Chapter Thirty-three: Seal Script

Zhang Yue and Zhang Cai’s conversation felt as if they had met a kindred spirit, both sensing the sorrow of being cast adrift in the world. Zhang Yue was from a branch of the family, Zhang Cai was a son born out of wedlock, so they naturally shared much common ground.

The term “branch family” itself had no strict definition; for instance, both Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng were descendants of Zhang Zijun. Zhang Heng belonged to the line of Zhang Ren Song, the fourth son of Zhang Zijun, who served as a Supervisory Minister in Southern Tang. Zhang Ren Song had four sons: Wen Song, Wen Tong, Shi Lian, and Shi Qing. Zhang Heng was from Wen Song’s line, while Zhang De Xiang was from Shi Lian’s. Though Zhang Heng originally settled in Zhejiang to study, he had only recently come to the clan school.

Zhang De Xiang, of the same line as Zhang Heng, had risen to prominence because he became a prime minister. The court posthumously honored his ancestors for three generations and granted privileges to his close relatives, so that branch became the illustrious family. Such are the benefits of producing a prime minister; otherwise, with each generation, official status would decline, eventually reducing the family to commoners.

Zhang Yue, meanwhile, descended from Zhang Zijun’s other son, Zhang Ren Che, who served as Minister of Works in Southern Tang. Zhang Ren Che had seven sons, and the family dispersed even more in subsequent generations. Still, scholars and officials continued to emerge from this branch—Zhang Di, Zhang Pin, Zhang Fang, Zhang Yu passed the imperial examinations in succession, and Zhang Fang’s son Zhang Jie, thanks to the official privileges granted by his clan uncle Zhang De Xiang, was appointed registrar at the Imperial Workshops without having taken the imperial exams.

Kinship can be unpredictable; if you hold office, so do I, and relations are traced across eight generations. Otherwise, even full brothers may be estranged.

As Zhang Yue and Zhang Cai sat side by side before the low lacquered table, they heard Lin Xi, the top scorer in the examination, gaze at the large seal script calligraphy displayed in the hall and recite, “The Way is the mother of Heaven and Earth! What an excellent piece!”

The professor stroked his beard and smiled.

Lin Xi said, “I’ve heard that after Li Si in the Qin dynasty, only Li Yangbing of the Tang dynasty mastered seal script; after Li Yangbing, only Xu Xuan. Master Boyi studied under Great Xu, just as the disciples Zi You and Zi Xia studied under Confucius.”

The professor smiled, “There are too many rumors. My clan uncle Zhang Gu studied under Little Xu and inherited his seal script, later passing it down to me.”

The names mentioned above may seem confusing. Little Xu refers to Xu Kai, younger brother of Xu Xuan; both were renowned in Southern Tang and known as the Two Xus of Jiangdong. Great Xu, Xu Xuan, was even more famous, serving three successive rulers of Southern Tang and repeatedly visiting the Song court to plead for mercy from Zhao Kuangyin on behalf of Li Houzhu.

According to history, when Zhao Kuangyin sent troops against Southern Tang, Xu Xuan argued that the Tang ruler had always served the Song emperor as a son serves his father and had never committed any fault. Why, then, attack us? Zhao Kuangyin replied, “Have you ever heard of a father and son living in separate houses?”

On another occasion, Xu Xuan again pleaded for Southern Tang, saying, “We of the Li family have always been obedient; you must not attack us!” Zhao Kuangyin grew furious, drew his sword and struck the table, declaring, “What crime has the Tang ruler committed?” Then he uttered his famous line: “But this is a world ruled by one surname; how can I allow others to sleep peacefully beside my couch?”

After Southern Tang was destroyed and Li Houzhu captured and taken to Bianjing, Emperor Taizong Zhao Kuangyi sent Xu Xuan to visit him. Li Houzhu lamented, “I regret having wrongly executed Pan You and Li Ping.” Xu Xuan conveyed these words to Emperor Taizong, and according to history, Li Houzhu met his end because of them.

Regardless, Xu Xuan’s literary talent was celebrated throughout the land.

When Xu Xuan first visited the Song court, everyone had heard of his reputation, and the ministers were so intimidated by his eloquence that they dared not respond. Zhao Kuangyin scolded them, “You cowards! I have a solution.” He brought along an illiterate companion. At first, Xu Xuan dazzled with his words, astonishing the Song ministers, but the companion simply nodded to everything Xu Xuan said. In the end, Xu Xuan exhausted himself, speaking endlessly, and was defeated by his own fatigue.

As for Zhang Gu, he studied successively under Xu Xuan and Xu Kai, mastering all they taught, especially Xu Xuan’s prized seal script. Zhang Gu passed the imperial examination in the second year of Kaibao, becoming the top scholar in Southern Tang.

By the ninth year of Kaibao, as Southern Tang fell, Xu Kai died the previous year, fearing the Song army besieging Jinling. After the Tang’s fall, Zhang Gu, owing “profound gratitude to the Tang ruler,” refused to serve Song, escorted Xu Kai’s coffin home for burial, and then retired from public life.

The professor studied under Zhang Gu. Because his teacher despised the Song dynasty, he too lost interest in pursuing officialdom.

It is said that when Zhang De Xiang was prime minister, he wanted to grant the professor an office through privilege, but the professor declined. During the reign of Emperor Renzong, even the emperor himself, having heard of the professor’s reputation, issued an edict inviting him to serve in the capital, but the professor excused himself, claiming illness.

Later, the court needed someone to engrave the stone classics, which required seal script, and summoned the professor again. Unable to refuse, he went to the capital, completed the engraving, and when offered a third appointment as registrar of the Imperial Workshops, he once more declined.

Among scholars, there are those like Xu Xuan, those like Zhang Gu, and those like the professor. He was not a remnant official of Southern Tang; moreover, Tang had long vanished, and he bore no deep resentment toward Song for the loss of the kingdom. But out of respect for his teacher’s wishes, he thrice refused imperial summons.

Yet the professor was not stubborn by nature. He spent many years at Nanfeng Academy, teaching Zhang family youths the way of the imperial examinations.

From what Zhang Yue knew, the stone classics engraved by the professor would later be called the Jiayou Stone Classics, or the “Two-Script Stone Classics,” containing both regular script and seal script.

Engraving stone classics is a grand cultural event. In the Han dynasty, to correct errors in the transmission of classic texts, they first engraved stone classics using only clerical script. In the Cao Wei period, they engraved stone classics in three scripts—ancient script, seal script, and Han clerical script—known as the “Three-Script Stone Classics.”

Now, in the Song dynasty, stone classics are engraved at the Imperial Academy in both regular script and small seal script, with the seal script done by the professor. His calligraphic fame would endure, and he ultimately retired to his hometown, fulfilling both his teacher’s legacy and his teacher’s command.

The professor’s name was Youzhi, courtesy name Boyi.

Lin Xi offered several compliments, then, with a tone of regret, said, “Little did I expect that after Li Si and Li Yangbing, seal script would be passed down through the professor. But which disciple here has truly inherited your mastery?”

Professor Zhang Youzhi smiled and shook his head, “Nowadays, the imperial examination requires only regular script; seal script is no longer taught, no longer passed on.”

Lin Xi lamented, “What a pity.”

Beside them, Zhang Heng laughed, “Professor, Brother Zi Zhong is keen to learn seal script; why not teach him?”

After Zhang Heng spoke, Zhang Yue noticed the students in the hall exchanging mysterious smiles.

Zhang Yue asked Zhang Cai, “Is there some trick to this?”

Zhang Cai smiled, “Just listen, and you’ll see.”

Professor Zhang Youzhi said, “Oh, the top scholar wishes to learn seal script? That is truly admirable. In that case, why should I keep my knowledge to myself?”

A flash of delight passed across Lin Xi’s face, “I am eager to learn, Professor.”

Zhang Youzhi said, “When you return home, take two large sheets of paper. On one, draw nineteen horizontal and nineteen vertical lines, intersecting to form a Go board. On the other, draw ten concentric circles from inside out, like a target. Practice daily, writing thirty of each, sixty sheets in total.”

Zhang Yue was bewildered, thinking, Are you kidding me?

Lin Xi seemed equally taken aback.

Are you messing with me?

Zhang Youzhi continued, “Each straight and curved line must be drawn in one stroke, without retracing. The thickness and spacing must be flawless; achieve a modest proficiency, and you may begin learning seal script.”

He turned away, not even glancing at Lin Xi’s skeptical face, and said, “Bring two large sheets of paper.”

Zhang Heng, as though anticipating this moment, played along, “Professor has already prepared them.”

Two students fetched the sheets, each assembled from four pieces, clearly prepared in advance. They each held a sheet and affixed them to the wall.

Without another word, Zhang Youzhi took up the brush, dipped it in ink, and swept it across the paper.

In no time, the Go board and target were drawn.

The students crowded forward to observe, and even Zhang Yue went closer to look. The Go board and target were just as Professor Zhang Youzhi had described: every straight and curved line was executed in a single stroke, with thickness and spacing so precise it was as if printed by a machine.

Lin Xi examined the sheets repeatedly, sighing at the cost of such large paper, and at the effort required to hone a skill of little practical use, thinking it a waste of time.

Lin Xi asked, “To reach your level, Professor, how many years does it take?”

Professor Zhang Youzhi, generous as ever, replied, “If you wish to achieve this, it will take no less than ten years; for modest proficiency, three to five years will suffice.”

Seeing Lin Xi’s disappointed look, Zhang Cai was already laughing, and Zhang Yue understood: they were deliberately teasing Lin Xi, who, as the top scholar, was enjoying too much glory.

Of course, everyone knew that no one had the leisure to practice seal script these days; the imperial examinations required only regular script.

At that moment, Zhang Yue was deep in thought, his eyes suddenly shining.

Lin Xi had clearly given up. “Thank you, Professor. I will remain here for some time, preparing for the capital exams with Brother Zi Ping. I hope you will continue to guide me.”

Zhang Youzhi replied, “Every day after noon, I am here to answer students’ questions. If you have time, come by; I will share all I know.”

“Many thanks, Professor.”

Once Lin Xi had visited, Zhang Yue concluded his studies for the day.

Leaving the Hall of Daytime Glory, Zhang Yue felt he had gained much.

After copying texts that day, Zhang Yue and Guo Lin returned home. He did not read that night, instead going straight to bed.

In his dreams, Zhang Yue returned to that mysterious space. With a thought, two massive white sheets appeared before him.

These sheets were far larger than those he had seen at the Hall of Daytime Glory.

He took up the brush and, imitating the professor’s method, began drawing the Go board and target. As expected, the results were tragic: the lines looked like tadpoles, the circles even worse.

He reflected that, in calligraphy practice, there are differences between using the center and the side of the brush. Drawing the Go board and target trains the use of the brush’s center—straight lines for the board, curves for the target. Indeed, these skills can be applied to regular script as well.

Yes, if these foundations are well practiced, they greatly benefit both regular and seal script.

He calculated silently.

Professor had said to write sixty sheets daily, and it would take three to five years for modest proficiency. Here, his ink and paper were inexhaustible; if he spent two hours a day, he could easily write six hundred sheets, nearly ten times faster.

Most importantly, practicing calligraphy here, his hand would never tire, nor would the brush tremble.

With this realization, Zhang Yue wasted no time and began to practice in earnest.