Introduction
This book was written by Ho Chuan-hsing, deputy director of the National Palace Museum (NPM). Deputy Director Ho has worked for the NPM for the past 33 years and spent decades immersed in the study of painting and calligraphy. Based on the knowledge that he has acquired from a lifetime of research, he has carefully selected masterpieces from the NPM's painting and calligraphy collection and provided brilliant comparisons and analyses. The book begins with an introduction to the life stories, experiences, and career backgrounds of famous scholars, followed by their growth and transformation in making painting and/or calligraphy as well as their subsequent achievements and influences on future generations.
This monthly series covers renowned calligraphers over the course of Chinese history including Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Zhao Mengfu, and Shen Zhou, analyzes the artifact collection and aesthetic taste of Emperor Xuanzong of Ming and Emperor Qianlong, and discusses important special exhibitions hosted by the NPM over the years such as Masterpieces of Chin and Tang Dynasty Calligraphy, Grand View: Painting and Calligraphy from the Northern Sung Dynasty, Dynastic Renaissance: Art and Culture of the Southern Song, and Landscape Reunited: Huang Gongwang and "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains." The foundation of museum exhibitions is professional research, from which the significance of artifacts in art history as well as their importance in modern culture can be learnt. By studying, exhibiting, and comparing artifacts from different dynasties, culture is transmitted and history is passed down.
Deputy Director Ho retires in December of this year. He has studied Chinese paintings and calligraphy history for 33 years and is a well-known calligrapher. By using to his art and calligraphy knowledge, he explains the unique features of the calligraphy made by renowned calligraphers during their respective eras, elucidates the emotions hidden "between the lines," and delves into the connection between literary works and life. The touching, philosophical, vivid, and emotional descriptions found in this book will move all readers and enable them to gain insight into famous scholars.