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作品
Dong Qichang (1555-1636)
Ruan Ji’s Essay and Excerpt from Zhao Zhi’s Essay in Running Scriptink on paper, handscroll
9 5/8 x 82 7/8 in
24.4 x 210.5 cm董其昌 行书录阮籍《诣蒋公奏记》 、节录赵至《与嵇茂齐书》 手卷 Dong Qichang, an eminent figure in the annals of Chinese calligraphy and painting, has consistently been the subject of meticulous study. Born in 1555, Dong Qichang...董其昌 行书录阮籍《诣蒋公奏记》 、节录赵至《与嵇茂齐书》 手卷Dong Qichang, an eminent figure in the annals of Chinese calligraphy and painting, has consistently been the subject of meticulous study. Born in 1555, Dong Qichang secured second place in the imperial examination at 17 years old, his calligraphy skills deemed inadequate, a situation made more awkward by his nephew, Dong Yuanzheng, clinching first place. This spurred Dong Qichang to redouble his efforts in mastering calligraphy. He began his studies with Mo Ruzhong (1509-1589) and later forged a lasting friendship with Mo Ruzhong's son, Mo Shilong (1539-1587). The groundbreaking "Southern and Northern Schools" theory, which Mo Shilong proposed and Dong Qichang significantly advanced, revolutionized the traditional views of Chinese calligraphy and painting history. By the age of 23, Dong Qichang found employment under Lu Shusheng (1509-1605), who rose to become the Minister of Rites, a position facilitated by the prior acquaintance between Dong's father and Lu Shusheng. The Lu family provided Dong with considerable support, allowing him not only to pass the imperial examination alongside Lu Shusheng's son, Lu Yanzhang (1566-1631), but also to embrace the Lu family's Zen Buddhist practice and philosophy. This deeply influenced his later advocacy for the "Southern and Northern Schools" theory and the concept of "directly entering the realm of the Tathagata." Moreover, Dong Qichang had the good fortune of meeting Xiang Yuanbian (1525-1590), the era's most renowned collector of paintings and calligraphy, which significantly enhanced his discernment through access to Xiang's collection. Such mentors played a crucial role in shaping Dong Qichang into the figure he became.
A defining feature of Dong Qichang's calligraphy, widely recognized, is its "vitality" — not a vitality borne of neglect but, in his words, a result of maturation that brings life to calligraphy. Mastery enables the calligrapher to employ unconventional techniques for unexpected effects during the fleeting moments of brush movement. Without sufficient skill, a calligrapher may overly concentrate on character shapes and brushwork, lacking the mental bandwidth for deeper artistic reflection. This philosophy is exemplified in his exhibition piece "Ruan Ji's Memorial to Lord Jiang and Excerpt of Zhao Zhi's Letter to Ji Maoqi in Running Script." Dong Qichang offered insights on the calligraphic styles of renowned Tang dynasty calligraphers Yu Shinan (558-638) and Chu Suiliang (597-658), critiquing their adherence to traditional constraints, in contrast to Yan Zhenqing (708-785), whom Dong esteemed for surpassing such limitations. Despite their significant contributions to Chinese calligraphy, evaluating them purely on technique is challenging. It's suggested that Yu and Chu's approach was more narrowly focused on calligraphic artistry, whereas Yan Zhenqing's legacy includes not only his artistic output but also his valorous acts of leadership and sacrifice for his country. Dong Qichang's observations on the distinctiveness of Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy may well derive from these aspects.
董其昌作为中国书画史上最重要的人物之一,其隻字片语一言一行都被后世人拿出来反复研究。董其昌生于嘉靖34年(1555),17岁会试由于书法不佳取得第二名,可能更让他尴尬的是取得第一名的是他的侄子董原正,于是他从此开始发奋临池。董其昌最初学习书法于莫如忠(1509-1589),之后更是与莫如忠的儿子莫是龙(1539-1587)建立起了长期的友谊关係。从根本上改变了中国书画史框架的「南北宗论」即是由莫是龙提出并由董其昌发扬光大的。随后,董其昌于23岁受聘到后来官至礼部尚书的陆树声(1509-1605)家中坐馆,由于董父与陆树声曾在一起读书,陆氏对董其昌一直照顾有加。董其昌后来不仅与陆树声的儿子陆彦章(1566-1631)同榜中进士,也继承了陆氏的参禅行为及理念,为其后来通过参考禅宗发扬「南北宗」论以及董氏所标榜的「一超直入如来地」的观念提供了思想基础。董其昌日后更是有缘结识了明朝最重要的书画收藏家项元汴(1525-1590),通过遍览项氏收藏大大提高了自己的鉴赏能力。此等贵人,都是董其昌之所以成为董其昌不可或缺的重要因素。
历来认为董其昌书法最重要的特点之一是「生」,这个「生」并非是疏于练习的「生」,而是如他自己所说的「字须熟后生」的意思。因为只有足够熟练,才能在运笔的短暂时间内,宽裕的使用超出常规的方法来书写出他人意向不到的效果。如果不够熟的话,写字时则需要更多的关注字形与用笔,而没有馀力进行其他的思考。本件《行书录阮籍〈诣蒋公奏记〉、节录赵至〈与嵇茂齐书〉》就是这样的例子。董其昌在题跋中对唐朝着名书法家虞世南(558-638)和褚遂良(597-658)的书法阐明了自己的观点,认为他们还是被传统的规矩束缚了太多,与盛唐着名书法家颜真卿(708-785)相比,颜氏的书法则更胜一筹。上述叁人当然都是对中国书法史有不可磨灭的贡献,我们很难从技法层面去评判。但或许我们可以引申一点,虞、褚二人更多的是从书法家的角度出发进行创作,其关注点较为集中,而颜真卿除了艺术创作以外,后世更是因他领军平叛、为国捐躯的壮烈事迹而更加景仰。董其昌所观察到的颜真卿书法中的不同处,是否也有这些原因呢?
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