Zhang Boju (1898-1982), courtesy name Jiaqi, nickname Congbi, also known as the Spring Outing Master and Mr. Haohao, was born in Xiangcheng, Henan Province.
Born on March 14, 1898 (the twenty-fourth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu) into a family of officials, he was the son of Zhang Jinfang, cousin of Yuan Shikai, and adopted by his uncle Zhang Zhenfang.
Mr. Zhang Boju has been obsessed with ancient cultural relics all his life and devoted himself to collecting famous calligraphy and painting. He started collecting ancient Chinese calligraphy and painting at the age of 30. At first, it was just a hobby. He once bought the oldest ink in China - "Ping Fu" by Lu Ji of the Western Jin Dynasty. "Tie", Sui Zhanziqian's "Spring Outing", the oldest surviving painting, "Up to the Balcony" by the great poet Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty, etc. His collection of top Chinese calligraphy and painting works of all dynasties can be seen in his book "Cong Bi Calligraphy and Painting Record" There are 118 pieces in total, and it is known as "the best collection in the world".
Mr. Zhang Boju has been influenced by traditional Chinese culture since he was a child. He has read too many books to count. His solid literary foundation has created his versatile cultural heritage. Because of his extraordinary talent, he used all his spare time to write a large number of ancient poems, phonology and opera treatises. His main works include "Cong Bi Ci", "Spring Outing Ci", "Qin You Ci", "Ci in the Mist", " "No Noun", "Continued Words" and "Poems about Dreams and Dreams", "Annotations to Poems about Dreams and Chronicles", "Annotations to Poems about Chronicles of Hongxian" and "Collection of Luantan Yin and Rhymes", "Cong Bi's Calligraphy and Painting Records", " "Su Yue Lou Couplet" and so on. In addition, Zhang Boju has profound knowledge in the study of Chinese calligraphy art and has written the book "Chinese Calligraphy"; he himself is also good at calligraphy. His calligraphy is based on Wang Xizhi's "Seventeen Posts", integrating Zhen, Cao, Li, Zhuan and Yu. In his later years, he developed his own unique style. His brushwork is elegant and graceful, like a spring silkworm spinning silk, which is known as "Bird Feather Style".
In order to inherit and develop Chinese classical art, Zhang Boju founded the Beijing Guqin Research Society, Peking Opera Basic Art Research Society, Chinese Calligraphy Research Society, and Poetry Research Society in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Until his death, he also prepared for the Chinese Rhythm Society. Things are never forgotten.
He once served as a special committee member of the Palace Museum, a member of the Appraisal Committee of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, an associate researcher and deputy director of the Jilin Provincial Museum, a librarian of the Central Museum of Literature and History, an honorary tutor of Chinese art history in the Chinese Department of Yenching University, and a researcher of Chinese painting in Beijing. Honorary President of the Association and Honorary Director of the Chinese Calligraphers Association.
The national treasures Zhang Boju donated throughout his life were estimated by some at the time to be as high as 100 million yuan. However, with the progress of human civilization, it has exceeded this amount. His great Confucianism, Bodhisattva's kindness, and high Taoism Good deeds are an insurmountable monument in the history of Chinese culture and art.
Mr. Zhang Boju’s father, Zhang Zhenfang, named Xin’an, was from Yanlou Village, Moling Town, Xiangcheng City, Henan Province. He was a Jinshi in the 30th year of Guangxu and the brother-in-law of Yuan Shikai's brother. He served successively as Tianjin Road and Changlu Salt Transport Envoy, Zhili Inspector-General, and Henan Tifa Envoy. He was a very active figure in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.
Mr. Zhang Boju was naturally intelligent since he was a child. He entered a private school at the age of 7 and was able to write poetry at the age of 9. He is known as a "child prodigy". He once studied in an academy run by the British with several of Yuan Shikai's sons. After graduation, Zhang Boju entered the cavalry section of Yuan Shikai's Army Mixed Model Regiment for training, and thus entered the military. Later, he served in the ministries of Cao Kun, Wu Peifu, and Zhang Zuolin as promotion counselors and other positions (all honorary positions).
Dissatisfied with the warlord war, he joined the financial world in 1927. He has successively served as auditor of the general management office of Salt Bank, manager and managing director of Nanjing Salt Bank. Manager of Qinlong Industrial Bank.
After the Anti-Japanese War broke out in 1937, he went to Xi'an for a time, and then devoted himself to writing poems and lyrics.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, he served as a counselor of the Commander-in-Chief of the 11th War Zone of the Kuomintang, a consultant to the Hebei Provincial Government, a professor of the Chinese Department of the North China Institute of Liberal Arts, a special committee member of the Palace Museum, and the chairman of the Peking Fine Arts Branch.
In June 1947, he joined the China Democratic League in Peiping and served as a member of the Peking Provisional Committee of the Democratic League. He participated in the Peking University Student Union’s student aid movement, anti-persecution, anti-hunger movements, and protests against the shooting of Northeastern students and other patriotic and democratic movements.
After the liberation of Peking, he served as an honorary tutor of Chinese art history in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of Yenching University, vice president of Beijing Chinese Calligraphy Research Society, deputy director of Beijing Peking Opera Basic Art Research Society, director and director-general of Beijing Chess Research Society, Director of the Beijing Chinese Painting Research Association, director of the Beijing Guqin Research Association, member of the Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee of the Cultural Relics Bureau of the Ministry of Culture, director of the Federation of Public-Private Banks, member of the 1st Beijing CPPCC, member of the Finance Committee, Cultural and Educational Committee, and Liaison Committee of the China Democratic League Headquarters .
Joined the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang in 1956;
Classified as a rightist in 1958 (rehabilitated in 1980).
Since 1962, he has served as associate researcher and deputy director of Jilin Provincial Museum.
He was persecuted and framed during the "Cultural Revolution". In 1972, Zhou Enlai learned about it and ordered him to be appointed as a librarian of the Central Research Institute of Literature and History.
In his later years, he also served as the president of Beijing Zhongshan Painting and Calligraphy Society, honorary president of Beijing Chinese Painting Research Association, honorary director of Chinese Calligraphers Association, honorary president of Jinghua Art Society, researcher of Beijing Opera Research Institute, and Beijing Kunqu Opera Research Society. Consultant, cultural and educational committee member of the Central Committee of the Democratic League, etc.
In the first month of 1982, Zhang Boju suddenly caught a cold after returning from a banquet and was sent to Peking University Hospital. Because he was not allowed to stay in a double or single ward because he was not "high enough", Zhang Boju was crowded into a ward with seven or eight patients. From time to time, seriously ill patients were brought in, the dead were pulled out, and the anxious old man had to go home. On February 26, when his daughter finally got the "approval" to change the hospital, Zhang Boju unfortunately passed away. He died at the age of 84.