Zhao Mengfu'S "Lanting Tie Thirteen Postscripts" Fragment Collection Edition

Fragment of "Thirteen Postscripts to the Preface to Lanting" by Zhao Mengfu (selected pages), paper album, 33.2X24.4cm
Collection of Tokyo National Museum, Japan (gift from Takashima Kikujiro)

"Dingwu Lanting" Dugu edition fragment (selected pages) Collection of Tokyo National Museum, Japan

      In the third year of his reign (1310), Zhao Mengfu was ordered to travel from Wuxing (now Huzhou, Zhejiang) to Dadu (now Beijing). Dugu Chunpeng (1259-1336) came to see him off and gave him the "Preface to Wulanting in Tuoding of Song Dynasty" to share with him. Wu Sen (1250-1313) also carried a copy of "Preface to Dingwu Lanting". God-given opportunity, Zhao Mengfu happened to read two copies of "Lanting Preface". During the boat trip for more than a month, he wrote the full text of "Lanting Preface" day by day in order to write a postscript. Dugu's original account has thirteen postscripts, so later generations called it "Thirteen Postscripts of Lanting Tie".

      This post follows the rubbings of "Lanting Preface" and has postscripts by Song Wushuo, Zhu Dunru, Yuan Qianxuan, Xian Yushu, etc., followed by thirteen postscripts written by Zhao Mengfu from September 5 to October 7, and Ke Jiusi's postscripts. He obtained a good copy of "Lanting Preface" and wrote two postscripts. In addition to his exquisite calligraphy, it has also become an extremely important calligraphy theory in understanding Zhao Mengfu's calligraphy views. During the Qianlong period, the piece was kept by Tan Zushou. After Tan's death, it was burned due to natural disasters and remains as it is today. Later spread to Japan, it was collected by Takashima Kikujiro and donated to the Tokyo National Museum. In the spring of 2006, it was exhibited in the "Sino-Japanese Calligraphy Treasures Exhibition" at the Shanghai Museum.