Wandering Light and Roaming Clouds – Autobiography

 

Wandering Light and Roaming Clouds – Autobiography, by Huai Su of Tang

Author: Gao Xianying / 2009 TELDAP Bridge Project - Story Writing Competition: Third Place
 
Five thousand years ago, the idea of Chinese text came like a bolt of lightning. Since its advent, the Chinese text was destined to be an unpredictable spectacle. From stone drum inscriptions, clerical script, seal script, running script, to standard script, the Chinese text evolves like the galloping Yellow River, whose flow is unrestrained and all-inclusive. It has been not only a tool to convey meanings and emotions, but an artistic expression. Therefore, even though the full meanings of the text may have become difficult to comprehend over centuries, we can still be touched by the writers’ true feelings expressed through their writings without the help of any spoken language.
Through the “Four Treasures of the Study” (brush, ink, paper and inkstone), ancient stories from across time and space come alive. We are fortunate to have these classic masterpieces of calligraphy in the National Palace Museum. But how can we appreciate tens of thousands of such treasures within a limited period of time?
 
In order to preserve and widen access to treasurable artifacts from ancient times, the National Palace Museum has been actively digitizing the museum collections using advanced digital technologies since 2000. As the number of digitized treasures increases, the public will be able to admire and study these collections through the Internet. Among the collections, one of the most significant pieces of calligraphy in the National Palace Museum is the masterpiece Autobiography by Huai Su of the Tang Dynasty.
 
Huai Su’s Autobiography is 28.3 cm in height and 755 cm in width, with 126 lines and 702 characters in total. The entire piece was written in cursive script. With fluent yet wild brushstrokes, as well as surprising changes in the writing, it was held in very high regard by both calligraphers of his time and of later generations. The version on display in the National Palace Museum today was collected by the famous fine arts connoisseur Su Shunqin of the Song Dynasty. The date at the end of the scroll, which reads 12th year of Dali (777 A.D.), suggests that it was written when Huai Su was forty-one years old. Until today, this work of art has survived more than one thousand years, through times of glory and warfare.
The literary phrases in Autobiography reveal that more than a thousand years ago, Huai Su’s mastery in calligraphy had been in the limelight during his time. Many celebrities and notables admired and praised his work. The famous calligrapher Yen Zhenqing’s compliments on Huai Su’s work further confirmed his artistic achievements.
 
Recognition from his time vehemently deepened Huai Su’s passion and love for calligraphy, encouraging him to record his experiences in writing. The writing described the learning of calligraphy in his early days and the compliments he received from his contemporaries. His brushstrokes embodied freedom and transcended style, yet faithfully expressed his heart. He also described the spirit and the form of cursive script with the following vivid comments. “Driving brush and ink like racing horses, leaving the audience behind in speechless awe,” conveyed a sense of speed and flow of the brush. “The heart lends ingenious excitement to the hand, and bizarre shapes somehow turn appropriate,” “At one time it appears to be light mists and ancient pines yet at another time it appears to be piercing peaks and majestic mountains,” and “Ape drinking the water, shaking withered vine; strong man uprooting the mountain, brandishing the sturdy metal,” depicted his brushstrokes that embodied both strength and flexibility, forcefulness and gracefulness, all interwoven seamlessly together. “Daring snake rushing onto the seat, heavy shower and whirlwind echoing in the entire hall,” demonstrated the vivid agility of his calligraphy, as well as his sheer confidence. In Autobiography, the art of cursive script calligraphy reaches the peak of perfection.
 
After digitization, this masterpiece in the National Palace Museum is no longer just an object on exhibit inside a glass-walled cabinet. Since the museum’s renovation in 2007, this widely admired calligraphy masterpiece has been displayed on the skylight of the museum lobby.
 
Speaking of this creativity, Rick C. Hsu, the Creative Director responsible for the renovation, commented that the skylight was originally designed to allow light into the building while incorporating the existing elements of the National Palace Museum in the new constructions to convey the “Old is New” spirit of the museum.
After careful selection, the designer finally picked Huai Su’s Autobiography. The designer first measured the size of each window. Then, the digitized image of the calligraphy was enlarged and shrunken on the computer in numerous trials to fit the architectural setting. Because the size of each character and the number of characters in each line vary, the greatest challenge when adjusting the size of the image is to protect the text from being visually disintegrated by the architecture in order to maintain the beauty of the calligraphy.
 
To show the thin and firm brushstrokes of Autobiography that look like delicate, tender silver threads, the shades of the ink color plays an important role in the presentation of the masterpiece. Thus, the design had to be printed strictly using advanced digital printing technology and undergo the scrutiny of professionals. The printed work was then placed between two pieces of tempered glass, which makes the painting appeared inlaid on the skylight  As the light and shadow in the background change, the artistic ambience of the text changes, too. Visitors taking the escalators can fully enjoy and appreciate this masterpiece in no rush.
 
There was once a Japanese architect who photographed the scene at the break of dawn. The sky was as clear as a clean piece of rice paper. The dark and light hues of the ink color in Autobiography, along with the clear and fine brushstrokes, roamed fluidly against the canvas of light, inspiring profound respect and joy.
Today, anyone can admire this sublime masterpiece of calligraphy in the lobby of the National Palace Museum in any weather conditions. Against the background of the sky and clouds, the seal mark of Qianlong Emperor’s Hall of Three-Rarities can be clearly seen, as if the art-loving emperor still endorses the excellence and preciousness of this masterpiece today.
 
Digitizing such a brilliant work of calligraphy entails a long and sophisticated process of preparation, machinery adjustments, image retrieval, post-production, outputting, examination, and preservation management. Especially, the demand of faithful colors poses a great challenge. Compared to general digital archiving, the “authenticity” standard set by the National Palace Museum was almost overly demanding.
 
In the process of fulfilling the mission of reviving rare antique treasures, the digital archive project of the National Palace Museum has overcome many hardships. The retouching process was especially laborious. “We can only fix [the artwork] slowly, bit by bit,” said the staff responsible for retouching. The staff also stated that old pieces inevitably had some imperfections. When encountering challenges, they would need to consult various professionals and the Museum’s experts, and then print out revisions for correction.
 
Although the digitization of the collection of the National Palace Museum has been a strenuous process, the accomplishment is remarkable that the digitalized collection is much more applicable and its added value is immeasurable. The divisional chief of the Department of Painting and Calligraphy, Liu Fang-Ru, says that the process “allows ancient and fragile cultural relics to revive in an alternative existence through modern technology.” The transformation allows extraordinarily exquisite historical treasures to not only shine as unprecedented classics, but to become an integral part of modern life that shows artistic excellence and fascinating charm.
 
Reference:
1. Zhang Chingzhi, “The Drunken Monk – On Huai Su’s Cursive Script in Autobiograph”', National Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art, vol. 1, no. 11 (1984.02), pages 14-29.
2. Ho Chuan-hsin, “The Popularity and Influence of Huai Su’s Autobiography in the Song Dynasty”, Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Chinese Art History (Calligraphy and Painting) in the 80th Year of ROC, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1992, pages 661-684
3. Zhu Li-Chun, “Authentic or Counterfeit – On Imitation Paintings”, Taiwan Panorama, October Issue, Oct. 21, 2009.
4. Urban Redevelopment Office, Taipei City, “2008 Compilation of the Face of Taipei City Redevelopment Project”, Urban Redevelopment Office, Taipei City, 2008, pages 36-39