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Letter from Master Dahui Zonggao to Wuxiang
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Letter from Master Dahui Zonggao to Wuxiang
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Letter from Master Dahui Zonggao to Wuxiang
CHINA; Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), dated 1155; By Dahui Zonggao; Running script; Ink on paper; 37.9 x 65.5 cm; Tokyo National Museum, Japan
This letter was written by Chan Master Dahui Zonggao and was addressed to the devotee, Wuxiang. It describes his disturbing exile in the disease-plagued region of Meizhou (present day Guangdong), and goes on to thank Wuxiang for his kindness.
The calligraphy of this letter features faultless brushwork, displaying well-proportioned and slightly inclined characters. The fine balance of method and the spontaneity of the scripting style result in an overall impressive work of calligraphy.
Dahui Zonggao was a contemporary of master calligraphers such as Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, and Mi Fu. A master of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism, he was a leading disciple of Chan Master Yuanwu Keqin. Master Dahui dedicated himself to the propagation of Kanhua Chan |
