Wang Xun and His Letter to Boyuan 王询传世书法《伯远帖》

Some of the most famous calligraphers in all of Chinese history lived during the Wei Jin period when man of letters advocated the ‘magnanimity’, ‘taste’ in life and ‘neutrality’, ‘elegantly simple beauty’ in art.

Wang Xizhi (303-361) and his son Xianzhi (344-386), who had made the greatest achievement, were the two representatives among the most influential calligraphers in this period.

Another Wang who left his mark in the calligraphy history was Wang Xun (349-400). He was one of three master calligraphers praised by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty as the sanxi, or three rarities. The other two were Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi.

Wang Xun was the grandson of Wang Dao, a prime minister of a Jin dynasty and son of Wang Qia, a famous painter. His was also nephew of Wang Xizhi. He was conferred the Marquis of Dongting, and held a number of high posts in government, such as Kingdom Defence General, Deputy Chief of Wu, Deputy Chief State Secretary and Chief State Secretary.

Wang Xun excelled at running-cursive script. In the Southern Song imperial catalogue The Calligraphy Catalogue of the Xuanhe Period (1119-1125) (Xuanhe Shupu), he was honoured as ‘the great master of cursive script’.

His masterpiece Letter to Boyuan, written in an easy and free style, is the only authentic signed calligraphic work from the Jin dynasty. When the famous calligrapher Dong Qichang of Ming Dynasty saw the work in Chang-an (currently Xi’an), he went wild with joy and wrote, ‘Wang’s calligraphy shows freedom of expression, it is simple but quietly elegant. This masterpiece I see here in Chang’an is really a rare beauty.’ ‘It is like seeing the free-spirited Jin people in front of my eyes.

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中国书法史里，魏晋时代出了不少名书法家。当时士人所提倡的是宽雅、乐趣的人生，追求的是中性与淡雅之美的艺术。

王羲之(303-361)与其子献之（344-386）的成就最大，是这个时期最有影响力书法家中的两个代表人物。

王询（349-400）是王家中另一个在书法史上留下痕迹的人物。他是清朝乾隆皇帝赞为三稀的书法家之一。其他两名是王羲之与王献之。

王询时晋朝宰相王导之孙，画家王洽的儿子。他也是王羲之的侄儿。他受封东亭侯，累官辅国将军、吴国内史 、尚书仆射、尚书令等。

王询善草书。宋宣和时期（1119-1125）的《宣和书谱》称他‘草圣’。

他的《伯远帖》尽得悠游俊郎之风神，是晋朝传世书法作品中仅有的真品。明代董其昌于长安(今西安) 见到此帖后，欣喜若狂，题跋说：‘珣书潇洒古淡，长安所逢墨迹，此为尤物。’ ‘东晋风流，宛然在眼。’

Malaysian Politicians: We Love Chinese Calligraphy 马来西亚政治家：我爱书法

Malaysia is a multi-racial and cultural society. Ethnic Malays today make up 50 percent of the population. Ethnic Chinese represent an additional 24 percent and Indians 8 percent.

The Malaysian Chinese have traditionally dominated the Malaysian economy, but with the implementation of affirmative action policies by the Malaysian government to protect the rights of ethnic Malays, their share has somewhat eroded. However, they still make up the majority of the middle- and upper-income classes.

It is therefore understandable that during the general elections, politicians will campaign intensively for the Chinese vote, reminding voters of issues affecting the Chinese community.

Displaying Chinese calligraphy skills is one of the many means used by non-Chinese politicians to woo the Chinese voters.

When Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister and currently leader of the opposition, was at the height of power, he took an effort to learn mandarin and Chinese calligraphy. He popularised a saying in Mandarin when he was in the United Malays National Organisation, or Umno: wo-men doushi yijiaren ("We are one family". see diagram 1). As a slogan coined by a Malay leader, elected and re-elected by Umno to be the next prime minister, the slogan was a novel declaration of Malaysian multiculturalism, no less appealing than Mahathir Mohamad's idea of a Bangsa Malaysia sharing Vision 2020.

Even the candidates of the Islamist political party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS; Pan Malaysian Islamic party) are often seen writing Chinese calligraphy during elections. (See diagram 2)

Recently, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak became the latest politician who showed off his Chinese calligraphy skills. On 23 December, at a function organised by the Federation Of Chinese Associations Malaysia, he wrote on the spot a Chinese word ‘he’, which means harmony or peace. (See diagram 3)

Is the next general election coming soon?

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马来西亚是个多元种族与文化的社会。马来人占了全国人口的百分之50，华人百分之24，印度人百分之8。

传统上，华人在经济上占优势；可是自从政府实行种族优惠政策来保护马来人的权益之后，华人的经济地位就被削弱了。但是，华人还是占中与中上阶级的多数。

所以不难理解在大选期间，候选人都会大力争取华人选票，提起与华人有关的课题。

展示书法技巧是非华人候选人用来争取华人选票的方法之一。

前副首相、现在反对党领袖安华，在权力高峰时期，就下苦功学华语与书法。他还在巫统时，把‘我们都是一家人’这句话普遍化了。（图1）作为一个当时被选定为下一届首相的马来领袖，他想出这个标语，是对马来西亚多元文化主义的一种可贵的表白，其吸引力不亚于马哈迪的马来西亚国家2020远景。

就算是回教主义的回教党的候选人，在大选期间已时常看到他们当众挥毫书法。（图2）

马来西亚首相纳吉成为最新展示他的书法才能的政治家。12月23日，他在马来西亚中华大会堂总会(华总) 的一个晚宴上，当众挥毫了个‘和’字。（图3）

是不是下一届的大选要来了呢？

Learn the Correct Techniques from the Beginning 从头开始学正确的技巧

If you have just started learning Chinese calligraphy, you have to focus on the followings initially in the same order listed here:
1.    The correct sitting postures
2.    The correct brush techniques
3.    The generally accepted principles of Chinese word structures

The main focus of the first four or five few lessons should be on making sure that the sitting postures are correct. This is relatively easy part of learning and most of the learners will be able to do it correctly after five lessons.

The next focus is on the correct brush techniques, which should be learned and applied from day one. Depending on the progress of learners, training on analysing the Chinese word structures can be started once the basic brush techniques are understood. It usually can be started from the eighth lesson onwards.

The benefits of correct brush techniques and principles of Chinese word structures will usually be appreciated only after about 12 months of learning, though the mastery of them requires a lifelong practice.

One of the most common problems of applying brush techniques is the glossing over of Qibi (starting the stroke) and shoubi (ending the stroke). It is therefore important that the learners must be regularly and constantly corrected on how to apply these two techniques.

Here are three other examples of commonly found mistakes.

1.    Fail to apply consciously the Zhong Feng techniques. (See diagram 1). The incorrect application of Zhong Feng (centred-tip pricinple) usually will result in having a stroke with smooth upper edge and rough lower edge.

2.    Fail to stress on the shorter horizontal strokes. When there are two or more horizontal strokes side by side in a word, the shorter horizontal stroke should usually be stressed. Beginners usually do not apply correct pressure to write these shorter strokes. (See diagram 2)

3.    Fail to emphasise the middle horizontal stroke. The middle horizontal stroke is normally the main stroke of any word; it should be emphasised and be outstanding. (See diagram 3)

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如果你刚开始学书法，你就应该根据以下次序几点注意学习：
1．    正确的书写姿势
2．    正确的笔法
3．    被普遍接受的结字原理
前四或五课要集中学好正确的写字姿势。这是学习中比较容易的部分，一般到第五课就可学好了。

另一个目标是学好正确的笔法。正确的笔法应该从第一天就开始学习与应用。看个人的情况，学习结字原理的分析可以在对笔法有基本的领悟后开始。通常从第八课开始。

对笔法及结字原理的好处，一般要在学习12个月后才开始领悟；虽然要精通他们却是需要终身学习。
应用正确的笔法的一个最大问题是，对起笔与收笔草率了事。所以时常与经常给学习者指出正确起笔与收笔技巧是很重要的。
这里还有三个常见的错误的例子：
1．    不能够正确地应用中锋。（见图1）不能正确地应用中锋会导致一个笔画的上面平滑而下面粗燥不平。
2．    短横划不重。在一个字中，如果有几条横线平行，短线应该粗重。（见图2）初学者一般无法应用适当力量来书写短划。
3．    不突出中间横划。中间横划一般是一个字的主要笔划，应该加重笔力与令其突出。（见图3）

Stone Drum Inscriptions 石鼓文

Ten ‘Stone Drums’ were discovered in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) at Tianxing (present-day Baoji in Shaanxi Province) and caused a stir among men of letters and calligraphers. It is believed that they were engraved in the state of Qin during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and are therefore well over 2,000 years old. They are said to be the very first pieces of inscription works found in China up to now.

At the time when they were discovered in the seventh century, each of them bore a four-character verse about the hunting of the Duke of Qin. Not many of its original 700 characters have survived - 465 of them were recorded then and 272 of them today with one block completely denuded.

Before the invention of paper and printing, the best way in China to keep outstanding writings and calligraphic works was to carve them on stone. Those cut on drum shaped blocks are called shiguwen (stone drum inscriptions); and those cut on steles and tablets are called beiwen.

The rubbing shown is the only one survived with a complete verse.

My chariots were complete;

My horses were harnessed.

My chariots were gaily decorated;

My horses were thriving.

The officials gathered in force;

The banners waved in the wind.

Deer left footprints behind,

By which we pursued.

Bows were drawn;

Arrows were at the string.

I ran into a royal stag,

Which galloping, clip-clop.

He charged at me,

Raising quite a dust.

The herd rushed off,

Running out of sight.

I chased a lone buck,

But he, too, escaped.

Finally I shot a sorrel.

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十个石鼓于唐代（618-907）初出土于天兴三畴原（今陕西省宝鸡市凤翔三畴原），震动学者与书法家。一般相信，它们是在战国时代（公元前475-221）的秦国所刻，所以有超过两千年的历史。可说是中国最早的石刻文字。

在七世纪被发现时，每石鼓皆有四字诗文，记述秦国君王游猎之事，亦称‘猎碣’。原来所发现的700个字，很多已经不存在了。当时纪录了465个字，现在只存272个字，其中一石的字完全消失。

在纸与印刷未发明之前，在中国，把优秀书写与法书保留的最好方法就是把它们可在石头上。可在园圆鼓形石头的就叫石鼓文，或碣文可在方形的碑与石头上的就叫碑文。（注：方石为碑，圆石为碣）

这里所显示的是一首完整的诗文拓片。

吾車既工。吾馬既同。吾車既好。吾馬既(馬缶) 。君子員邋。員邋員斿。

麀鹿速速。君子之求。●●卣弓。弓茲以寺。

吾敺其畤。其來趩趩。●●炱炱。即禦即時。

麀鹿趚趚。其來大●。吾敺其樸。其來(走賣)(走賣)。射其(豕肩) 蜀。

Ti An: The Techniques of Pressing and Lifting the Brush 笔法：提按

There are three structural forms essential to calligraphy. They are strokes, character structure and line composition, which join together to reflect the beauty of the calligraphic work.

Among these three, strokes are basic, because all the characters and lines are composed of strokes. The characters and lines are the tracks of movements or arrangement forms of the dots and strokes. Vigor, shifting, rhythm, change and harmony are key elements of the beauty of the dots and strokes, and are also the key elements of the beauty of the characters and lines. Certainly, these key elements demonstrate different proportions in the strokes, characters and lines.

When writing with a brush, the key element is the vigor of the strokes. There are several ways to demonstrate the vigor of the strokes, and the two most important ways are Zhong Feng and Ti An, a technique of pressing and lifting the brush.

In Chinese, Ti means lifting up and An means pressing down. Lifting up the brush a little makes the strokes delicate, powerful and smooth, and pressing down on the brush makes the strokes thick, vigorous and powerful. So Ti and An are the main ways to express vigor and rhythm in calligraphy.

While lifting or pressing the brush, the calligrapher should deal with another pair of ways to use power: moving the brush forward and holding it in position for a while, or moving the brush slowly - like a basketball player who moves forward while bouncing the ball on the ground. Such a skill is the result of hard practice.

Various scripts have different frequencies of transfer of lifting and pressing.

The wild cursive hand features swift movements of brush and fewer changes of lifting and pressing. The changes are more frequent in the lesser cursive and walking styles. The official script demonstrates more transfers between lifting and pressing, especially in writing horizontal strokes, which starts with a silkworm's head and ends in a wild goose's tail, and right-downward strokes. The standard kai-script illustrates the highest frequency of changes of lifting and pressing. But the seal script demonstrates no lifting or pressing at all.

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书法有三个主要的构成形式。它们是笔画、结字与章法，它们合成书法之美。

这三个构成形式中，笔画最为基本，因为字与行都是由笔画合成的。字与行是点画运行的轨迹和排列组合形式。点画的许多形式美要素，如力感、动感、节奏、变化与和谐等，也是字与行的形式美要素。当然，在这三这构成形式中，这些要素的比重是不同的。

笔画所着重的是笔力。用来显现笔力的方法不少，其中两个重要的是中锋与提按。

提就是用力将笔向上轻提；按就是用力向下按着。提笔可以使线条显得精细、有力与流畅；按笔则十线条粗重、沉重与有力。所以提按是造成书法力感与节奏感的重要手段。

写字时将笔向上提或向下按时，还要应付另一对不同的用力方法：行与留，就如一个篮球运动员带球前进，一面拍着球，一面带球跑动。这种技巧需要苦练。

各种书体的提按变化的频率有所不同。

狂草书追求快速行笔，提按变化较少。小草与行书提按变化较多。隶书提按变化较多，尤其是书写要表现蚕头雁尾的横画与右下捺刀划。楷书用提按最多。但是，篆书却几乎完全没有用到提按。

Wang Sui Pick 王瑞璧

Wang Sui Pick (1904 - 1998) was born in 1904 in Anxi, Fujian province of China. His father Wang Qianyou later migrated to Singapore and became a businessman.

In 1921, after completed his high school education in Xiamen, Wang came to Singapore to join his parents. In Singapore, Wang rendered 3.5 years of service in education sector. In 1925, he went back to Xiamen University to further his study. While staying in Fujian, he worked as a teacher and principal of various high schools for a total of 16 years.

In 1954, he returned to Singapore and took up a teaching post at Nanyang Girls’ High School. In 1961, he became principal of Chong Hwa High School in Kluang and in 1967 he joined Chong Hwa Independent High School in Kuala Lumpur as it principal until his retirement in 1970.

Wang was a quiet person by nature and he led a disciplined life. In his youth, he had already cultivated an interest in Chinese calligraphy. He started learning Yan and Liu styles, and later was fascinated and attracted by Huai Shu’s cursive style and spent much time practiced it.

However, he was famous for his finger calligraphy, which he discovered and practiced since his days in Xiamen in 1930s.

His first calligraphy exhibition was held in 1981 and since then, he had participated in numerous calligraphy exhibitions locally and overseas.

For his excellent artistic works in Chinese calligraphy, he was awarded the Cultural Medallion by the National Art Council, Singapore in 1992. Together with Pan Shou, who received the Cultural Medallion (Art) in 1986, the two were considered the most outstanding calligraphers and regarded as 'National Treasures' in Singapore.

Wang passed away in 1998.

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王瑞璧（1904-1998），1904年出生于中国福建的安溪。他的父亲王谦友后来移居新加坡，成为商人。

1921年，在厦门读完高中后，王瑞璧来新加坡与父母团聚。在新加坡的三年半，它服务于教育界。1925年，他回到厦门继续求学，就读厦门大学。在福建期间，王瑞璧在各中学担任教师与校长共十六年。

1954年，王瑞璧回返新加坡，在南洋女子中学教书。他于1961年担任居鸾中华中学的校长，1967年转任吉隆坡中华独立中学校长，直到1970年退休为止。

王瑞璧本性沉默，生活有规律。年轻时就对书法产生兴趣。他先学写颜柳体，后来为怀素草书所吸引，花了很多精力学它。

但是，他最有名的却是指书。指书是在1930年代他在厦门时所发现的。

1981年他的个人书展第一次举行。此后，他参加了无数的本地与国外的书法展。

为了表扬他在中华书法方面的杰出贡献，新加坡艺术理事会于1992年颁发给他文化奖。他与潘受（1986年获文化奖）被尊为新加坡书法界国宝级大师。

王瑞璧与1998年去世。

Wen Jiabao’s Handwriting: Distress Rejuvenates a Nation 温家宝的字：多难兴邦

Chinese Calligraphy is both a means of communication and a revered form of art, and the dividing line is often vague. It is also said to reveal the inner character of a person - one can detect the virtue of a writer by the beauty of his brushstrokes.

The Chinese people therefore always treasure the handwriting of calligraphy of their leaders. It is therefore not surprising that rulers, officials, politicians in the China have long used their graceful handwriting to cement their power and display their ‘inner character.’

In 2008, the Beichuan Middle School lost a thousand students in May’s devastating Sichuan earthquake. When Premier Wen Jiabao visited the school’s temporary quarters, he wrote four characters on a blackboard to inspire the students: "distress rejuvenates a nation", pointing out that despite all of the hardship that the Wenchuan earthquake had brought to the students, their families, and the people of Sichuan, it wasn't the end of the world.

After his departure, teachers and students could not bear to erase his chalk inscription, which was covered in plastic until the Sichuan Cultural Relics Bureau could devise a method for permanently preserving Wen’s handwriting.

"Those characters brought us strength. We keep them in our hearts," one freshman student told the reporter. "It'd be great if we could preserve that piece of blackboard forever." Lots of students and teachers at Beichuan Middle School supported this idea.

Wen is among many of the Chinese leaders who are good in calligraphy. Here are two pieces of his calligraphic works.

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中国书法是传意的工具，也是一种受人敬畏的艺术，工具与艺术之间的界限经常模糊。据说它可以显现一个人的内心个性，从一个人所写的美丽的线条中可以看得出一个人的品德。

中国人一向珍惜他们领导的手迹。所以，长久以来，中国的统治者、官员、政治家利用他们优雅的字来加强他们的权力与表露他们的‘内心’，那就不令人惊奇了。

2008年5月，在灾难性的四川地震中，北川中学丧失了上千名学生性命的。当温家宝总理来到他们的临时校园时，他在黑板写了四个字来激励学生：多难兴邦。他指出虽然四川地震给他们、他们的家人、四川人民带来了所有这些苦难，但是这并不是世界末日。

温总理离开之后，学生们舍不得把这些粉笔字擦掉，以塑胶布把他们盖住，直到四川文物局想到永远保存温总理的手迹的方法为止。

一个新生告诉记者说：‘这些字给予我们力量。我们会永远记在心中。能把这片黑板永远保留着，那真是太好了。’北川中学的很多老师与学生都支持这个想法。

温家宝是中国领袖中书法写的不错中的一个。这里展示的是他的两幅作品。

Chew Nyee King 周仪卿

Chew Nyee King (Zhou Yiqing) has just completed a calligraphy course conducted by the Singapore Senior Citizen Calligraphy University Centre (SSCCUC) and was conferred the title of ‘Calligrapher of SSCCUC’ on 14 Nov.

Chew recalls her stay in Beijing eleven years ago and during the morning exercises in gardens, she used to see people practice Chinese calligraphy on the cement ground, using water-filled sponge attached to a wooden stick. The words written by them were beautiful. She told herself that one day she must also start learning Chinese calligraphy.

In 2007, while enjoying her happy old age by playing with grandchildren, she decided that she would turn her admiration for beautiful calligraphic works into zeal of learning the art. She therefore enrolled into a calligraphy course conducted by the Senior Citizen Calligraphy University Centre and started learning calligraphy from Professor Tan Siak Kwee.

In the process of learning, she realises that Chinese calligraphy is a difficult subject and there are no short cuts to success. At times, she felt like quitting the course. However, with the encouragement of her classmates, she learned a lot by discussing with them and this has confirmed her love for the art. She now also has a good understanding of the art. After three years of study, she finally completed the calligraphy course.

In order to improve her calligraphy, Chew hopes to continue practice calligraphy, attend calligraphy exhibitions, attend writing-on-the-spot sessions by famous calligraphers, and spend more times reading books on calligraphy.

The calligraphic work shown here as is one of her works that is accepted for display at the Graduates’ Calligraphy Exhibition held from 14 to 19 Nov at the Singapore Calligraphy Centre. The text of the calligraphy says:

‘The common interest of enjoying the sounds of the mountains has brought us closer together.’

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周仪卿今年刚修完由新加坡老年书法大学所开办的三年书法课程，并于十一月十四日获得该中心授予‘书学研士’衔。

周仪卿回溯十一年前，寓居北京时，清晨到公园晨运时，常见许多人用棍子扎了海绵沾上水，就在地练习字法，而且写得很好。就对自己说：有朝一日，我也会好好地去学习书法。

2007年，仪卿在含饴弄孙之余，把她对别人的一手好字的羡慕，化作自己学习书法的热忱，毅然报名老年书法大学，师从陈声桂教授。

在学习过程里，仪卿认知书法是一门没有捷径可走的深奥的学问，也曾经有打退堂鼓的念头，但是在同窗好友互相切磋，相互鼓舞下，终于建立起对书法的热爱，领悟了书法的奥妙，经过三年的努力，现在已经从老年书法大学学成毕业了。

仪卿期盼继续学习书法，有更多机会可以参观书法展览，名家挥毫，并博览书法群帖，以使自己的书法能不断进步。

这里所显示的是仪卿的毕业展作品之一，内容的是：写其山水之清音，与余同好相善也。

Singapore Senior Citizen Calligraphy University Centre 新加坡老年书法大学

The Singapore Senior Citizen University Centre was registered and set up by the Singapore Calligraphy Association on 7 September 2004. It received its first batch of 13 students in 2005. These students graduated in 2007. The second batch of 14 students graduated in 2008. This year, the third batch of 17 students will have their graduation ceremony held on 14 Nov 09.
It is claimed to be the first of its kind of educational institutions in the South East Asian region. The main aim of the three-year programmes is to help mature students who are successful individuals from all walks of life, to reach a higher level of self-actualization and personal fulfilment. Students who successfully complete the course will be conferred the title of Calligrapher by the centre.

Besides attending normal lessons and practice calligraphy, students are also strongly encouraged to attend overseas cultural programmes conducted by Tongji University in Shanghai and organise overseas trips to widen their knowledge beyond calligraphy.

The study year is divided into two teaching semesters. The first and second semester start in February and July respectively. There are 13 weekly-lessons in each semester and each lesson lasts 3 hours. The course fee is S$1,200 per semester or S$2,400 per year.

The students must fulfil the following course requirements:

1. 80% class attendance,

2. Submit three calligraphic works that must be passed by the centre’s Examination Board, and

3. Submit 10 essays on topics decided by the centre.

The calligraphic works of this year’s students can be viewed at the Singapore Calligraphic Centre from 14 to 19 November everyday from 12 pm to 5 pm.

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新加坡老年书法大学由新加坡书法家协会于2004年九月七日注册成立。它于2005年录取第一批13名学员。这一批学员于2007年毕业。第二批14名学员于2008年毕业。今年，第三批17名学员的毕业典礼将在11月14日举行。

据说这是东南亚第一所老年大学。它主要目的是要协助来自各行各业的成功人士实现更高一层的自我实现。成功完成课程的学员将获得该中心授‘书学研士’衔。

除了上课与练习书法之外，书大鼓励学员参加由上海同济大学主办的海外文化课程，与组团去海外旅行以增广书法外的知识。

每学年分为两个学期。第一学期于二月，第二学期于七月开学。每个学期上课十三次，每课三小时。每学期的学费为新元$1,200 或每学年新元$2,400。

每个学员要符合以下的课程条件：

1． 上满80%的课，

2． 提交三件书法作品通过“毕业生作品审查委员会”，与

3． 呈交十篇由校方指定题目的论文。

第三届学员的书法作品可于11月14日至19日期间，每天下午12时至5时到新加坡书法中心观赏。

The Three Rare Treasures of Calligraphy 三希堂法帖

Wang Xianzhi’s Zhongqiu Tie (Mid Autumn Manuscript) is one of the Three Rare Treasures of Calligraphy. The other two rare treasures are Wang Xizhi's Kuaixue Shiqing Tie (Fast Snowing and Sunning) and Wang Xun's Boyuan Tie (Letter to Boyuan). Dating from the fourth century, they all are regarded as the greatest masterpieces of calligraphic art and have been revered by generations of calligraphy enthusiasts as the most precious treasures.

Mid-Autumn Manuscript is said to be the authentic works of Wang Xianzhi. However, it is generally believed that it is the copy work of Mi Fu who was one of four most famous calligraphists in Song Dynasty. Since ancient time, this scroll has been praised as an excellent calligraphic model in the connecting ‘blood’ and ‘vein’. Only 22 characters are visible on this scroll, but they still demonstrate the feature of coherence. On each line, the characters or their strokes are connected in such a way to give a feeling of ‘one-stroke way of writing’, ie the whole line is written continously in one stroke. It is said to be the ‘one-stroke cursive script’ at its best.

In 1747, the three rare treasures, together with 134 selected calligraphic masterpieces from Wei, Jin, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties (dated from late fourth century to seventeenth century), were engraved into stone tablets and collectively known as The Calligraphic Masterpieces of the Hall of Three Rarities (Sanxi Tang Fatie). Emperor Qianlong commissioned the construction of the Chamber for Reading the Classics (Yuegu Lou) in the nearby Beihai garden and these carved stones were set into the interior walls of the Chamber, while the rubbings taken from them were widely disseminated as models for practicing calligraphy. The emperor kept the original three calligraphic works in the Hall of Three Rarities next to his living quarters.

Before 1924 when the last emperor was expelled from the imperial palace, Letter to Boyuan and Mid Autumn Manuscript were moved to the Palace of Longevity and Health (Shoukang Gong), the residence of the imperial honoured consort Jingyi (literally Respect and Virtue), dowager of the Tongzhi Emperor.

After 1924, the dowager Jingyi smuggled these two works out of the palace and sold them. After that, there was no news of their whereabouts until they appeared in Hong Kong in 1951. The two treasures were mortgaged to a foreign bank in Hong Kong and would have been sold abroad if not for the intervention of Premier Zhou Enlai, who authorized their purchase. In 1951, the two rarities were finally bought by the Chinese government and returned to Beijing Palace Museum. They are still kept in Beijing Palace Museum up to today.

The third calligraphic masterpiece Fast Snowing and Sunning was brought to Taiwan in 1949 and is currently kept in Taipei National Palace Museum.

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王献之的《中秋帖》是中国书法的三希之一。其他二希是王羲之的《快雪时晴帖》与王询的《伯远帖》。这些写于公元四世纪的书法艺术中的精品，被世世代代的书法爱好者视为最珍贵的宝物。

《中秋帖》据说是王献之的正品。可是，一般相信它是宋代四大书法家之一的米芾的临作。自古以来，这幅帖就被认为是血脉相连的最好书法范本。整幅帖只有22字可辨认，但还是展示了融合的特色。每一条线的每一个字及线条都联系得给人以一笔完成的感觉。可说是‘一笔字’的最佳珍品。

1417年，这三件稀有宝物和其他134件魏晋唐宋元与清朝（公元四世纪末至十七世纪）的书法名帖被刻于石头上，合称《三希堂法帖》。乾隆王下令在北海园附近建造‘阅古楼’并把刻石装上内墙。拓本则广分给臣子，作为练习书法的范本。皇帝把三件稀品放在他的卧宫旁边的‘三希堂’。

1924年前，末代皇帝还没有被逐出皇宫之前，《伯远帖》与《中秋帖》被移到‘寿康宫’，那是贵太妃敬懿的住所。

1924年后，贵太妃敬懿把这两件作品私运出宫并把它们卖了。以后，它们的所在就无所闻了，直到1951年它们重现于香港。这两件宝物当时是被抵押给香港的一间外资银行。若不是周恩来总理的干涉，它们已经被卖到国外了。1951年，中国政府终于买下这两件宝物并归还北京故宫博物院。它们至今还由北京故宫博物院收藏。

第三件书法珍品《快雪时晴帖》在1949年被运到台湾，目前由台北故宫博物院所收管。