥), the letter was composed in 1081.

The coordinated movements and supreme brushstrokes expressed Su Shi鈥檚 unrestrained nature and spontaneous personality.

An admirer of Su Shi鈥檚 masterpieces and calligraphy writing techniques, Chen was enraptured with joy when receiving the letter 鈥 it was not only the message from an old friend but a treasure from an icon of that era.

A few years later, the elder brother of Chen passed away. The sudden news filled Su Shi with grief and he wrote Chen a message of sympathy.

In this 鈥淩enlai Deshu Tie鈥 (鈥淪hort Letter of Condolence鈥), Su Shi mourned on hearing the death and comforted his intimate friend.

In 鈥淒ongpo Ji鈥 (鈥淒ongpo Collection鈥) there were 16 letters from Su Shi to Chen, all written during the calligrapher鈥檚 stay in Huangzhou.

The two artworks were passed down to Dong Qichang, a notable calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), whose style was favored and imitated by Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

To his appreciation, on the 鈥淪hort Letter of Condolence鈥 Dong left an inscription implying that the two short letters were the most valuable he had ever seen among dozens of Su Shi鈥檚 authentic art pieces.

Experienced connoisseurs of different epochs appreciated the two together. In 1946, the two masterpieces, which were separately collected, were mounted into one scroll.

The first part of the duo is the 鈥淩enlai Deshu Tie,鈥 which is 29.5 centimeter long, 45.1cm wide. It was written in 16 lines in a total of 192 words. The other part displays the 14-line 鈥淴insui Weihuo Zhanqing Tie鈥 in 247 words, 30.2cm long and 48.8cm wide.

In these two legendary works, Su Shi demonstrated his attainted calligraphy-writing experience and tea-drinking art knowledge.

The treasure is stored and on display in the Palace Museum in Beijing.


 

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