A Poem of General Pei 裴將軍詩 翻譯 英譯 Translation - Vincent's Calligraphy

A Poem on General Pei (裴將軍帖) is one of the many outstanding works written by the renowned Tang Dynasty minister and calligrapher Yan Zhenqing (顏真卿, AD 709-785)(1).  The highlight of this masterpiece is the different script styles written within one single calligraphic work, a practice that is rarely employed in traditional Chinese calligraphy where a work is usually written in one particular script style. Standard script, semi-cursive script, along with cursive script are all compellingly, coherently, and harmoniously displayed at the same time with a touch of clerical script flavor seen in some of the brushstrokes.  Indeed, this extraordinary work is regarded as “odd, strange and unprecedented (怪怪奇奇, 前無古人)”(2), “bold and open, singularly pioneering a completely new horizon (縱橫豪宕，獨闢異境)”(3), and can “startle one’s mind and shake one’s spirit (驚心動魄)”(4).  Unsurprisingly, it is considered by some as the best calligraphic wonder crafted by Yan Zhenqing (魯公第一奇跡).(5)  The original work can no longer be found; the best representation of the work is an ink-rubbed copy from a stone inscription of the original.   

The work’s vigor, liveliness, as well as its magnificent powerful brushstrokes (筆力雄偉)(6) are consistent with Yan Zhenqing’s honest, principled, unyielding, and strong-willed personality.  According to Old Book of Tang (《舊唐書》), Yan led the army against the rebellious An Lushan (安祿山, 703-757AD), frequently gave candid and forthright admonitions to the Emperor despite offending many high officials, and never betrayed Tang even being threatened and eventually executed by Li Xilie (李希烈, ?-786AD).(7)  Thus, he was regarded by Tang Emperor Dezong (唐德宗) as talented, outstanding, faithful and having an unbending will (“器質天資,公忠傑出”, “堅貞一志”).(8)  

Yan Zhenqing’s calligraphy is often modelled and studied by many today.  While it is certainly important to mimic and learn the exterior physical forms of Yan’s script, most have forgotten to emulate Yan’s noble temperament in achieving a higher level in the art of calligraphy; indeed, “to not pursue learning the fundamental qualities but only to model the exterior superficial qualities cannot be regarded as a good learner (不求其本, 而但倣其面目,亦未為善學者也)”(9). Truly, the art of Chinese calligraphy is fundamentally “a testament to one’s moral character (驗燥濕之殊節)”(10), and so “the essence and ingenuity of shudao/shodo (書道) is temperament, while being capable to scribe well the exterior physical forms comes second (書道妙在性情，能在形質)”(11). Hence, learning calligraphy without cultivating one’s temperament shall certainly limit one’s calligraphic achievement.

Yan’s  A Poem on General Pei was written in dedication to Tang Dynasty’s famed general Pei Min (裴旻, ?-?AD), who was renowned for his swordsmanship, might, audacity, and valor in defending the country against the nomadic Xi (奚).(12)  Pei Min’s swordplay, Li Bai’s (李白, 701-762AD) poems, and Zhang Xu’s

(張旭, 675-750AD) cursive script were decreed together by Emperor Wenzong (唐文宗, 809-840AD) as the “Three Ultimates of Tang Dynasty (唐代三絕)”.(13)