Sun Guoting’s cursive script has reemerged onto the literary stage, with each character achieving sublime perfection—Dong Qichang even declaring it superior to the Shu Pu!
孙过庭草书重现书坛，每个字都妙到毫巅，董其昌：胜过《书谱》！
Original 墨品书法网
【Editor’s Note: Sun Guoting’s exquisite cursive calligraphy has made a triumphant return, celebrated for its unmatched precision and aesthetic grace—Dong Qichang (董其昌) even claimed it surpasses the Shu Pu (《书谱》). This revival underscores two core principles in cursive study: progressing from simpler scripts like running (行草) and semi-cursive (章草) to the more challenging wild style and drawing inspiration from the revered masters of the Jin period. Sun Guoting, who meticulously studied Wang Xizhi (王羲之), exemplifies these ideals. Although his surviving works are sparse—with Shu Pu criticized for its repetitive brushwork and Fo Yi Jiao Jing (《佛遗教经》) marred by authenticity issues—the rediscovered Xiao Jing (《孝经》), recently showcased by the Taipei National Palace Museum, stands out. Executed under imperial command with dynamic, natural strokes and supported by a well-documented provenance, it offers an ideal model for both practice and appreciation of Jin and Tang cursive techniques.】
In our study of cursive calligraphy, two guiding principles must always be borne in mind: first, the progression from simplicity to complexity, and second, the emulation of the highest exemplars. The initial tenet implies that beginners should commence their practice with semi-cursive (章草) or running script (行草), rather than diving into the wild, unbridled strokes of fully cursive writing. Simultaneously, one should refrain from selecting as one's initial mentors those renowned masters whose brushwork is excessively flamboyant and abundant—figures such as the Two Wangs (二王), Zhang Xu (张旭), and Huai Su (怀素).
The second principle admonishes us to look to the ancients—especially the masters of the Jin period—for instruction. After all, Mi Fu (米芾) once remarked t“if Tang cursive does not embrace the spirit of the Jin, it merely degenerates into a lower form.” Viewed in tandem, these principles make Sun Guoting (孙过庭) the unequivocal model. His approach to cursive is methodically sound, having diligently studied the brushwork of Wang Xizhi (王羲之). Moreover, his preference for running and semi-cursive styles renders his work more accessible than that of the Two Wangs, whose varied strokes, though impressive, often defy effortless mastery—thus serving as an ideal stepping stone directly toward the aesthetics of Wei and Jin calligraphy.
Sun Guoting’s extant works are exceedingly scarce; his most celebrated pieces, Shu Pu (《书谱》) and Fo Yi Jiao Jing (《佛遗教经》), each harbor their shortcomings. In Shu Pu, the brushwork sometimes becomes repetitive and monotonous, and its spirit suffers from what has been labeled a vulgar quality—a “plebeian aura” (闾阎之气) that fails to transcend the mundane. As noted explicitly by the Tang calligrapher Dou Li (窦臮) in his Shu Shu Fu (《述书赋》): “Solemn yet pedestrian in its cursive, imbued with the airs of the common folk, a thousand sheets indistinguishable, each character indistinct from the next.” Prolonged practice solely with this model risks imposing a constrictive rigidity on one’s style.
In contrast, Fo Yi Jiao Jing, housed in Japan, suffers from disputed authenticity. Its genuineness remains uncertain. Recently, however, the National Palace Museum in Taipei staged a major exhibition featuring a long-forgotten authentic cursive work by Sun Guoting—the Xiao Jing (《孝经》). Rendered during his middle years under imperial command, the work is executed with scrupulous attention to detail; every character is wrought with exquisite precision.
Compared with Shu Pu and Fo Yi, the Xiao Jing exhibits livelier and more natural brushwork, and its expressive richness is markedly superior. The entire scroll exudes a graceful, refined beauty and meticulous elegance devoid of common vulgarity. Its authenticity is further bolstered by a well-documented provenance: successively housed in the collections of Jia Sidao (贾似道), Dong Qichang (董其昌), and the Qing Imperial Archive, and with a postscript by Dong Qichang and others affirming its genuineness.
In his postscript, Dong Qichang praises this work as exceedingly rare, extolling its rarity and refined subtlety as surpassing even that of Shu Pu. The few characters marred by damage were personally restored by the Ming dynasty calligrapher Zhu Zhishan (祝枝山), rendering the nearly 2,000-character scroll effectively complete. Moreover, almost every character is unique—a veritable compendium of daily use—making it eminently suitable for sustained, routine practice.
Mi Fu (米芾) once critiqued Sun Guoting thus: “Among Tang cursive that adheres to the technique of the Two Wangs, none can surpass him.” The brushwork of the Xiao Jing, characterized by its orthodox yet ancient quality, invites our earnest study. The technique is initiated with the pointed edge of the brush piercing the paper, leaving behind a transient, delicate tip; this is immediately followed by a swift, forceful modulation wherein strength is amassed, and the strokes are rendered predominantly with the brush’s central core. The resulting lines are robust and upright, reminiscent of “a cone sketching in the sand,” with each movement clearly delineated— light or heavy, rapid or measured, lifted or pressed.
Dong Qichang’s postscript further praises the work’s balanced combination of angularity and roundness. At the moments of transition, the strokes evoke the image of a “folded hairpin” (折钗股), and the concluding strokes are composed with a steady finality devoid of any undue flourish. The configuration of each character captures vertical momentum with grace—dignified yet subtly tilted, serene yet daring, with varied heights and a harmonious interplay of ascents and descents. The overall composition is remarkably well-proportioned; the ink, with its ideal dry-tinged moisture, lends the entire scroll an air of painstaking precision, each stroke rendered with exquisite delicacy and a vivacious, elegant spirit that makes it a definitive exemplar for mastering Jin and Tang cursive techniques.
Today, we present an ultra-high-definition, 1:1 facsimile of Sun Guoting’s Xiao Jing (《孝经》). In this reproduction, one experiences the work as though beholding the original, complete with corresponding annotations that facilitate practice and appreciation. Should this prospect pique your interest, please click the link below to explore further!
This translation is an independent yet well-intentioned effort by the China Thought Express editorial team to bridge ideas between the Chinese and English-speaking worlds. The original text is available here: 墨品书法网
Kindly attribute the translation if referenced.