Preface of the Orchid Pavilion
Preface to Lanting is also called Preface to Lanting, Preface to Lanting, Preface to He Lin, Preface to Zan and Zan Tie. On March 3rd, the 9th year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 353), 4/kloc-0 people, including Wang Xizhi, Xie An and Sun Chuo, wrote poems in Lanting (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang). At the meeting, Wang Xizhi wrote a preface for their poems. The preface narrates the beauty of the landscape around Lanting and the joy of gathering, and expresses the author's feelings of impermanence of life and death. The book of law posts handed down from generation to generation, with 28 lines and 324 words, is perfect in composition, structure and brushwork, and is his masterpiece at the age of 33. Later generations commented that "the font of the right army has changed. Its heroic spirit is natural, so it is considered to be a model from ancient times to the present. " Therefore, calligraphers of all ages regarded Lanting as "the first running script". In the Tang Dynasty, he was collected by Emperor Taizong and promoted to be the representative of Wang Shu. He had ordered Zhao Mo and others to make several copies and give them to relatives and trusted ministers. Unfortunately, it was buried in Zhaoling as a sacrificial object by Emperor Taizong, and the original work will never be seen in the world. "Dragon Book" is the most famous ink in the Tang Dynasty. It was named "Lanting Dragon Book" because of the golden seal of Feng Chengsu during the reign of Emperor Taizong. This book is well written, and its brushwork, ink style, style and charm are all reflected. It is recognized as the best copy. Stone carving is the first to promote the "fixed object book" According to Guo Moruo's textual research, the second half of the Preface to Lanting handed down from ancient times has nothing in common with Wang Xizhi's thoughts, and the calligraphy style is also different from the epitaph of the Eastern Jin Dynasty unearthed in recent years, which is suspected to be wrongly entrusted by Sui and Tang Dynasties. But some people disagree. Preface to Lanting shows the highest realm of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy art, and the author's tolerance, phoenix spirit, mind and feelings are fully displayed in this work. The ancients said that Wang Xizhi's cursive script is like "the breeze comes out of the sleeve and the next month comes into my arms", which is a wonderful metaphor.
There are all kinds of anecdotes about Preface to Lanting.
1。 It is said that after Wang Xizhi finished writing, he was very satisfied with his work. He has rewritten several articles, but not to this extent. He once sighed, "God helps me, how can I achieve it?" Therefore, he cherished it very much and passed it on to his seventh generation Sun Zhiyong as a family heirloom. Zhiyong became a monk and loved calligraphy very much. Before he died, he gave the Preface to Lanting Collection to his disciple, monk Cai Bian. Monks in Cai Bian are also good at calligraphy. He knew the value of Preface to Lanting Collection, regarded it as a treasure, and hid it in a hole specially carved on the beam of his bedroom.
2。 Li Shimin likes calligraphy, especially Wang Xizhi's. He heard that Wang Xizhi's calligraphy treasure "Preface to the Lanting Pavilion" was in Cai Bian, and he sent people to ask for it many times. Monk Cai Bian always said that he didn't know the whereabouts of the original. Li Shimin see stubbornly don't believe, then change to outwit. He sent Xiao Yi, an imperial adviser, as a scholar, to get close to the discerning talents and try to get the Preface to Lanting Collection. Xiao Yi was also very good at calligraphy and had a very speculative conversation with this talented monk. After their close relationship, Xiao Yi specially took out several calligraphy works of Wang Xizhi for the monks to enjoy. After reading it, he said disapprovingly, "It's true, but it's not good. I have an original that is not bad. " Xiao Yi asked what this post was, and someone mysteriously told him that it was the original work of Preface to Lanting Collection. Xiao Yi pretended not to believe that this post had disappeared. Cai Bian took the original from the roof beam and showed it to Xiao Yi. When Xiao Yi saw it, it was an original, so he put it in his sleeve and showed him the relevant "imperial edict" of Emperor Taizong. Only then did I know that I had been cheated. I'm sad that I lost my original work. I soon became depressed and sick, and died within a year.
Five Prefaces to Lanting Collection in Tang Dynasty
1。 The one that best embodies the rhyme of Lanting.
Yu Ben was given by Yu Shinan, a great calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty, because it contained the imperial seal of the Yuan calendar, also called "almanac". Yu Shinan's wisdom is a true legend, with a direct charm of Wei and Jin dynasties, which is very close to the charm of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. His pen is vigorous and powerful, and his brushwork is profound.
2。 The best copy of Lanting soul.
It was originally presented by Chu Suiliang, a great calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. Because there are poems inscribed by Mi Fei after the volume, it is also called "Mi Fei's Poem Book". This book is light and healthy, warm and dotted, with smooth veins and flowing clouds, and won the charm of Lanting.
3。 A replica that best reflects the original appearance of Lanting.
Feng Ben was copied by Feng Chengsu, a calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. Because the word "Dragon" in the frontispiece is left in Xiao Zhuan, it is called "Dragon Book" in later generations. Because of the "double hook" method, it is the closest copy of Lanting in Tang Dynasty.
4。 The best copy of Lanting's personality.
Dingwuben is a copy of Ou Yangxun, a great calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty. It was sketched on a stone during the Xuanhe period in the Northern Song Dynasty and was named after it was discovered in Dingwu, Hebei Province during the Qing Dynasty in the Northern Song Dynasty. Only rubbings have been handed down in Ding Wu Yuan for a long time, which is the original rubbings and the most precious version in Ding Wu Yuan Lanting.
The Five Manuscripts of the Tang Dynasty showed the charm of "the best running script in the world" from different levels, and it was the originator of the two systems of Lanting in later generations: one was the paste science system based on Yu Ben, Chu, Feng and Huang Bo; First of all, it is the system of stele study based on Dingwuben. These two systems coexist in the world, giving birth to countless people in later generations. The five great books of the Tang Dynasty were collected by the Qing Dynasty, and later they were scattered all over the world: Yu Ben, Chu Ben and Feng Ben are now in the Palace Museum in Beijing, while Huang Shuben and Ding Wuben are now in the Palace Museum in Taipei, so they can't reunite across the sea. This time, these five rare books are gathered in one place, and the best books on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are gathered together, fully demonstrating the brilliance of Chinese treasures.
Today's so-called "Preface to the Lanting Pavilion", in addition to several copies of the Tang Dynasty, stone rubbings are also extremely precious. The most legendary is Song Tuoding's Preface to Wu Lanting. Both manuscripts and rubbings are quite convincing for the study of Wang Xizhi, and they are also extremely valuable materials for the study of calligraphy in past dynasties. In China's calligraphy classics, there are countless materials about Preface to Lanting.
Whether the Preface to the Lanting Pavilion was written by Wang Xizhi has always been controversial, and there was a fierce public opinion in the late Qing Dynasty and 1960s.
Some people think that Lanting Conference is a secret meeting to discuss military affairs and a cover-up in the name of calligraphy. In any case, its calligraphy status is unshakable.
Original text of Preface to Lanting Collection:
Yonghe was nine years old in Guichou, and at the beginning of late spring, he gathered in Lanting to do things and gather talents from all walks of life. There are mountains here, and there are bamboo cultivation in Maolin; There is also a clear stream, which reflects left and right, thinking it is a stream, followed by a row. Although it is not as prosperous as the string of silk and bamboo, it is enough to love.
Today is a sunny day, sunny and sunny. Look up at the size of the universe and look down at the prosperity of categories. Therefore, extremely entertaining, I believe coke is enough.
The phase of a lady, throw her life, or take her arms, realize (through "hoo") in one room; Let the waves go because of the entrustment. Although fun (through "taking") is different, calmness is different. When it is happy with what it meets, it will gain something from itself for the time being and will soon be self-sufficient without knowing the coming of old age; What he is tired of is that his feelings are advancing with the times and his feelings are sentimental. I'm happy about it. It's a thing of the past between pitches, so I still have to be happy about it. The situation is short-lived, and it will end in the end. The ancients said, "Life and death are great." It hurts!
Every time we look at the reasons for the excitement of the ancients, if we unite, we will not be without sorrow, and we can't compare it to something in our chests. Knowing that a dead life is a false birthday and the destruction of Peng Qi is a mistake. Look at the present in the future or look at the past today. Sad husband! Therefore, as soon as people go public, they record what they say. Although the world is different, they are happy and they are one. Later visitors will also be impressed by Sven.
Translation of Preface to Lanting Collection:
In the ninth year of Yonghe, that is, the year of guichou, at the beginning of March, (celebrities) gathered in Lanting, Shanyin County, Huiji, in order to eliminate disasters and seek happiness at the water's edge. Many prestigious and talented people came, young and old. There are high mountains, dense forests and high bamboos, clear water and rapids, and reflections all around. Introduce water into the circular canal (in the pavilion) and let the glass float on the water (for people to drink). People sitting next to Qushui, although there is no grand occasion of orchestral ensemble, are enough to express their elegant feelings while drinking and writing poems. On this day, it was sunny and breezy. Looking up, the sky is boundless, looking down, there are so many things on the ground, which broadens our horizons, broadens our minds and exhausts our audio-visual enjoyment. What happiness!
People get along with each other and spend their lives quickly. Some people like to talk about their interests and ambitions, and they like to talk face to face indoors (with friends). Some people pin their feelings on what they like and live indulgently without any constraints. Although people's hobbies vary widely, whether they are quiet or active, they all have such experiences: (1) When they are happy with what they touch, they will be complacent, happy and self-sufficient for a while, but they do not feel the coming of aging; When I am tired of what I love, my mood changes with the status quo, and my feelings arise spontaneously. I still have to feel deeply about what I used to feel very happy suddenly becoming the past. Moreover, my life depends on nature, and finally everything goes up in smoke. The ancients said: "Life and death are also important!" How can you not be sad?
Every time I see that my predecessors have reasons for regret, they are as consistent as Fu Qi. I always lament and feel sad in the face of their articles, but I don't understand why. I just know that it is absurd to treat life and death equally, and it is false to treat long life and short life equally. It is sad for future generations to look at today, just as people today look at the past! So I wrote down the people who attended the party and copied their poems. Although times are different and circumstances are different, people feel the same. Later readers will also feel the great event of life and death when they read this collection of poems.