Correspondence with Yanzhong

Tao Zongyi (1316-1403) did not succeed in the Yuan civil service examinations, so he built a thatched hut and lived in the countryside, abandoning his quest for examination success and refusing offers of recommendation thereafter. Besides classes, he tilled the fields and planted. In time left over from tilling, he would discuss things of new and old with students. He gathered and stored the knowledge and information amassed over ten years and organized them into Chuogenglu in 30 chapters. With the establishment of the Ming, he refused office several times. In his later years, however, he took up assignment as an educational official. Among his other writings is Shushihuiyao (Abstract of Calligraphy History).

Written by Tao Zongyi of the late Yuan and early Ming, this book is composed of nine chapters. The first eight record the biographies of calligraphers up to the Yuan dynasty. The ninth chapter presents a discussion of the techniques and theories of the ancients as well as a postscript. Written in simple terms, this book provides a wealth of information and includes an addendum that was written later in the Ming dynasty.

Written by Tao Zongyi of the late Yuan, the content deals with various subjects including Yuan statutes, rebellion in the southeast, culture and technology, and popular customs. The part that deals with the arts of painting and calligraphy comprises both his own experiences, writings of the ancients, and his research. This text provides important information on painting history, theory, and technique as well as mountings and seals.

Correspondence can be a personal letter or a government document. Originally, in ancient times, it took the form of a slip or piece of wood.

Teng Wenyuan served up to the post of academician in the Jixian Hall and Zhejiang Supervisor of Confucian Schools. His surviving calligraphy is mostly in the ancient Jin and Tang manners. His small standard, medium standard, and running scripts were similar in style to those of his famous contemporary Zhao Mengfu. Achieving fame, Teng along with Xian Yushu and Zhao Mengfu were known as the "Three Masters of the Early Yuan."

Yang Zai (1271-1323) had not served the government by the age of 40, so he was summoned directly as an editor in the Historiography Archives. He later became a jinshi (Presented Scholar) and eventually served the post of Route Commander of the Ningguo Circuit. Yang Zai was a literary great of the time and scholars such as Zhao Mengfu highly respected him. Yang also excelled at calligraphy and is said to have followed Zhao Mengfu's manner.

Luo Zhenyu (1866-1940) taught in the Metropolitan University and, after the revolution of 1911, settled in Japan. He also served as the Director of the Control Yuan for the Manchukuo republic set up by the Japanese. Luo Zhenyu was broadly learned and, specializing in archaeology, he had a great knowledge of ancient writing. He also made important contributions to the research and preservation of Ming and Qing historical materials, the Dunhuang manuscripts, Han and Jin dynasty slip writings, and ancient artifacts. With a large collection of art, he was gifted at the connoisseurship of painting and calligraphy. He wrote more than 200 articles and books.

Yang Lianfu (1296-1370) was a jinshi (Presented Scholar) of 1327 who served as the Jiangxi Supervisor of Confucian Schools. He left office at the end of the Yuan and sought refuge in the Fuchun Mountains, later moving to Qiantang and traveling around the land. In his early years, he lived at Iron Cliffs near Mt. Wu, where he built a library and studied extensively. He resided in later years at Songjiang. Yang Lianfu excelled at semi-cursive script. His powerful and expressive brushwork was highly personal and distinctive.