Page 433 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

Yide then requested Wen Zhengming to write the
present copy, which in 1570 was passed on to
Yide's son, Chen Siyu, who five years earlier had
passed the top-level examination and who served
ultimately as vice-president of the Ministry of
Rites. Five generations of the Chen family are
thus known to have achieved some degree of suc-
cess in officialdom, and both the strength and the
burdens of that tradition are evident from Chen
Yide's account here.
Most artists of the brush tend to become spe-
cialists in either painting or calligraphy; Wen
Zhengming is one of very few who is famed
nearly equally for both achievements. While still
a student in the prefectural school, Wen had
already demonstrated his determination to
become a good calligrapher by declining to join
detail his fellows in play during an absence of the teach-
er, rather spending the entire day copying and
recopying the Thousand-Character Classic. Wen's
them always at his side. How could I then not of the Ministry of War in the capital. Chen assiduous dedication may be attributed in part to
sympathize with his desire not to neglect the was not the first in his family to achieve official the practical need for good writing when taking
documents he had received ? It is unfortunate prominence, for both his father, Chen Liang the official examinations, but perhaps even more
that my writing is less than exemplary and (1446-1506), and his grandfather, Chen Yong to his family circumstances. Wen's grandfather
thus not a match for the ideas. On the 24th day (1420-1462), had also served with distinction. was a collector of some note, owning, for example,
of the 2nd lunar month of the year [1541], Given his heritage and training, it is natural that calligraphy masterworks by such as Wang Xianzhi
inscribed by Wen Zhengming. Chen Hongmu's "family admonitions" in fact had (344-388). At least by 1488 Wen was studying
The colophon reads: little to do with strictly household concerns but both calligraphy and painting with Shen Zhou
rather dealt with the kinds of situations and prob- (cat. 316) and met and studied the Classics with
This scroll was written by Master Hengshan lems that would be encountered by his son when Shen's close friend Wu Kuan (see cat. 312). Three
(Wen Zhengming) after I paid my respects and he took office. The sections thus touch on law, years later Wen's father, the highly respected
requested it of him. During the eighth lunar trade, hearing litigation, etc., but concentrate scholar-official Wen Lin (1445-1499), introduced
month, autumn, of the year [1538] of the Jiajing mostly on human relations, as two examples will the dedicated youth to Li Yingzhen (1431-1493),
reign-era, my father, the venerable minister demonstrate: then the ranking calligrapher in Suzhou and also
and prefect, personally wrote out a scroll and If you should happen to meet a prominent the father-in-law of Zhu Yunming (cat. 285). Wen
presented it to me, entitling it Further Words official at a rest station along the road, make it and Zhu played important roles in the mid-Ming
on Transgressions for the Family. I knelt down your business to assist him with respectful revival of earlier styles of calligraphy and estab-
[to receive the scroll] and then kept it as a trea- attention. Answer when questioned, but you lished paradigms of excellence that remain stan-
sure, carrying it in my hands wherever I went. must not speak excessively. And even in ordi- dards yet today.
It is now thirty-two years later, but each time I nary intercourse it is good to consider [your By 1541, the year in which he wrote the Ten
hold and read the scroll I truly hear my parent's words] carefully. Family Admonitions for Chen Yide, Wen
teachings and am overcome by emotion. I had Zhengming was generally recognized as the pre-
the scroll carefully traced and engraved in stone When in office, all public business will natur- eminent calligrapher in the country, especially in
and also wrote it out myself, keeping that in the ally be done according to law. But you will also the small regular (kai shu) and the semicursive
ancestral shrine together with the sacrificial serve senior officials sincerely and deal with (or running, xing shu) script styles. His early
vessels. colleagues harmoniously; meet your superiors style of semicursive calligraphy had been strongly
with proper etiquette and your subordinates
Now I present this scroll [by Wen Zhengming] with fairness. This is most important influenced by that of the great Song dynasty
to my second son, Compiler Siyu, hoping master Huang Tingjian (1045-1105), several of
that it will be handed down forever and never By 1538, when he was in his mid-sixties, Chen whose works were owned by Shen Zhou. The
perish. Throughout his life my father was hon- Hongmu had retired and was living in seclusion at present rather cursive example of large semicur-
ored for his essays on government affairs and the foot of Mt. Gaowu. Perhaps feeling the pres- sive style reveals Wen's study of the works of Zhi-
Chen, according to his
sures of advancing years,
was written up in the dynastic records for a own statement here, "freely wrote out these ten Yong (act. late 6th century) and Wang Xizhi
title, but this need not be repeated here. It is (303 ?~36i ?). Wen's typical control is visible in the
now ninety-six years since my father was born precepts as the spirit moved me. Although my straight lines and ordered disposition of the indi-
and one hundred years since Hengweng (Wen words are not in orderly sequence, they are moral vidual characters, which are given equal visual
Zhengming) was born. In winter of the year and practical. If you are able to embody them in weight by the forceful yet free and elegant
1570 I, the unfilial son Yide, wipe away my your actions they will serve as foundation for strokes. The heritage of such Yuan dynasty mas-
great and far-reaching [undertakings]." Chen then
tears and respectfully inscribe this with a hun- presented the scroll to his son, Chen Yide, who ters as Kangli Naonao (1295-1345) is here trans-
dred prayers at the age of seventy-four. formed by a more disciplined approach in which
had earned his second-level degree in 1525 and the direction, orientation, shape, tonality, and
The text was originally composed by Chen later served as a prefectural official. Yide kept his speed of each stroke is calculated with reference to
Hongmu (1474-1555), an official who rose in rank father's writing with him at all times, hence by an ideal aesthetic whole. H.R.
from censor in Yunnan Province to vice-president 1541 the scroll must have shown signs of wear.

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