Cai Xiang, great scholar, good minister, calligrapher;
Cai Jing, prime minister, traitorous prime minister, and calligrapher.
Picture / You can tell who is who by looking at the picture
The first person to suggest that Cai among the Four Song Dynasty refers to Cai Jing rather than Cai Xiang was Wang Fu, a master of calligraphy and painting in the Ming Dynasty, who pointed out in his Biography of Calligraphy and Painting: The world's most famous calligraphers include Su, Huang, Mi, and Cai. Cai Zhe was called Jingye. Later generations hated his behavior and dismissed him, and then introduced Duan Ming Shu Yan. Duan Ming is in front of Su and Huang, and should not be listed after Yuan Zhang. There is no doubt that he is the capital. It means that this Cai originally referred to Cai Jing. Later generations, because they were not ashamed of him as a human being, crossed him out and replaced him with Cai Xiang, who was a former bachelor of Duanming Palace.
If it is Cai Xiang, in terms of seniority and age, he should be ranked before Su Huang, and it is Cai Suhuangmi. According to his logic, Cai can only be Cai Jing in such a list. However, this "Book of Paintings and Calligraphy" itself contains many snake feet that were published according to subjective wishes by later generations. There have been many versions, each with similarities and differences. The historian Mr. Liang Qichao once pointed out: the shortcomings were filled in, and there were gaps in modern times. .
Cai Xiang's calligraphy works
We are going back to appreciate the calligraphy of Cai Xiang and Cai Jing. Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty compiled the "Xuanhe Calligraphy Book", in which all the calligraphers of the past dynasties were included. Eight people from the Song Dynasty were selected for the main calligraphy department, and nine people from the Song Dynasty were selected for the running calligraphy department. Cai Xiang and Cai Jing are both included. This shows that Cai Jing's calligraphy level was still recognized at that time. Su Dongpo believed that Cai Junmo was the best in modern times. Zhao Ji, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty: Cai Junmo's book contains the law, and it is the master of Lu in the Song Dynasty. Zhao Gou, Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, called Cai Xiang's calligraphy the best among all officials in the dynasty. Cai Xiang had been dead for many years at this time. In terms of contemporary reviews, Cai Xiang is even better.
Cai Xiang's calligraphy works
Zhao Gou's "Han Mo Zhi" records: After Xifeng, the system of Cai Xiang and Li Shiyong began to enter the rhythm, and they wanted to save Hualiu, but in the end they did not regard Liuliu as the ultimate reward. After Su, Huang, Mi, and Xue, their writing styles changed, and they all had their own interests. However, chickens and wild swans, those who know their own advantages and disadvantages are better than those who are lost and rotten with vegetation. This means that Cai Xiang and Li Shiyong barely passed the mark, but they are still not top quality. Su, Huang, Mi Xue and others have their own merits, and the others are rotten and worth mentioning. Cai Jing has nothing to do here. This is also the first time that Su Huangmi is put together, but the one who follows is not Cai Xiang or Cai Jing, but Xue Shaopeng, a calligrapher from the Shenzong period of the Song Dynasty. He is as famous as Mi Fu and is known as Mi Xue. At this time, Cai Jing was not able to share the same name with Su Huangmi as one of the four families, and there would be no chance in the future. His character and reputation will put him on the pillar of shame forever. Therefore, Cai Jing, the fourth member of the Song family, could not take his turn.
Cai Xiang's calligraphy works
So why can Cai Jing stir up trouble in this list? First of all, after Xue Shaopeng was washed away by the waves, he failed to resist and was replaced by Cai Xiang, who was higher in the rankings. This is how the battle between the two Cai began. Furthermore, just because Cai Jing's surname is Cai, people who like to write articles to reverse the verdict always have to find some excuse to make excuses.
Let’s take a look at Cai Jing’s words:
Cai Jing's calligraphy works
From the comparison, it can be seen that Cai Xiang's calligraphy style is more restrained than Cai Jing's and is not open enough. Huang Tingjian said: Jun Mo's calligraphy is like Cai Yan's "Eighteen Beats of Hu Jia". Although it is clear, strong and frustrated, it sometimes has a boudoir attitude. I think Cai Xiang's calligraphy is too delicate and charming. Mi Fu also quickly added: Cai Xiang's book is like a young woman, with a charming figure and many famous flowers. Huang Luzhi, who has a spear and a spurge, and Mi Yuanzhang, who is unpredictable and unrestrained, don't like the somewhat feminine Cai Xiang. In the late Qing Dynasty, when the stele was honored and the inscriptions were suppressed, Cai Xiang was even more displeased. Therefore, it is not surprising that Cai, Jing Feixiang, and Jing Feixiang, the four most famous people in the Song Dynasty, became more popular.
Cai Jing's calligraphy works
