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Note to a friend a calligraphy classic
By Zhao Dan |
October 18, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WHENEVER people talk about Chinese calligraphy, Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, two father-and-son masters in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 317-420), are usually the first to come to mind.
However, regrettably, none of the father's authentic scripts were ever preserved, and only one of Wang Xianzhi's pieces is kept and can be viewed in the Shanghai Museum collection.
The calligraphy was written on silk and is a note from Wang Xianzhi to his friend. He had taken medicine named "ya tou wan" and felt the same as his friend that it didn't do any good.
So he replied to the friend, saying: "What you said is true. The ya tou wan pill is not good. Tomorrow we will get together and discuss."
As a result, the piece of calligraphy is named the "Ya Tou Wan Tie," meaning "model for calligraphy about ya tou wan pill." The writing has two lines and 15 characters which reflect his proficiency in wielding the brush.
There are many variations of strokes, sometimes creating radically different forms, giving his work a free and fresh spirit.
Some of the characters are written in a way that links them to each other, while others are written separately, but they also conform in an artistic way. Wang deliberately left space between the characters to create a natural and balanced beauty in his writing. Wang Xianzhi's individual style combines semi-cursive and cursive methods.
Though the script looks free and unconstrained by writing rules, it reflects the spirit of art and calligraphy.
It is less constrained and flows with movements made by the writing implement discernable. "Ya Tou Wan Tie" is Wang's masterpiece of style.
However, regrettably, none of the father's authentic scripts were ever preserved, and only one of Wang Xianzhi's pieces is kept and can be viewed in the Shanghai Museum collection.
The calligraphy was written on silk and is a note from Wang Xianzhi to his friend. He had taken medicine named "ya tou wan" and felt the same as his friend that it didn't do any good.
So he replied to the friend, saying: "What you said is true. The ya tou wan pill is not good. Tomorrow we will get together and discuss."
As a result, the piece of calligraphy is named the "Ya Tou Wan Tie," meaning "model for calligraphy about ya tou wan pill." The writing has two lines and 15 characters which reflect his proficiency in wielding the brush.
There are many variations of strokes, sometimes creating radically different forms, giving his work a free and fresh spirit.
Some of the characters are written in a way that links them to each other, while others are written separately, but they also conform in an artistic way. Wang deliberately left space between the characters to create a natural and balanced beauty in his writing. Wang Xianzhi's individual style combines semi-cursive and cursive methods.
Though the script looks free and unconstrained by writing rules, it reflects the spirit of art and calligraphy.
It is less constrained and flows with movements made by the writing implement discernable. "Ya Tou Wan Tie" is Wang's masterpiece of style.
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