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Wang Xizhi: Master Calligrapher

  • Image of "Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie) (detail), Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century, Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey. Bequest of John B. Elliott, Class of 1951"

    Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie) (detail), Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century, Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey. Bequest of John B. Elliott, Class of 1951

    Heiseikan Special Exhibition Galleries
    January 22, 2013 (Tue) - March 3, 2013 (Sun)

    Active in 4th-century China during the Eastern Jin dynasty, Wang Xizhi (303?-361?) greatly advanced conventional calligraphy styles, with his calligraphy treasured by successive Chinese emperors. Focusing on important materials related to Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy, this exhibition searches for the true image of the work of this master calligrapher, and attempts to reevaluate the roles that he played, for example through his influence on later generations.

General Information
Period Tuesday, January 22 - Sunday, March 3, 2013
Venue Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 - 17:00 (Last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Friday, March 3 open until 20:00
Closed Mondays
(Except for Monday, February 11)
Admission Adults: 1500 (1300/1200) yen
University students: 1200 (1000/900) yen
High school students: 900 (700/600) yen
Junior high school students and under: Free
* Prices shown in ( ) indicate advance and group (more than 20 persons) discount tickets.
* Persons with disabilities are admitted free with one accompanying person each.
* Advance tickets will be sale at the Museum ticket office (during museum hours, 30 minutes before closing hour), e-Ticket Pia (P-code:765-417), Lawson Ticket (L-code:30103), E-Plus and other major ticketing agencies from Saturday, November 10, 2012 to Monday, January 21, 2013.  
*

Advance pair tickets (two admissions, 2000yen) are sold  at e-Ticket Pia (P-code:765-418), and other major ticketing agencies until Saturday, December 22, 2012.　(Advance pair tickets are not for sale at the Museum ticket office)

  
* Special exhibition "Enku's Buddhas: Sculptures from Senkoji Temple and the Hida Region" (Saturday, January 12 - Sunday, April 7, 2013, Honkan Room T5) requires a separate admission fee.  
Access 10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno Station, Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Nezu Station
Organizer Tokyo National Museum, The Mainichi Newspapers, NHK, NHK Promotions Inc.
With the Special Assistance of　  The Asahi Shimbun
 With the Support of  Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 With the Special Sponsorship of  Daiwa House Industry Co.,Ltd.
 With the Sponsorship of  Aioi Nissay Dowa insurance Co., Ltd., TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, Nissha Printing Co., Ltd., Japan Post Bank Co., Ltd.
 With the Assistance of UCHIDA　YOKO Co.,Ltd.,  All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., China Cultural Center  in TOKYO, Nishogakusha University, Ｔhe Mainichi Shodo Association
General Inquiries 03-5405-8686 (Hello Dial)
Exhibition Website http://o-gishi.jp/ (In Japanese)
The website has closed with the end of the exhibition.

Related Events
Heiseikan Auditorium  February 2, 2013 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH
Heiseikan Auditorium  February 10, 2013 (Sun)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH

Highlight of the Exhibition

 

Part 1: Discerning the True Appearance of Wang Xizhi’s Calligraphy

 Letter to Kong (Kong shi zhong tie)   Letter to Kong (Kong shi zhong tie) （detail）
Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century
National Treasure
The Maeda Ikutokukai Foundation, Tokyo
[on exhibit  from February 19 to March 3, 2013]

 

Note of Distress and Indignation (Sang luan tie)
Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century
The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, Tokyo
[on exhibit  from January 22 to February 11, 2013]
   喪乱帖

 

 Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie)
Enlarge
Ritual to Pray for Good Harvest (Xingrang tie) (detail)
Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century
Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey. Bequest of John B. Elliott, Class of 1951

 

 Sister's Arrival (Meizhi tie)   Sister's Arrival (Meizhi tie)
Original: by Wang Xizhi, Copied in Tang dynasty, 7th–8th century
Private collection
[on exhibit  from February 13 to March 3, 2013]

 

Rubbing of Essay on Yue Yi (Yue yi lun), Yuezhou Shi family version
By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 348 (Yonghe 4)
Tokyo National Museum
   Rubbing of Essay on Yue Yi (Yue yi lun), Yuezhou Shi family version

 

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Part 2: Myriad Variations on the Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering

Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Xu Yanxian edition (detail)
By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 353 (Yonghe 9)
Tokyo National Museum		    Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Xu Yanxian edition

 

 Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Du Gu edition   Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Du Gu edition
By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 353 (Yonghe 9)
Tokyo National Museum
[on exhibit  from January 22 to February 11, 2013]

 

Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Han Zhuchuan edition
By Wang Xizhi, Original: Eastern Jin dynasty, dated 353 (Yonghe 9)
Taito City Calligraphy Museum, Tokyo
   Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Dingwu version, Han Zhuchuan edition

 

 Illustrated Scroll of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Wanli version
Enlarge
Illustrated Scroll of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Wanli version (detail)
By Wang Xizhi et al., Compiled: Ming dynasty, dated 1592 (Wanli 20)
Tokyo National Museum

 

Couplet of seven-character phrases in standard script
By Emperor Xuantong, Qing dynasty, 20th century
Tokyo National Museum
  
Couplet of seven-character phrases in standard script

 

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Part 3: Reception and Transformation of the Wang Xizhi Style

Thirteen colophons for the Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering in running script   Thirteen colophons for the Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering in running script
By Zhao Mengfu, Yuan dynasty, dated 1310 (Zhida 3)
Tokyo National Museum
[on exhibit  from February 13 to March 3, 2013]

 

 Thousand-character Essay in regular and cursive script   Thousand-character Essay in regular and cursive script
By Zhi Yong, Sui dynasty, 7th century
National Treasure
Private collection
[Exhibited pages will change from February 5 and February 19, 2013]

 

Copy after the Two Wangs' various rubbings
By Wang Duo, Qing dynasty, dated 1651 (Shunzhi 8)
Seikado Bunko Art Museum, Tokyo
[on exhibit  from February 13 to March 3, 2013]
   Copy after the Two Wangs' various rubbings

 

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Regular Exhibitions