A SPACE WHERE THOUGHT CAN SPRING ETERNAL
To create an infinite universe, all that is needed are scrolls of paper, volumes of books and a writing brush. They can reveal a soul dedicated to a metaphysical world and a refined lifestyle.
Generations of ancient Chinese literati knew that a study, be it a shabby thatched shelter with moss growing on its stone walls or a spacious room equipped with luxurious furniture, could be a place to retreat from the cacophony of the outside world and fully demonstrate the power of thinking.
Stationery, ceramics, paper-based artworks such as paintings and calligraphy, as well as various cultural relics that once accompanied or witnessed the self-cultivation of the ancient literati, may be physical evidence of an adaptable mentality. However, it probably still needs modern visitors to embrace their inner tranquility to tune into the aura of grace and sentiment.
In Beijing, at the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, the exhibition Mirroring the Heart of Heaven and Earth: Ideals and Images in the Chinese Study opened to the public on Aug 30 and is to run until Oct 23.
“A study is not only a space to read, write and collect books,” Wang Zilin, curator of the exhibition, said. “It also marks the continuous lineage of culture and reflects a bigger picture of social prosperity.”
The “Four Treasures of the Study”, referring to writing brushes, paper, ink and inkstone (mortar to grind the ink), are the highlights in the exhibition. Exquisitely manufactured stationery, some items of which were owned by royals, reflect how devoted to their work the literati were.
The great poet Tao Yuanming (365-427), known for his reclusive lifestyle, once said: “In my younger years, I remained aloof to worldly affairs, and literature and music were my haven.”
It was this musing that inspired him to design the exhibition, Wang said. Tao’s words may also enlighten visitors, encouraging them to think of their own paths they find to sneak away from their mundane daily routines, if only for a while.
The Orchid Pavilion Preface, created by the 4th-century calligraphic guru Wang Xizhi, is probably one of the everlasting Chinese literary classics about a gathering of literati. Though outdoors, the pavilion in present-day Zhejiang province is perhaps among the most famous studies in China.
The whereabouts of the original work is now unknown, but facsimiles from generations of calligraphers still enable modern people to enjoy it and envision the glamour of the event described. As such, one of these copies, made by Mi Fu, one of the most acclaimed calligraphers of the Northern Song era (960-1127), is a mustsee at the exhibition.
Wang also particularly recommends the viewing of an iconic painting from the Northern Song era: Keshi Pingyuan Tu (“rugged stones reaching far”) by Guo Xi. Autumn falls on the wilderness and a slope is separated by a zigzagging river. The twirling and twisting branches of a dried tree resemble a claw, and almost half of the picture was just left empty, creating space for viewers to fill with their imagination.
The exhibited artworks show the ancient Chinese literati’s lasting pursuit of self-cultivation, which means to “rectify the mind, form the character, and regularly reflect on one’s conduct”, Wang said.