A Revisit of
Yujian Calligraphy School
Distinguishing Features of Dong Qi
Chang’s Calligraphic Emulation
HUANG Dun
LI Yan Xia
黃惇
Professor
Nanjing Art Institute
李艷霞
Fellow
Palace Museum
During the early and late Ming Dynasty, there were prominent painters and calligraphers of the Songjiang region. Shan Du and
Dong Qi Chang (1555 – 1636), one of the Four Masters of Calligraphy of the late Ming Dynasty, was an epochal figure
Shan Can brothers were the representatives of the early Ming, specialising in ‘tai ge ti’ or ‘guan ge ti’ script (an elegant, legible style),
in the calligraphic history of China. He dominated the styles of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties and his influence
while Dong Qi Chang was the representative of the late-Ming Dynasty whose calligraphic style played a dominant role in the field of
spanned the next two centuries. The calligraphic works of Dong Qi Chang were countless. Emulating ancient calligraphy
that period of time. Previously, the author has written a thesis Yunjian School of the Ming and Dong Qi Chang, pointing out that Dong
was a discipline he specialised in because he had failed his first imperial examination as a youngster, which weighed
was in fact the core of Yunjian School in the Ming Dynasty.
heavily upon him. In consequence, he considered that to master calligraphy, the emulation of ancient calligraphic styles
was an absolute prerequisite.
In 2004, the author visited Taiwan and encountered the ‘Catalogue of the Yunjian School Exhibition’ in which works by the
major calligraphers and painters of the late Yuan to early Ming, such as Yang Wei Zhen, Song Ke, Yao Jie, Chen Bi, Shen Du, Shen
The emulative methods of Dong Qi Chang can be divided into three types: ‘direct copying’, ‘recitation’, and ‘copying the
Can among others, were recorded. However, the collection included neither works of Lu Shen of the mid Ming nor those of Dong Qi
concept’ which means that the artist would use the context of the ancient calligraphic models but render his own techniques.
Chang of the late Ming. Hence, it seems that Yunjian School had appeared in two different period of time in the Ming Dynasty with
Of the three calligraphic methods he employed, ‘copying the concept’ suggests a sense of uniqueness and innovation. He
dissimilar styles.
did not ‘copy’ the complete works of the ancients but selected and integrated the ‘concepts’ of different masters, which had
stronger subjective elements. He was not transfixed by the format of ancient models; instead, he stressed the freedom of
Even though the calligrapher Song Ke from Suzhou had influenced the Songjiang-native Chen Bi, Shen Du and Shen Can, the
creation and formed inherently new features.
calligraphic styles of Song and Shens represented of two different concepts. The former inherited techniques from Kang Li Zi Shan
of the mid-Yuan Dynasty, revealing a sense of ease of the reclusive literati for the pursuit of unworldly values in human morality. The
Brief comments on:
latter, despite the influence from Song Ke, became representatives of the imperial-ordered ‘tai ge ti’ script in the Yongle era during
Emulation of Liu Gong Quan’s ‘Lan Ting’ (‘Orchid Pavilion’)
early Ming. This fact also realistically illustrates how Cheng and Zhu’s idealist philosophy impacted their calligraphy and paintings.
Thus, arbitrarily categorising the above two styles under Yunjian School apparently disagrees with historical facts.
Emulation of ‘Chun Hua Ge Tie’ (‘Calligraphic Model of Chun Hua Pavilion’)
Emulation of the Four Masters of the Song Dynasty.
Both Wang Shi Zhen and Dong Qi Chang had commented on Yunjian School. Wang stated that Yunjian calligraphy originated
from ‘tai ge ti’ to which Shen Du and Shen Can had inserted their influences. Also, there is no connection in academic heritage, school,
1) Emulation of Liu Gong Quan’s poem Lan Ting
and style between the Shens and calligraphers of Huating region in the mid-Ming. Therefore, Wang opined that the so-called Yunjian
School did not exist during early Ming Dynasty.
The Yunjian School headed by Dong Qi Chang aimed at surpassing Zhao Meng Fu, in order to revive the calligraphy in the
Although it was termed emulation, it was rendered in Dong Qi Chang’s own style. The postscript on the back of the
scroll reads: ‘The calligraphy of Liu Gong Quan’s “Lan Ting” is different from that of Wang Xi Zhi. Liu Gong Quan
used his own style and did not merely copy the work of others.’
south Jiangsu province. The emergence of this School, hence, responded to the decline of Wuman School of calligraphy, and greatly
contributed to the calligraphic circle during both late Ming and early Qing Dynasties.
Rather than suggesting that Dong Qi Chang was praising Liu Gong Quan and encouraging him to set up his own
style, and that he was not restricted by the calligraphy of Wang Xi Zhi, we should infer that Dong was elaborating
This thesis intends to compare and contrast the representative calligraphers, their features and styles as well as their academic
on what he had learned from the ancients to established his own style. Armed with a profound knowledge of ancient
heritage, to discern the differences between Yunjian School headed by Dong Qi Chang and works by calligraphers from Huating
calligraphy, he tapped into the strengths of past masters, then combined and changed the result in accordance with
region in early Ming. Through this study the identity and features of Yunjian School of the Ming Dynasty will be further clarified.
his own will. This scroll exactly expressed his appreciation of an inherited beauty and spirit.
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