Talking about a pair of couplets by Zhang Qitao

Talking about a pair of couplets by Zhang Qitao

Hsu Guiwen

I have a pair of antique paperweights on my desk. Length: 625px ,width 112.5px ,thickness 75px ,arched. Wooden, black lacquer, the front for a pair of "hot gold" couplets, said: "famous paintings to be read as poetry; the ancient zither and listen to the sound of water." Is the late famous calligrapher Mr. Qigong's handwriting, between cursive and line, the wind and spirit of the show, elegant and elegant. Whenever the pool occasion, viewing a pass, will recall the Qing people Zhang asked Tao to come.

The earliest writing of this couplet is Zhang Wentao. (See picture). Zhang Wentao (1764-1811) was a native of Suining, Sichuan Province. His name was Zhongye and Lezu, and he was also known as Funashan (船山), or Old Ape of Shushan (蜀山老猿), or Yakuan (药庵退守). Qianlong Gengxu (1790), a baccalaureate. He was a governor of Laizhou. He was good at painting and poetry, and was the champion of poets in Shu in the Qing Dynasty. Qing dynasty Li Yuandu "national dynasty first positive thing" said asked Tao "calligraphy dangerous and strong, painting near Xu Qingteng, unintentional place, all have the interest of heaven." Qing Jiang Bao Ling "ink forest today" said: "ship mountain talent cross anecdote, the world but said its poetry, but do not know the calligraphy and painting are winning, calligraphy free near rice sea Yue." The recent Yang Shoujing "study book near words" said: "between the Qianjia book family, not tire rest in the gold and stone, Bo examines the masterpiece, but ZhangFunShan, SongZhiWan never rely on the ancients, the natural elegance. Because of the talent alone high, so do not master the ancient and no not in line with the ancient." He is the author of "The Collected Poems and Writings of Funshan". (Dictionary of Chinese Calligraphy)

The couplet's couplet is the work of Wu Xiqi of the Qing Dynasty. The caption of this couplet by Zhang Wentao says: "The sentence of the priest of Gu Ren, written on the 9th day of Im Shen for the brother of Dan Yi Ren." Guren, Wu Xiqi (1746-1818) was a poet and ekphrastic writer in the Qing Dynasty. His name was Shengzheng (聖征), and he was known as Guren (谷人). He was a native of Qiantang (Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province). In the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1775), he was awarded the title of editor, and then served as a priest in the State Prince's Prison. Poetry is superb, ekphrasis is clear and bright, famous for a while. Danya, unknown.

"Famous paintings should be read like poems; the ancient zither is also heard as the sound of water." Expressed the elegant interest of the literati and ink masters of the high and mighty.

The first line says that appreciating famous paintings should be like reciting good poems. Su Shi commented on Wang Wei's poetry and paintings, said "there is a painting in the poem and a poem in the painting". It is also Su Shi's aesthetic ideal and evaluation standard. Requirements for poetry or painting to achieve a beautiful and profound state of art. Some painters are poetic, and their paintings are infused with poetic feelings. Some poets know the painting, or transcendent and high, poetic thoughts in the clouds outside; or to object Xingyi, poetic thoughts in the landscape.

The next couplet uses the phrase "high mountains and flowing water". The music of Bo Ya was good at playing the zither, and Zhong Ziqi was good at listening. Zhong Ziqi said, 'Good! Change as if it were Mount Tai! The goal is in the flowing water. Zhong Ziqi said: 'Good! The ocean is like a river!'" Later, "high mountains and flowing water" was used as a metaphor for the difficulty of meeting a soulmate, or for the high quality of a piece of music. Wang Anshi's "Second Rhyme and Zhang Zhongtong's Three Extremities" reads, "High mountains and flowing rivers are endless, and three feet of empty strings are on the knees of the tung." Therefore, it is said that "the ancient zither is also the sound of water." This is to have a high quality of music, and to have a soulmate to appreciate it. The listener is like being there and forgetting to come back.

The Qing dynasty history of the biography said: "ask Tao calligraphy is strong". Zhang asked Tao this couplet line reflects this feature. Dangerous and strong, strange, ancient and clumsy, very durable.