兰亭集序“Preface” to the Orchid Pavilion Poems

East Asia, 76-83

王羲之

Two Most Famous Parties

“The Dead” written between 1906-1907 by James Joyce;

“Epiphany” experienced by Gabriel Conroy at a Christmas party in Dublin, Ireland, who made a discovery about his wife and himself…

In 353, a gathering of 41 scholars and poets at the Orchid Pavilion for the annual spring ceremonies of purification;

37 poems

Pavilion of Floating WinecupsOld Summer Palace, Beijing

Stephen Owen, chairEast Asian Languages &

Civilizations, Harvard University

Anthology of Chinese Literature

New York: W. W. Norton & Company,1997

Graduated from UW Student of Professor David R. Knechtges

David R. Knechtges

Famous for his translation of Han Fu; Read CR9_Han Fu online; Wen xuan (East Asia, 81), first anthology organized by genre (39)

Student of James R. Hightower, Harvard Professor who translated Tao Qian or Tao Yuanming’s poems—East Asia 83;

Preface to the Orchid Pavilion PoemsBy Wang Xizhi 353

Called "Sage of Calligraphy " in China's history of calligraphy, Wang Xizhi (321-379) was the great calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, famous for

行书【 xíngshū 】running script/running hand

(in Chinese calligraphy).

His Favorite Character

乘龙快婿【 chénglóngkuàixù 】 Dragon-Riding (ideal) Son-in-Law (East Asia, 77)

In Eastern Jin (344 to 405), Xi Jian 郗鉴 , Grand Master, tutor to the crown prince, 太傅 , asked the prime minister Wang to find a son-in-law among his students for him.

Ruan Yu, butler of Xi Jian, reported that everybody behaved politely except Wang Xizhi who was lying in bed with all buttons unbuttoned…

Tales of the Current Age世说新语 (East Asia 76-77)

A New Account of the Tales of the World

Second Edition (Michigan Monographs in Chinese Studies, 2002

Trans. by Richard B. Mather

a book of anecdotes and character sketches produced during China's Southern Song Dynasty (420-581 C.E.) and edited by Liu Yiqing. 刘义庆

(403 － 444)

Notes and Annotationsby Liu Jun 刘峻 ; styled as Liu Xiaobiao

462-521 Notes and annotations

are much better than the original text, quoted more than 400 books, corrected mistakes;

Pioneered a new genre: expanded annotations to prose fiction, even more fictive and humous;

famous treatise on “Parting Company Expanded” “Guang jue jiao lun” 《廣絕

交論》 that went public in 508,

collected in Wen Xuan Chapter 55

四合院【 sìhéyuàn 】Chinese quadrangles

四合院【 sìhéyuàn 】Chinese quadrangles

The layout

in Exchange for a Flock of Geese

It is said that a Taoist in Shanyin County wanted Wang Xizhi to write some calligraphy for him, but had not made acquaintance with him. When he got to know that Wang Xizhi had a special preference for geese, he raised a flock of geese specially beside the Taoist temple. One day Wang Xizhi saw the geese when he passed by the temple, and he really took a fancy for them, wishing to buy and bring them back home. The Taoist told him, "I would like to present you with these geese if you copy me a Taoist scripture". Delighted with this, Wang Xizhi spent the whole day copying the scripture for the Taoist. Later he took the geese home in great pleasure.

Emperor Taizong of Tang Tang Dynasty emperor Taizong 唐太宗 , Li Shimin, held

Wang Xizhi's calligraphy in great esteem. Upon hearing that the original copy of Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Poems was kept by the monk Bian Cai, he devised to outwit the monk to obtain it, placing it in front of himself and admiring it day and night. In order that more people could appreciate this calligraphic treasure, the emperor ordered his officials Zhao Mo, Hong Chengsu and others to make some elaborate copies of the original, which he gave away to his imperial family members and favored officials. At the same time he especially organized Ouyang Xun, Chu Suiliang, Yu Shinan and other famous calligraphers to conscientiously copy Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Poems.

王羲之《兰亭集序》The “Preface” also famous for its calligraphy—running script

内画大师一丁作品 内书兰亭序

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wUP5Tf7m50

周杰伦 兰亭序 Jay Chou a Taiwanese

musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times.

鹅池 The Goose PondShaoxing, Zhejing Province

Orchid Pavilion

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Preface_to_the_Poems_Composed_at_the_Orchid_Pavilion

NJ Star WP and Wenlin

NJ Star Word Processor

Wenlin 文林 http://www.wenlin.co

m/